ideas for mobile base for bandsaw

[cody michael]

I saw a post a while ago about a home made mobile base, I am trying to do the same idea for my jet 14 inch bandsaw. i bought these 4 inch casters with locks
http://www.greatlakescaster.com/great_lakes_caster___swivel_caster___4_x_125_non_m arking_wheel_precision_ball_bearing_swivel_caster_ with_total_lock_brake-12-0412-SPX-S-P01-T.php?tab=5

my main question is how to account for the wheel size, I assuming that making the bandsaw 6 inches higher will be less then ideal. what is the amount of height that would be okay for this? 3inches? I got the 4inch casters because my floor is not the best some cracks and some spots are not level. I have some 1/8 by 2in angle iron and a welder my plan was to make a square frame that the band saw sits in then go up a few inches and have the frame for the wheels. to make it so the bandsaw is not to high. does that sound reasonable?

[Phil Barrett]

The final height depends on your height and how you like to work. I'm 5'8" so I look to minimize the amount of height a mobile base adds. The commercial ones typically add 1/2 to 1". I bought a used band saw where the previous owner had just stuck casters on the bottom. It added 5 inches to the saw which was way too high. I had to fix that.

Your idea sounds about right. Note that a band saw is a bit top heavy to start with so you will want to have a really stable base. I'd put the wheels on the outside. One disadvantage of using wheel locks is that even with the double lock ones your got, there is still some play so your base won't be 100% immobile when locked. I'd look at putting at least 2 screw down feet that will increase the rigidity of the base. I like my machines to be solidly on the floor.

I saw one mobility base where the designer set it up so the actual machine base sits on the ground and then has cam levers on the mobile base that lift the machine up to move it. You can't get any more solid that that. Very clever design. Haven't been able to find the video again, though.

[cody michael]

I'd look at putting at least 2 screw down feet that will increase the rigidity of the base. I like my machines to be solidly on the floor.

is there such a thing as a leveling foot/ screw down foot that has a cam or lever to engage? my goal is to make it quick, to encourage me to put the bandsaw back after use, if I have to screw feet up enough to move that would defeat the purpose.

[Bruce Page]

With your welder you could make an outrigger base similar to the attached pic. You could make the height anything you want.

[Brian W Smith]

Looking up at Bruce's pic........am sure there is some physics to back it up?But I believe the machine is more stable when you you do the low rider thing(like his pic)than when the wheel's mounting pads are lower,thereby raising machine.Center of gravity thing?

[Phil Barrett]

is there such a thing as a leveling foot/ screw down foot that has a cam or lever to engage? my goal is to make it quick, to encourage me to put the bandsaw back after use, if I have to screw feet up enough to move that would defeat the purpose.

Yes, the whole idea is for it to be quick and easy to go from stationary to mobile and back to stationary. Bending over is for the birds. That's why the mobile bases (except one) I have bought have some sort of foot levers. There are two approaches - lever engages a solid foot or lever engages castors.

For medium weight machines (like bandsaws and such) I like this one:
298326
Delta, Rockler and others have a variant of it. Probably a relabeled Chinese product - they look pretty much identical. You provide the wood. It's sometimes on sale for about $50. I have a bandsaw on that base and it's relatively stable and easy to move. I have seen cam lever wheels for sale also. Rockler has a set of 4 that is frequently on sale ($60ish, iirc). Not sure if they would adapt easily to a base like that, though.

[cody michael]

With your welder you could make an outrigger base similar to the attached pic. You could make the height anything you want.

I really like this, I may steal the idea, I will have to see if I can find some plate steel for around the rings

[Randy Bonella]

my solution a while back. Had to build a full base and used mobile base from Woodcraft that let you build to size. Works well and easy to do. Mortised in the pieces to my base to keep the profile cleaner.
Link to Thread (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?162040-Refurbished-1967-Rockwell-14-quot-Bandsaw&highlight=) Lots of options out there.

Randy...

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Cody, I would suggest you forget about a caster based design and go with a semi live skid design.

I use this for all my shop equipment.

It is more stable than a caster base, and doesn't move around under use.

All you need to do is drill two holes for an axle and add two leveller type feet.

Here's a video showing such a system, at aproximately 55 seconds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16Nhq5swos8

Regards, Rod.