Mobile Base

[Darrin Davis]

What would be the best mobile base for a Steel City 26" drum Sander? It weights 485 lbs. and the footprint is 17 3/4" X 45".

[keith ouellette]

What would be the best mobile base for a Steel City 26" drum Sander? It weights 485 lbs. and the footprint is 17 3/4" X 45".

The one you built at home.

Here is a picture of what I made out of scrap wood. not to fancy. The casters are the cheap 4 pack from home depot that were like $4.99. I made leveler legs out of some scrap 3/8 threaded rod and used a forstner bit to make some shallow flat bottom holes for the feet so it won't slide of the base. The extra long leveler legs are so I can raise it level with any work bench in the shop with a drill and a 3/8 socket. (real fast raise and level)


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if you want to know how I make the legs let me know.

[Keith Nordyke]

Keith- I'd like to know how you did the legs. I've got a couple of projects on which that would useful. Thanks

[Paul Greathouse]

Darrin,

I don't have any mobile base suggestions but I do have some questions. A Drum Sander will be my next stationary tool to buy. I have been seriously considering the the Steel City you have.

I'm assuming you just got it. How much have you used it?

What width stock do you normally run through it?

Anything about it you don't like?

Whats your overall opinion of it?

You probably don't want this thread to turn into a discussion about SC sander quality, so if you would prefer you can PM me with the above info. Thanks, Paul

[keith ouellette]

Keith- I'd like to know how you did the legs. I've got a couple of projects on which that would useful. Thanks

Keith; like many things it isn't hard but you have to start off right.

The concept is to have two nuts, one on top and one on the bottom, at each corner of the rail of a caster/leveler frame for a treaded rod to go through. It is important to have both nuts for stability. Only using one on the bottom of the frame will leave you with a wobbly leg. Two separated by a space makes it very solid. The dimensions of the frame should be as such that the leveler legs (threaded rods) are a few inches from the outside of the machine body. just enough room for a drill and socket to fit. Thats how I raise it up and down.

Both nuts have to be centered as close as possible so the rod can meet properly with the treads of each nut. To do this the rails that are going to have the legs need to be the same width from one end to the enter. This is important so you can mortice a flat hole on each side to except the nut. I used a forstner bit the exact diameter of the nuts width.

mark the exact center of the rail were the nut will go. If you don't have a drill press table with a fence and stop (not a depth stop but one for the fence) then clamp a back stop and side stop to the drill press table. Set the tip of the forstner bit with your center mark (must be exact so when you flip the board the mortice will be in the same exact position. its very important) and mortice a hole the same depth as the nut is high.

By using the fence you can drill the first mortice, flip the rail and do the other side. Then do the same for the other rail. Two nuts ,one top and one bottom, for each corner.

Now , keeping the fence adjustments the same, switch bits to a bit 1/64 larger (could be the same diameter if need be) than the threaded rod. Make sure the bit is at the center of the mortice you drilled. If you haven't moved the fence then it should be. drill a hole through the center of the mortice so it goes out the center of the mortice on the bottom.

next epoxy a nut in each mortice. I ruff up the nuts with some sand paper first. I use quick set epoxy and let it harden over night. try not to get epoxy in center hole and DO NOT let it get in the treads of the nuts. You don't need to much. Thinly coat the mortice, push in the nut till it bottoms out and then force a little epoxy in the gaps between the round mortice and the hex shaped nut.

I welded a nut on the top of each threaded rod you will use for the legs. If you don't have a welder I think if you put some epoxy in the threads and then screw on the nut it will hold but I haven't done it that way.

if all went right, after the epoxy hardens (make sure you let it sit over night) the threaded rod should twist through the nuts and not wobble. I use a socket attached to a drill.

There are two kinds of feet you can make. (the wooden feet keep the rod from tearing up the concrete). The simple way is to drill a hole just smaller than the rod part way through a piece of wood and epoxy it to the threaded rod.




I can tell you how to make a foot that can spin independent of the rod if you want. they work much, much better. its not to hard but it will take more explaining.




How ever you attach the feet make sure you leave enough room for the caster to swivel. If the feet are fixed try rounding the bottom so there will be less friction with the ground.

To attach the rails together I just used glue and pocket screws. If you look at the picture on my post you can see a square frame with two support boards on top of it for the machine to stand on. the support boards are a little longer than the width of the machines legs. put them on the leg/caster frame at the appropriate spacing and temporarily screw them in place. Place the machine on the supports and mark where the feet will go. take the supports off and then mortice a shallow hole a little larger than the feet on the machine. Put the machine supports back on the caster/leveler frame, put the machine on the supports so its feet land in the morticed holes and then screw the supports in place. take the machine back off and attach the casters.

that about does it. Its a long explanation for something rather simple but it will make sure every thing works out. If you have any questions just ask.

[Rod Sheridan]

If you use the link below you'll find four photographs from me showing how I made my last mobile base.

It's a semi-live design which provides excellent stability when the machine is in use, in addition it only raises the machine 6mm above the floor.

Regards, Rod.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=88687&highlight=Hammer+A3-31+Mobile+Base

Thanks Steve for letting me know how to copy the link....Rod.

[Steve Leverich]

Rod, all you do is search - when you find the thread (easy with your description) just click once in the address bar to highlight it, then [ctrl] c (for "copy"), then start a new post, type whatever text you want, hit the return key for a new line, and [ctrl] v ( for "moVe") - the BBS software automatically converts anything with "http" or whatever, to a clickable link.

Also, thanks for your pix - I bookmarked that one for future reference... Steve

Oops, meant to add a link to your pix

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=88687&highlight=Hammer+A3-31+Mobile+Base

[Darrin Davis]

It's actually on order.

[keith ouellette]

If you use the link below you'll find four photographs from me showing how I made my last mobile base.

It's a semi-live design which provides excellent stability when the machine is in use, in addition it only raises the machine 6mm above the floor.

Regards, Rod.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=88687&highlight=Hammer+A3-31+Mobile+Base

Thanks Steve for letting me know how to copy the link....Rod.

I like that.

I made something similar, though out of cheaper materials. I made the inexpensive base and leveler legs I showed because I wanted to be able to make the sander table level and parallel with my work bench. thats the purpose of the long screw legs.