Question on mobile bases.

[Jim O'Dell]

I read a thread about mobile bases on another forum and it got me to thinking about the base I will need when I get my new, or used ;), cabinet saw hopefully later this year. I will probably end up with the Grizzly G0691 unless something equal at a better price comes up.
So what do you all like about the mobile bases you have on your cabinet saws? Do any of them allow you to adjust the height on? I'm afraid I will need a custom base to do what I want (I will need to gain about 2 1/2" off the floor to match my other saw and cabinets). Anyone have plans they like for home built bases? This will have the outrigger legs for the longer rails. Thanks for any help you can offer! Jim.

[Don Bullock]

I have an HTC mobile base for my SS, but it doesn't come close to the 2 1/2 inches that you need. There have been some home made bases in some posts that use 2x4s that might meet your needs. Check this one out: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=71000

Here's a picture of one that might work:

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_0306a.jpg

[Paul Ryan]

I have a jet mobile base and would not buy one for something as heavy as a table saw again. It is rated for 700lbs but it is not very stable unless you postion it right. It wont give you the 2 1/2 in you need either. I had one problem with this base that I fixed. The saw rocked in the base and because of the design of the base it would cause the wheels to begin flexing and the whole rocking to get worse. I shimmed the saw tight into the base so the whole base has to rock for the machine to rock. But when the swivel wheels turn back they povide less support to the front of the base, this allows the whole base to tilt forward because the saw is so heavy. I don't know if you understand or not. But it is very simple to assemble and it moves very smoothly but it is not for a heavy machine. I would like to exchange bases with the one underneath my band saw. That is a shop fox that is very stable but it doesn't move as smoothly. I just have to get some buddies together to lift the saws.

[Don Bullock]

Paul, I fixed the flexing on my Jet base on a band saw by putting in a sheet of plywood in the base between the sides and then I screwed the saw to the plywood.

There is a picture of it in this thread:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=104613

[Jim O'Dell]

Don, thanks for the picture of the wooden base. I'll use that for ideas. I think I'd rather have it made from steel, maybe boxed steel tubing, but that can be adapted. I still want something I can crank pads down to sit securely on the ground, and allow it to be leveled out. I just don't trust wheels, dual locking or not, to not give some.
Thanks! And keep the ideas coming! Jim.

[Frank Drew]

I used HTC mobile bases on a shaper and a horizontal mortiser; I loved them because they allowed me to have those machines in a small-ish shop that didn't have room for permanent placement -- I'd just roll them out of their parking spaces when I needed them.

Although the wheels had sort of a locking feature, I still had to chock the wheels, particularly when using the shaper.

They were both low-rise, lifting the machines not much more than 1/2" off the floor.

[Steve Jenkins]

Jim, I had a member of our woodworking club make me a mobile base. He is a machinist by trade and lives in Everman justy south of Ft. Worth. If you want to pm me your phone number I will pass it on to him to give you a call if you want. Our next meeting by the way is tomorrow Tues. evening. The one he made for me has two 2wheels and two adjustable feet. It is moved with a "mule" which is a lever with two wheels that you hook under the side of the base with the feet and by pressing down on the handle of the mule it raises the feet off the floor and you tow it around to where you want it. Works great and the machine doesn't move a bit when it's in use.

[Jim O'Dell]

Steve, I'll hold off for right now. It will be the end of the year before I can get the saw. No need worrying someone about it right now. But, I may come back to this and seek information at that time. The purpose of this thread was to get ideas for when that day comes.
Sounds like the MiniMax mobility kit on the MM bandsaws.
In the end, I may try my hand at welding. I do have a small welder my Dad gave me, though I've never used it, nor have I ever welded. :D Guess I could see if I could burn the shop down. :eek: Thanks for the info guys! Jim.

[David Christopher]

heres minehttp://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=103209&d=1228869503

[Todd Crow]

I built this mobile base for my G1023SL. It would be easy in the welding stage to adjust the placement of the caters for the 2 1/2 inches you want. You could also put spacers between the casters and the base to make it higher.

It is solid and doesn't move.

http://www.crowsnest.us/images/DCP_0938.jpg

[John Gornall]

David - great base. I've been thinking about trailer jacks and it's good to see them in another design. Do they stay attached or can they be removed? Are there 3 or 4 jacks? Could you please post a few more detailed pictures. Thank you.

[David Christopher]

John, theres four jacks and they are removable. I can get more detailed pics tomorrow

[Duncan Horner]

John, theres four jacks and they are removable. I can get more detailed pics tomorrow

Yes please :)

[Steve Kohn]

I have my Grizzly G9983 15 inch WB sander (about 900 lbs) on a shop made mobile base. I wanted a lift of about 1 1/2 inches. I also wanted 5 inch casters so that it wouldn't get stuck on the smallest thing on the floor. I bought two fixed and two double locking casters from Grizzly and a bunch of 2" angle iron. Had the metal distributor cut the angle on 45 degree angles and had a friend weld it up. We also welded short pieces of 5 inch angle iron to the outside of the frame and welded the casters to that. Then I put two pieces of 3/4 in plywood in the bottom and screwed the sander to the plywood and bolted the plywood to the base.

