Custom heavy duty mobile base

[Mitch schiffer]

I recently ordered a oliver 25 inch planer and in my current shop I need it to be mobile. I can't find a mobile base rated for the weight of the machine (apox 1800#). I have a shop fox base that I believe is rated for 1500# under my shaper (powermatic ts29 1100#) that is very difficult to move. Is there any option out there for a heavier base? Am I better off to have a local welder make me one? If I have one made is there a certain kind of caster that would be best? I seem to prefer the urethane coated cast iron casters on my other bases l.

[Steve Eure]

May be a bit cheaper to put it on some sort of pallet. Then go to HF or some other cheap store and buy a pallet jack. Having someone weld one culd cost you about as much.

[Mitch schiffer]

That would work but it would be nice to not have to store a pallet jack

[Michael Drew]

This might give you some ideas for haveing one built. I plan to do something simular for a slider, when I get one. He used 3.5" X 3.5" X 1/4" angle. Simple, but functional.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLRQhsTZKoA&t=1s

[Phillip Mitchell]

I have a shop made “mobile base” under my 20” SCM planer that weighs ~1600# and I routinely move it around within a certain area of my shop which is fairly rough and uneven concrete slab. It’s not the easiest to get moving but I manage it and the difficulty comes from the rough condition of the slab and not so much the weight or casters. I would have no problems moving it around easily on a smooth finished slab.

The previous owner made it from 2x6s crisscrossed on the flat and 5” diameter steel casters. The only thing I would change is to have all 4 casters swivel and lock instead of the current arrangement of 2 swiveling wheels and 2 fixed wheels with no locks. Of course, this raises the height of the machine 6-10” but for me that’s actually a plus with a planer that is typically lower than I’d want it to be if sitting on the floor or a low profile mobile base. This wouldn’t necessarily work for some other machine with higher CoG but works great for a big planer.

If I were buying new wheels and casters from scratch I would look at phenolic wheels rated for 800+ lbs each and high quality swiveling and locking casters to suit from a place like Caster City. If you call them on the phone about what you need, they will likely offer you a nicely discounted sale compared to their website as well as tell you your best options based on the specifics of your situation (floor, weight, etc.)

[Zachary Hoyt]

Surplus Center is also a good source of casters at low prices, and they have a pretty vast selection on their website.

[Brian Backner]

+1 on using a pallet jack. I have a Crescent P24 planer (4,000#) and mounted it on a pair of 6x6 running front to back. I don't need to move it often but the jack makes it relatively easy to do so. The jack lives under the planer when not in use. I have several tools that are similarly up on 4x4s (turret milling machine, a PM 72, and a few others).

Another option, though much pricier, is to get a pair of Rol-a-Lifts. I got a pair from a company going out of business for a song and they make moving the most awkward things relatively easy:

https://rolalift.com/

[Rob Sack]

I designed and had fabricated a mobile base for my 1953 Northfield 12" Jointer, which I am sure weights well over 1000 lbs. I build a full size mock up out of framing lumber, milling the lumber down to the exact size of the square steel tubing I wanted to use and using 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" plywood for the steel plate. Rather than mess with cheap Harbor Freight casters in this case, I bought the bullet and purchased them from McMaster-Carr. I took to the mock up to a local welder and had it duplicated in steel. For under $500, I have a base that is as solid as a boat trailer and a jointer that is almost as easy to maneuver as my router table, which is on an off the shelf generic mobile base.

[Bill Dufour]

I would make a base out of angle iron, bolted at the joints. Then, if it needs to be done, you can take it to a welder who can tack the joints solid.
Bill D

[Jared Sankovich]

Pallet jack..

As for space just keep it under one of the machines. It's way more convenient and easier to move.

[Ned Otter]

Others have replied here about using a pallet jack, which is the way I went. Apparently many folks don't realize that there are some models that move in two directions, such as the one I purchased:

https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/H-3029/Pallet-Trucks/Multi-Directional-Pallet-Truck

Can save a lot maneuvering in tight spaces.