Has Anyone Tried This Base on a Sawstop 3hp PCS?

[Paul Wunder]

BORA PM-3500 Super-Duty Mobile Base. Mfg. states the base will support 1500lb. There is no provided way to attach the saw to the base although I could drill a hole in each side and put a screw in.

I do need a way to move it a few times a year, but only a few feet at a time. This base is $139 vs. $250 for Sawstop. Both bases permit the saw to rest directly on the floor when not being moved.

Incidentally, Sawstop told me that there will be no base or dust collection promotion this year.

Thanks


https://boratool.com/media/catalog/product/cache/7e4c24c6cedf8957c01b1350c8e84d24/p/m/pm-3500_static6.jpg

[Steve Eure]

I can't answer your question about if it will work, but from my experience, I'll never buy another mobile base that uses plastic levers to raise the base. That's a lot of weight on those levers and from my experience, they break. I cannot speak for Bora-Portermate, but the HTC's I've use broke and I was not able to get replacement parts. They still sell the unit on amazon, but they haven't replied to calls or emails. I made my own lever out of aluminum channel that works well.
Sorry for the rant, and I am not bashing Bora, but my advise is if you are going to buy a premium saw, don't scrimp on the base. It may come back to bite you. BTW, my issue with the HTC is that I rarely move it. It's on a jointer that I can lift by hand on one end. Probably not more that 200 lbs total weight. Probably wasn't lifted and moved more than 5 times.

[Doug Dawson]

BORA PM-3500 Super-Duty Mobile Base. Mfg. states the base will support 1500lb. There is no provided way to attach the saw to the base although I could drill a hole in each side and put a screw in.

I do need a way to move it a few times a year, but only a few feet at a time. This base is $139 vs. $250 for Sawstop. Both bases permit the saw to rest directly on the floor when not being moved.
Consider stepping up to the 3550, which is 4 wheel steering, and more comparable to the SawStop ICS mobile base. When I bought the latter a few years ago, it was $200 or so. Did I regret doing so? Not for a second. One touch mobility. With the Bora, not so. Also with the 3500, if it’s anything like the 2500’s I have, the “resting position” of the base puts the equipment at an angle, which means having to shim the machine to level. With such an elegant solution offered by SawStop, I suggest just paying the extra bucks and being happy forever after.

[ChrisA Edwards]

I have a Sawstop on the ICS mobile base and its wonderful. I used to roll my saw out and put it away everyday. Was real easy to do and as I made a fold down table, I used to locate it in the same spot so I wouldn't have to mess with the adjustable legs on the fold down table.

I also have several Bora Portamate mobile bases under other tools, the two larger/heaviest ones, being a Hammer A3-31 Jointer/Planer and the other a 500+lb Hammer F3 Shaper.

If I was mounting my Sawstop on a Bora base, I would get the 3550 with the 4 independent steering casters. Each corner sits on a foot when not lifted on a caster. which makes leveling a little easier and more precise.

Skip to the 1:40 mark to see the Shaper being moved

https://youtu.be/euye-nhP-2M?t=106

[Frank Pratt]

I can't tell for sure what size the casters are on the Bora base, but they look kinda small. Like they might want to hang up on every little chip they try to drive over.

[Doug Dawson]

I can't tell for sure what size the casters are on the Bora base, but they look kinda small. Like they might want to hang up on every little chip they try to drive over.
I have my planer and router table on Bora 3550's, and yes, the ground clearance is a bit limited (they can scrape on uneven floors.) Not so much on the 2500's, but then you have the uneven shimming issue (which other than that those are really nice bases.)

[Frank Pratt]

I have my planer and router table on Bora 3550's, and yes, the ground clearance is a bit limited (they can scrape on uneven floors.) Not so much on the 2500's, but then you have the uneven shimming issue (which other than that those are really nice bases.)

There's that, but also small diameter wheels don't roll as well either.

[Doug Dawson]

There's that, but also small diameter wheels don't roll as well either.
I’ve never had a problem with that on any of the Bora’s. They roll okay (but I don’t leave a lot of debris on the floors.)

[Jason Evans]

I don’t know about that base but I just got a sawstop 36” pcs and I bought the grizzly bear crawl base. It was about $100. It is very solid and well made and rolls nice. It’s red and black so it looks like it came with the sawstop.

It fits nice as is, but I did cut about an inch offf two of the rails to make it a perfect fit.

[Paul Wunder]

Jason, thanks for mentioning Grizzly as a source. I took a look at it and it appears to be very rugged. They also make a four wheel swivel model. Three inch poly wrapped wheels, all metal construction and aftermarket parts availability. The rails seem easier to re-size and initially fit than the Bora Portamates. All for $131 delivered.

https://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-bear-crawl-all-swivel-hd-mobile-base/t31566

[Jason Evans]

Dang! I didn’t see the all swivel option. I don’t move the saw around much so no big deal. The one I have works really good and is compact which is nice. I’m very happy with mine. Glad I could help.

[Micah Puscheck]

Dang! I didn’t see the all swivel option. I don’t move the saw around much so no big deal. The one I have works really good and is compact which is nice. I’m very happy with mine. Glad I could help.

Funny, I just ordered a 1023 and looked a fair bit at the recommended bases and that one never popped up for me either...

[Paul Wunder]

I only found the Grizzly four wheel swivel base by accident after Jason clued me in to what he bought. There is something wrong with the Grizzly search engine in that if you type in: machine bases, mobility bases and the like, there are "zero" responses.

Shiraz, if you see this, please look into it.

[Rod Wolfy]

Paul, I have the 3hp PCS and purchased the $250 mobile base. It's convenient and works as it's designed; however, I would not purchase it again. When the saw is on the base, you have to move the saw only along the long axis. So, I have to pull on the table end and then work it back and forth to get it 6" closer to the garage door (hard on a garage packed with junk). If I had spent the extra $100 for the ICS base or a Bora 3550, then I could just pull it directly back and forth.

[Mark Carlson]

I have 3500 base on a General 650 cabinet saw. Best base I've ever had. Built like a tank.

[Ron Selzer]

Ordered a Grizzly 4 wheel swivel base for a Mini-Max FS-30 which I just got in pieces. Will make it a lot easier to work on as I reassemble it with a new to it motor.
Ron