I used esentially the same process for my PM66 however I drilled and tapped the angle iron in the corners and then drove 3/8 inch bolts down to the floor to level and raise the saw off the wheels. A jam nut keeps the leveling legs from shifting.

Pretty simple process.

[John Gornall]

This is good - maybe the problem of lousy mobile bases that only move back and forth and only if the floor is clean and smooth is about to end.

Steve - pictures please.

[Rick Potter]

I would build a wooden box, bolt the saw to it, and put the whole thing in the mobile base, any height you want. For the small height rise you want, you could just stack plywood, and bolt the saw to it.

Rick Potter

[Steve Jenkins]

Jim, it may well be the same as the minimax . I used my Laguna bandsaw as an example so I could use the same "mule". The base I had made is on my
20" disc sander.

[Chip Lindley]

I used the HTC *tricycle* base as a pattern and welded my own mobile bases for an old Rockwell CS, 6" jointer, and 14" bandsaw. The HTC measurements I used to weld up my bases brought them only 3/4" off the floor, with 3" wheels. I found that larger wheels and more clearance made for a more usable base. Small wheels are *stopped* by any debris on the shop floor, and the 3/4" clearance scraped when rolling the saw in and out of my garage door.

With some ingenuity, a chop saw and some basic welding, custom bases can be built for ANY machine you own! Scrap angle iron or tubing is Cheap at junk yards (old bed rails are high carbon steel and great for this stuff!) Spend 1/2 a day rummaging and enjoy your GLOAT!

[John Bush]

Hi Jim,
I made bases for several of my machines using angle iron and leveling castor from Great Lakes. The nice thing about that type of caster(Zambus too) is the 360 swivel ability. I find it a PITA to have to jockey machines back and forth to move laterally. My SS has the HTC which works great except for the back-forth issue. Having a foot controlled lever is easier than using your hand to raise and lower the foot on the levelers, but the 360 mobility is a better trade-off. I posted pics of the bases I made a year or so ago if that helps. Simple to build and you could build to any heigth you wish. Must be nice to be tall!!

[David Christopher]

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=108578&d=1233368403http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=103209&d=1228869503
this is all I have for pics right now....hope this helps

[Sonny Edmonds]

I have an HTC Mobile base under my saw. It's been there since I put it together, and through one move so far.
In this shop I made the equipment plumb to the back wall long bench. I wound up with the saw, on the HTC base, raised up on Oak shoring and wedges.
About 2 1/2 ".
If I was to really need it, I have over 14 feet of out feed area available behind the blade.

[Alan Schaffter]

The biggest problem I have with just about all TS mobile bases is that they have rails at or near the floor that run to extension table legs and make parking a cabinet under there difficult.

I made my own new mobile base. First I replaced the front and rear table rails with a little heavier angle and did away with the lower rail. I made a new set of extension table legs and mounted a step caster out there. Due to the longer moment arm the step caster has no problem lifting the saw. Here is the link to the first of two threads (http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/f29/unisaw-upgrade-underway-w-pics-3064/?highlight=upgrade) on NCWW with the details and lots of pics.

Before:
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/P5060060.JPG

Clamp up:
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/P5110013.JPG

After:
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/P5220039.JPG

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/P5260045.JPG

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/P9250001.JPG

[Tom Majewski]

I think I'll start working on a homemade version of the airsled.

http://www.airsled.com/products.htm

[Jim O'Dell]

Dave and Alan, GREAT SOLUTIONS!! Thanks for the pictures. Lots of good ideas everyone! Jim.

[Matt Benton]

Jim,

I built one similar to Cary Falk's design:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=93716&highlight=mobile+base
I have an HTC base, and would probably pay double for one like this over the HTC....

I think one like Todd's is probably the best you could do, but if you don't do metalwork, I'd go for this...

[Steve Kohn]

This is good - maybe the problem of lousy mobile bases that only move back and forth and only if the floor is clean and smooth is about to end.

Steve - pictures please.


Sorry it took so long. Had to clean up the shop a little to take some pictures. Hopefully here it is....

Oh, BTW this is the first picture I have ever posted on this forum. Look out now, I want to do another post showing my shop.

[Steve H Graham]

Best part about HTC bases: you can use the leftover metal to make saw blade racks.

[Jason White]

I really like this design, but worry because the wooden stretchers are on the flat instead of standing on end (think floor joists). Looks like the wheels would snap the ends of those boards off.

Great ideas here, though! .I, too, am thinking about a new Grizzly cab saw and need to get the table height up to 40". I'm very tall and have found this to be the most comfortable working height for me.

Jason



I have an HTC mobile base for my SS, but it doesn't come close to the 2 1/2 inches that you need. There have been some home made bases in some posts that use 2x4s that might meet your needs. Check this one out: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=71000

Here's a picture of one that might work:

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_0306a.jpg