Heavy Duty Mobile Bases

[Rich Riddle]

I am looking at 20" - 24" Italian band saws. Some of the information on sites indicate these weigh 1000 to 1500 pounds. Because the shop has to be shared with SWMBO's automobile, any tool in the shop needs to sit atop a mobile base. Who makes a mobile base capable of supporting that much weight? I know it exceeds the limits of the HTC mobile bases with the plastic pieces (I only have those on the lightest of tools. I have an extra Jet Mobile Base, but even that looks too light-weight. What are the options and your recommendations? Thanks folks.

[Rod Sheridan]

256693256692Hi Rich, don't the saw suppliers provide a mobility kit for the saw?

Something like an axle, a pair of wheels and a tow bar?

If not make your own, extremely simple and cost effective.

I've included a photo of wheels on my B3, and the tow bar on my other machine.........Rod.

[Kim Gibbens]

This is what I have my 24" Agazanni on

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=21257&site=ROCKLER

Works well for me

Kim

[Grant Wilkinson]

Vega sells a very good one. Look here http://www.vegawoodworking.com/

It will take that weight easily and it sits on feet, not wheels when you are not moving the machine.

[Jeff Duncan]

HTC makes, or al least used to make, bases for just about any size/weight machine. I once saw an old Buss, (I think), planer at a local dealer that was roughly the size of a Volkswagon Bug, perched on a HTC base and I could push it with one hand;)

I'd at least give then a call.

good luck,
JeffD

[Erik Loza]

Rich, our saws come with a mobility kit as well as being threaded at all four corners for casters. I know that Sam has the Zambus units on his MM24's and likes them a lot.

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[David Wong]

I bolted together a mobile base for my Felder 540 using metal tubing and leveling casters. I used the factory mobility kit mounting holes on the side of the base, to bolt the base to. This limited the overall height gain to less than 1 inch.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-kvfkv2ejVrI/TZ1COg1565I/AAAAAAAAAHs/P-s8QyGY-tk/w745-h753-p-o-k/DSCF3231.jpg

[Harry Hagan]

If I don’t like the manufacturer’s recommendation(s), I make a custom base that will more likely cost more but it will be stronger with better castors, etc. and better suited for my limited space.

[Michael Heffernan]

Rich, I built a custom base for my Grizzly G0514X2, similar to David Wong's, about four years ago. It can take a lot of weight and rolls around easily. I don't move the saw much, but when needed, it's easy to push around. I have a level shop floor; it might be tougher on uneven concrete.
Here is my thread on the mobile base I built:

256762

256763 (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?119068-Mobile-Base-for-Bandsaw&highlight=)

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?119068-Mobile-Base-for-Bandsaw&highlight=

[Rich Riddle]

Rod,

That first photograph looks great. I am getting a used band saw for budget reasons and am not sure if the saw already has holes in the base to accept the type of system on your Hammer saw. That's why the first photograph seems beneficial.

[Mike Wilkins]

If your bandsaw has holes already in the base like Mr. Wong's, just contact Laguna and order one of their systems. Give them the dimensions of your base and they may have one to fit. Good luck.

[Erik Loza]

Rod,

That first photograph looks great. I am getting a used band saw for budget reasons and am not sure if the saw already has holes in the base to accept the type of system on your Hammer saw. That's why the first photograph seems beneficial.

Rich, you could always just drill a hole through the sheet metal at each corner of the pedestal, then nut the caster to secure it. Only Centauro uses the square steel crossbeams in the base. ACM and Ag. pedestals are just pie tins so it would be easy to do. Just my thoughts...

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Rich Riddle]

Rich, you could always just drill a hole through the sheet metal at each corner of the pedestal, then nut the caster to secure it. Only Centauro uses the square steel crossbeams in the base. ACM and Ag. pedestals are just pie tins so it would be easy to do. Just my thoughts...

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

Erik,

Thanks for that information. I was looking at a Centauro CL700 but that's a bit large for my garage/shop. With the cross beam in there, it would have been sitting on one side of the garage forever. I am looking at a N'RA 600 from Agazzini. That most likely will exceed my skill set forever. I really liked your folks MM20 (whatever it's called now), but my bank account didn't and the wife wouldn't allow it. Thanks again.

[Jeff Monson]

I bolted together a mobile base for my Felder 540 using metal tubing and leveling casters. I used the factory mobility kit mounting holes on the side of the base, to bolt the base to. This limited the overall height gain to less than 1 inch.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-kvfkv2ejVrI/TZ1COg1565I/AAAAAAAAAHs/P-s8QyGY-tk/w745-h753-p-o-k/DSCF3231.jpg

Thats, nice David, I may have to "borrow" your design. I like the fact that the casters are mounted a distance from the saw, keeps it more stable when moving.

[Carl Beckett]

Last week I bolted a set of the Woodcraft leveling casters on my Laguna LT18. They roll fine, and it seems they will take the weight ok. But the base itself isnt so wide, which can make the saw more easily tipped than I would like (note that this was true whether casters or not - these saws are fairly tall, and not very wide at the base).

An extended base that would give a wider footprint imo would be a worthwhile improvement over simply bolting onto the existing base.