Stabilizing Ridgid 6" Jointer

[larry cronkite]

I bought the Ridgid 6" Jointer at the HD sale that was brought to my attention last month on this forum.
This unit, like all of my shop equipment, is on casters because of limited shop space but the jointer seems to be the least stable because of its high center of gravity. It almost fell over the last time I was edge jointing.
I am looking at a way to lower the CG and was thinking about using a sand ballast box much the same as is used on lathes. Has anybody else had this problem and how did you solve it?

[glenn bradley]

I put about 100lbs of ready-crete in the base of my mobile DP (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=57448). I put 100 pounds of steel in the base of my old contractor saw to stabilize it. Mass does help IMHO.

[Chad Harrison]

I added "stiffening outriggers" on mine. I used hollow square bar stock spanning both front and rear normal foot holes (one each left/right, perpendicular to the jointer bed), but extended about 6" past the rear foot hole. Front casters go through the bar and the front foot hole, a simple bolt through the bar and rear foot hole, then rear caster added only through the bar stock.

It greatly improved stability - I have no issues now. Can send pictures if you're interested.

[Pat O'malley]

I put my Ridgid on a HTC HTC2000 Universal Mobile Base, the wheels are outside of the jointers legs and it is very stable. Pat

[larry cronkite]

[QUOTE=

It greatly improved stability - I have no issues now. Can send pictures if you're interested.[/QUOTE]

Please do:)

[Chris Harry]

I put my Ridgid on a HTC HTC2000 Universal Mobile Base, the wheels are outside of the jointers legs and it is very stabil. Pat

Same here. Its the PortaMate version, not quite as hefty as the HTC2000 but with the wheels outside the footprint the jointer is VERY stable, even if the base is in "transport" mode.

[Neil Brooks]

I think the footprint is 30x11. I put mine on a shop-made 36x18 base.

Not tippy ... so far ... even with 72" boards on it.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WVVYjLCNo2w/S52sS_9u4pI/AAAAAAAAA1g/s7oEfo7OmlI/s640/P1040716.JPG

[Jason White]

I have that machine and agree that it's very tippy when moving it across the shop on a commercially-available mobile base (mine actually fell over on the floor once -- luckily, it didn't hurt the machine).

I built a plywood and 2x4 sandwich and bolted casters to the bottom. Sort of like a rolling "platform" or "torsion box." I then removed the leveling feet from the jointer's steel base and secured the steel stand to the wooden base with lag screws.

Adding sand as a ballast inside the base wouldn't hurt, but my base is wide enough that it doesn't seem to need it.

Jason





I bought the Ridgid 6" Jointer at the HD sale that was brought to my attention last month on this forum.
This unit, like all of my shop equipment, is on casters because of limited shop space but the jointer seems to be the least stable because of its high center of gravity. It almost fell over the last time I was edge jointing.
I am looking at a way to lower the CG and was thinking about using a sand ballast box much the same as is used on lathes. Has anybody else had this problem and how did you solve it?