Good quality mobility bases?

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Anyone have recommendations on decent quality and reasonably priced mobility bases for table saws?

I haven't paid any attention to the market in years, googled yesterday and was a little shocked at the prices I saw. Last I remember, they were half of what I'm seeing now. Bases for would cost more than the saws. Two tablesaws unexpectedly followed me home this last week, a nice Delta contractor with Biesmeyer just like my first saw was, and a big old Unisaw with all the Biesmeyer stuff that I always thought I really wanted. I need neither but for nostalgia. Need them on bases so I can move them out of the way when I'm making money, not just playing.

[ChrisA Edwards]

I've used the Bora Portamate 3500 for most of my tools. Easy to put together and easy to move the tool around my garage.

Not knowing the weight and footprint of each of your saws, it's tough to give a specific recommendation.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I've used the Bora Portamate 3500 for most of my tools. Easy to put together and easy to move the tool around my garage.

Not knowing the weight and footprint of each of your saws, it's tough to give a specific recommendation.

Ones a 52" Unisaw, the other is a 36" delta contractor.

[Mark Carlson]

After my recent move I replaced the shopfox mobile base on my cabinet saw with a portamate 3500. This is now my favorite mobile base.

[Derek Arita]

I've had a couple of the nylon-type wheels fail on me over time, so I've switched over to Shop Fox, steel wheel, extra heavy duty bases. I put one on my PM2000 and it's working great. Hope the wheels don't fail.

[Frank Pratt]

Not sure what your 'reasonably priced' threshold is, but the SawStop ICS base is very good. It has a hydraulic lift mechanism & all 4 casters swivel for good maneuverability.

[Doug Dawson]

Not sure what your 'reasonably priced' threshold is, but the SawStop ICS base is very good. It has a hydraulic lift mechanism & all 4 casters swivel for good maneuverability.

Ditto on the SawStop base. I have that, and also some 3500's, and the SawStop base is easily nicer, one toe-tap and you're done; very smooth action. The base size seems typical for a table saw, you could measure it; a sheet of plywood would make it adaptable across a broader range of footprints. Not much more expensive than the 3500. Of course, the 3500 can more easily be shrunken down (or enlarged) to the footprint of the machine, which is why I have them.

[Erik Loza]

Lots of customers with the Portamate bases for our jointer/planers. HTC could be another option.

Erik

[Thomas McCurnin]

HTC brand is what I have. They make a fold down outfeed table too

[Mick Simon]

Portamate PM-3500 on my S500P. Works really well.

[marlin adams]

Same here but my Rigid R4512 came with a mobile base but I really dont like mine because it is hard for me to get to the foot lever.

[roger wiegand]

Recently bought the Portamate PM3500 for my big spindle sander. It is much nicer than any of the other mobile bases in the shop.

[Jim Peck]

Not sure what your 'reasonably priced' threshold is, but the SawStop ICS base is very good. It has a hydraulic lift mechanism & all 4 casters swivel for good maneuverability.

Been wondering why no other manufacturer (at least that I'm aware of) makes a mobile base with 4 swivel casters. Most have 2 fixed and 2 swivel, which makes maneuvering the saw much more difficult. I think they could offer a version with a hydraulic lift system like SawStop's ICS base and a version without and have a couple of very competitive products.

Seems to me there would be a pretty good market for such. On the other hand, if I've thought of this then Grizzly or Bora or Rockler or whomever has no doubt thought of this--and they surely know the market better than I do.

[Jim Becker]

Jim, four swiveling casters can actually be harder to move and place, depending on what's on the mobile base and four makes for more difficulty in "locking things down" once the tool is where it needs to be and stationary for use. That's likely why it's customary for there to be two fixed and two swiveling with locks in most solutions. I actually tried using four on a couple of the tack trunks I build for folks and it was a major mistake requiring a retrofit for those customers. It was two "squirrely"..

[ChrisA Edwards]

The PortsMate has the option for 4 swivel casters, that's what I have on my Shaper.

Skip to the 1:30 second mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euye-nhP-2M

[Doug Dawson]

Been wondering why no other manufacturer (at least that I'm aware of) makes a mobile base with 4 swivel casters. Most have 2 fixed and 2 swivel, which makes maneuvering the saw much more difficult. I think they could offer a version with a hydraulic lift system like SawStop's ICS base and a version without and have a couple of very competitive products.

