If I had the room I would build on both sides!

 

Both sides.

 

I can go 6 feet on one side or 3 feet on either side

 

there's your answer but you are severely limited to length of material...

 

Cutting mitered trim for a toy chest lid tonight, i needed 34" on each side of the blade to be able to run continuous grain. 6' total (if it's blocked by walls at each side) would be a concern to me. Squaring off the end of an 8' or 9' board is something i do a lot as well. I could live with 3' of normal cutting on each side, but i'd want at least 9' available on one side (the right for me--just feels right) for every now and then.

earl

 

Trim comes in 14' and 16' lengths...that's my minimum infeed, on the left side for me. In my garage the right side is the overhead door opening. In the new layout...the East wall is 27'L so the 16'+ point is where the SCMS goes. Everything else will just have to work around that.

 

Miter saw space..

I built my miter saw stand to fit my saw. It drops down into it to be level with each side, which are 36 inch each. It is on wheels so I can pull it out for longer pieces. Plus I am able to remove the saw and take the whole thing to a job if needed.

 

Don
Absolutely make it both sides. At home I have a Makita on a Makita stand that extends both ways and is mobile. The extensions work but are not real stable. In our shop we use a homemade stand (also mobile) made of 3/4 melamine with shelves. The extensions are made of 80/20 aluminum and are rock solid - unlike what is commercially available. They extend a little more than 4 feet either way and can lock at any point. My point is make them go both ways and make them stable.
Dennis

 

the idea of a rollered station is a very good one...
some times you never have enough....

some plans...
11 Free Miter Saw Stand Plans + 9 Pictorial Idea Guides, 2 Videos, 6 Paid Plans and MORE! |
miter saw station woodworking plans and information at WoodworkersWorkshop®
Why Pay? 24/7 Free Access to Free Woodworking Plans and Projects
Online Extras - Woodsmith Magazine

make your L/R dimensions adjustable...
http://www.woodsmithshop.com/download/311/mitersawstation.pdf

 

I have my saw centered on a 8" frame so can cut off the end of a 8' board without support and cut a 16' board in half with not problem. I find that having it on both sides is very handy.
Allen

 

Rain Rain; Go Away

And then there's getting the overhead door side wet...

 

What those guys said - Double side if you have the room

and be certain that you arrange for clamping; both to the table and to the fence. The more flexibility you have with clamping arrangements the happier you will be.
Also, there is value in having the two parts of the fence independently adjustable.

 

Stick486, you have such phenomenal resources and so many of them too!! Thank you kind sir. Thank everyone else for their sharing also. One can call this "WoodShop University".

I now know to plan on my Miter Saw Station to be on wheels AND built into my workbench stretch. The miter saw can wheel outside the garage if I need it to. I wonder if I can incorporate my thickness planer on a flip top shelf with my miter saw (or even if I would want to for saving space in a small 1/2 car garage). Will have to think about it all.

 

I used a plan from the Woodsmith Shop. It has 3' on both sides of the saw. The saw is mounted on a sled and can be moved right or left to give you 6' to one side. Fence is moveable too.

 

Both sides. There are a number of things you will cut from both sides. Think crown mold.

 

Thanks for all the info, only reason that I was thinking of putting the extension on one side is due to having a double beveled saw, still working on a new layout for the garage, my workstation is on caster's already, another idea that I could do was to put my router table next to the saw & use the back side of the r/t for the extension of one side of the saw.

 

Dan- you need to have a "significant other" stand outside with an umbrella!
Dennis

 

Dennis; or procrastinate until the rains stop (Spring...maybe?)

 

Both sides for sure. Ron Paulk has a great miter station on his site.