PVC Outfeed Support

Outfeed Support Photo Whenever I'm working with long pieces, I often have a hard time supporting the end of the workpiece. So I came up with this adjustable-height work support stand. The nice thing about this stand is that it can be built in about an hour for around $20 in materials.

The stand is primarily made out of standard PVC pipe and fittings. Two different diameters of pipe are used for the column of the stand. A PVC compression fitting joins the two sections of the column and allows you to adjust the height of the stand, as shown above.

To make the lower half of the column, glue a reducer fitting onto the end of a section of 2″ PVC pipe. Then take a 1¼″ compression fitting and cut it in half. You'll need to sand down the circumference of the compression fitting until it fits into the end of the 2″ pipe. Then, glue the pieces together.

The riser section of the column is made out of 1¼″ PVC pipe. To create a mounting surface for the top of the stand, the top is sliced off a T-fitting and the fitting is glued onto the end of the pipe, detail 'a'. Now just slip the nut and rubber washer from the compression fitting over the end of the riser and then slip the riser into the column. (You'll have to cut a section out of the washer to allow it to fit around the riser, detail 'b'.)

Finally, I made a base and top for the stand out of a piece of ¾″ plywood and some "two-by" scraps.

Have a nice weekend,

Phil Huber
Online Editor, ShopNotes

Send for
yours today