Seems to me there would be a pretty good market for such. On the other hand, if I've thought of this then Grizzly or Bora or Rockler or whomever has no doubt thought of this--and they surely know the market better than I do.

You're referring to the PortaMate 3550, which has four swiveling casters. One issue I have with it is ground clearance on uneven floors, which it has very little of. (The SawStop is much better in that respect.)

I don't have the issues that other people have with squirrely behavior, though, at least on my planer (600 pounds?) Ground clearance is a bigger issue.

[Frank Pratt]

Jim, four swiveling casters can actually be harder to move and place, depending on what's on the mobile base and four makes for more difficulty in "locking things down" once the tool is where it needs to be and stationary for use. That's likely why it's customary for there to be two fixed and two swiveling with locks in most solutions. I actually tried using four on a couple of the tack trunks I build for folks and it was a major mistake requiring a retrofit for those customers. It was two "squirrely"..

I regularly need to shift the table saw small amounts in one axis or the other, depending on what I'm doing. Only 2 swivelling casters would mean doing the back & forth shuffle, which would require moving one of the cars out. But it is definitely more squirrely to 'drive'.

[Jim Becker]

Yes, it's kinda of a "pick your poison" thing, Frank...

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Thanks guys, I'll look into the lot. I use a pallet jack on some of my other tools, might just do that on these saws to. Was looking for something premade, it aggravates me to buy $40 of base parts in a shiney box for $300 and have to assemble it myself anyhow.

[glenn bradley]

I've had a couple of the nylon-type wheels fail on me over time, so I've switched over to Shop Fox, steel wheel, extra heavy duty bases. I put one on my PM2000 and it's working great. Hope the wheels don't fail.

I recently swapped the failing nylon/rubber (two component) wheels on my Shop Fox for the cast iron replacement wheels. The originals lasted about 15 years. The replacements were reasonably priced and roll great. The wheels that failed were the ones that always bear the weight, even when parked.

[Rob Charles]

+1 on the Portamate 3500 & 3550. Also, the Grizzly Papa Bear heavy duty series is about equal to the 3500 but at a better price point.

[Donald G. Burns]

If you want low cost then Harbor Freight has a mobile base for about $40, but you also need to make four 1.25" x 1.25" wood spacer pieces to fit your saw. Rockler has an all metal base PM2500 that's on sale at the moment that one step up.

[David Buchhauser]

I regularly need to shift the table saw small amounts in one axis or the other, depending on what I'm doing. Only 2 swivelling casters would mean doing the back & forth shuffle, which would require moving one of the cars out. But it is definitely more squirrely to 'drive'.

I agree with this assessment. I've got many mobile stations and the 2 swivel/2 fixed is definitely the way to go for stability and ease of precise movement.
David

[Rod Sheridan]

417774417775Hi Steve, I gave up on bases a long time ago and simply convert my machines to a semi-live skid design with a tow bar.

I have one tow bar for all the heavy machines.

The machines are easy to maneuver, and self lock in place when stationary.

Here's a photo of my brother and his band saw.

Note the spiffy streamers on the tow bar I made him, a real hit with his grandchildren................Regards, Rod.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

417774417775Hi Steve, I gave up on bases a long time ago and simply convert my machines to a semi-live skid design with a tow bar.

I have one tow bar for all the heavy machines.

The machines are easy to maneuver, and self lock in place when stationary.

Here's a photo of my brother and his band saw.

Note the spiffy streamers on the tow bar I made him, a real hit with his grandchildren................Regards, Rod.

Hi Rod, love the simplicity, I'm going to try that technique. Might even use the streamers! :)

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Rod, love the simplicity, I'm going to try that technique. Might even use the streamers! :)

Pink are the fastest.................Rod.

[Jim Becker]

Pink are the fastest.................Rod.

Only if the grips have sparkles... :) :D

[Bob Falk]

+1 I've had a few commercial mobile bases for various tools and sold them all. While all were solidly constructed, the lack of swivel wheels (especially the 3 wheeled variety) were a real PITA. I ended up building simple plywood bases (two sheets thick) with locking swivel casters for all my machines and I am much happier.

[Jim Peck]

417774417775Hi Steve, I gave up on bases a long time ago and simply convert my machines to a semi-live skid design with a tow bar.

I have one tow bar for all the heavy machines.

The machines are easy to maneuver, and self lock in place when stationary.

