I have been rethinking mobile bases on my larger tools. I can hardly move my 36" Woodmaster drum sander, on its HD ShopFox base, and now have a 600+# saw and band saw. I was going to get some HD casters, and square tubing and have my son weld up some new bases, but am thinking of just putting some 4X4 under the bases and moving them with a pallet jack. Add adjustable elevator bolt type feet for fine leveling.

These tools only get moved when I rearrange the shop, and then I usually just move around the smaller stuff, like router tables, work tables, etc. I like my tools fairly high (TS is 37 1/2"),
so putting 4X4's under them is just about right, and gives me room to use a pallet jack. So...I got on CL and picked up a well worn pallet jack to try out. It works well enough (leaks), but I find that the 27" wide forks are just a bit too wide for what I need on the TS. I either have to make my platform wider, which may get in the way, or possibly get a narrow (21" wide) pallet jack.

So....questions. Anyone using pallet jacks, unhappy with them? Do you have a narrow one (they go as narrow as 16" but 21" is fine for my needs) or a regular one. I can get a 21" for only $10 more than a 27". I am thinking about new since it will cost less than the steel and wheels for what I need, and I will not have to pay shipping, since a warehouse is close to me.

Normal forks are 48" long, but 36" are available for the same price. Which do you recommend?

Any pics of the platforms you use with the pallet jacks would be helpful also.


I should have done this years ago, but never wanted to take up the space a pallet jack would use. My aged brain just realized it would tuck very nicely under a 4' wide shelving unit I have in the shop. I will probably become very popular with neighbors once they find out about it.

Thanks,
Rick