Here's a photo of my brother and his band saw.

Note the spiffy streamers on the tow bar I made him, a real hit with his grandchildren................Regards, Rod.

My old Delta contractor's saw had a mobile base like that (i.e., hook a lever handle in one end to raise and drag/push the unit). Likely because of the with of the saw base, which included the ~30" extension table, this was really awkward to move around. I can see it working better on tools with smaller bases like bandsaws.

[Randall J Cox]

I make all mine out of plywood and the casters off the $7.xx (on sale) HF furnature dollies. I have them under my delta bandsaw, my 450 lb delta 15 jointer, my 15" delta drill press, etc. - years now and all work fine. I'm a woodworker, I make them out of wood. Randy

[Rod Sheridan]

Only if the grips have sparkles... :) :D

True, not sure how I forgot that:D

[Jay Kepley]

I've recently made several mobile bases for several machines. I've used either 3" or 4" Home Depot locking casters, and they've been great. I've made the bases from 1 1/4 inch (planed down) southern yellow pine boards glued together. I've done this with a 6" jointer, a 17" floor standing drill press, and a stand for a lunch box planer. The casters are well made and roll very smoothly. Locking two casters provides sufficient staying power to use the machine. The mobile base is particularly useful on the drill press. For one thing, it raised the drill press by about 5 1/2 inches which is much more comfortable for me. I suspect these type casters wouldn't work with extremely heavy equipment, but they worked just fine with a Jet combo sander. I built a box stand for this sander. Total package probably weighs 350 pounds. I used 4" casters from Home Depot. It rolls very nicely.

[Doug Dawson]

I've recently made several mobile bases for several machines. I've used either 3" or 4" Home Depot locking casters, and they've been great. I've made the bases from 1 1/4 inch (planed down) southern yellow pine boards glued together. I've done this with a 6" jointer, a 17" floor standing drill press, and a stand for a lunch box planer. The casters are well made and roll very smoothly. Locking two casters provides sufficient staying power to use the machine. The mobile base is particularly useful on the drill press. For one thing, it raised the drill press by about 5 1/2 inches which is much more comfortable for me.

With the drill press, that's kind of scary, isn't it? What I did with mine (Nova Voyager) is bolt it thru a steel plate to a Portamate 2500, which actually _lowers_ the center of gravity and enlarges the footprint somewhat. I wouldn't want this top-heavy bad boy tipping over. The working height is controlled by the table, unless I'm missing something here. The 2500 is inexpensive, and works very well.

[Jay Kepley]

Doug,

You've asked some good questions. My homemade mobile base is about 2 1/2 inches longer and wider than the base of the drill press. The 4" casters I used sit slightly outside the drill press base. This actually results in more stability than the drill press without the base. I don't experience any side-to-side sway with the mobile base. You are correct that the table can move up and down. The point I was trying to make (but probably not made clearly) is that the working height - that is, where I would generally be working with a standard sized work piece and standard sized bit - is higher (about 47"). I have a lower back problem. When I can work without having to stoop or bend, I am much more comfortable. I can also see the work piece better at that height.

Best wishes,

Jay


With the drill press, that's kind of scary, isn't it? What I did with mine (Nova Voyager) is bolt it thru a steel plate to a Portamate 2500, which actually _lowers_ the center of gravity and enlarges the footprint somewhat. I wouldn't want this top-heavy bad boy tipping over. The working height is controlled by the table, unless I'm missing something here. The 2500 is inexpensive, and works very well.

[Randall J Cox]

The base I made for my old 15" drill press also sits on a base wider and longer than the metal one, similar to Jay's. Castors are out further in both directions, never had an issue in years. Randy

[David Buchhauser]

Doug,

You've asked some good questions. My homemade mobile base is about 2 1/2 inches longer and wider than the base of the drill press. The 4" casters I used sit slightly outside the drill press base. This actually results in more stability than the drill press without the base. I don't experience any side-to-side sway with the mobile base. You are correct that the table can move up and down. The point I was trying to make (but probably not made clearly) is that the working height - that is, where I would generally be working with a standard sized work piece and standard sized bit - is higher (about 47"). I have a lower back problem. When I can work without having to stoop or bend, I am much more comfortable. I can also see the work piece better at that height.

Best wishes,

Jay

Very nice!! Looks very sturdy and easy to move around. Probably cheaper and easier to make than ordering one of the Grizzly models.
David