Mobile Base For SawStop PCS

[Doug Walls]

I recently picked up a SawStop PCS175 with the 36" T-glide fence & I'm trying to figure out what type of mobile base I want for it.
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The Industrial base with the PCS conversion would be great, But I'm having a hard time justifying the cost. :eek:
I also plan to add a cabinet under the extension table & I would like the cabinet to move with the saw as one unit.

I have the metalworking tools needed to make a DIY metal base & that was my original plan!
However, I've seen several DIY bases made from wood & I'm curious how well they would hold up?

In the beginning of this old post https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?286224-Shop-made-table-saw-mobile-base the original poster shows a couple of pictures of the type of mobile wood bases I'm curious about.

Has anyone here made a DIY wood mobile base/cabinet set-up?

Doug

[Eric Anderson]

One caution, if you want to ever use the bolt on extension table (I have it and really like it) it only works with the PCS base as it needs to be folded down flat against the saw or you can only use the table with the extension table up. That said, I have the PCS moving base and am completely satisfied with it. certainly not a nice or as mobile as the ICS base, but very serviceable.

[Doug Walls]

One caution, if you want to ever use the bolt on extension table (I have it and really like it) it only works with the PCS base as it needs to be folded down flat against the saw
Yeah I seen how they hit the back of the ICS base when down, I seen a video on Facebook where a guy modified the end of his outfeed table to clear the mobile base.

I have the PCS moving base and am completely satisfied with it. certainly not a nice or as mobile as the ICS base, but very serviceable.
I've thought about that one simply because it's designed for the PCS!
However, I don't really have much room in the garage so all swiveling casters would probably work best.

Doug

[Doug Walls]

Another option I'm thinking about is modifying a store-bought adjustable base!
I noticed that Grizzly currently has several mobile bases on sale right now at pretty good prices.

Does anyone have a Shop Fox D2057A or D2058A mobile base? They're both about 45% off!
I could always get a couple more swivel casters & modify the base for all swivel operation & add a couple extra floor stops?

Doug

[Geoff Barry]

I got a D2058A originally for my PCS - but it wouldn't fit without cutting the rails, and it only had two swivel casters. After many hijinks, it's ended up as a mobile base for my outfeed/assembly table. I put my PCS on a Bear Crawl all-swivel base, with the extension for the router table legs - I got them on sale last year, so combined, I paid around $160. It works great, and having 4 swiveling castors is helpful in my one-car garage. If money was no object, I'd probably get the ICS base, but the Bear Crawl base has been just fine.

[Doug Walls]

I got a D2058A originally for my PCS - but it wouldn't fit without cutting the rails
Was that because the minimum size was too big?


it only had two swivel casters.
If I got replacement swiveling casters for the rear, would they fit with-out modifying the hole locations?
I kind of remember someone mentioning that the swiveling casters would only pivot 270 degrees on the back brackets with-out modifying the bolt pattern, but I can't remember which base or casters were used?


I put my PCS on a Bear Crawl all-swivel base, with the extension for the router table legs - I got them on sale last year, so combined, I paid around $160. It works great, and having 4 swiveling castors is helpful in my one-car garage.
I thought about the Bear Crawl all-swivel also! They're also on sale, but not as big of a discount as the D2557A & D2058A bases.

Ideally, I would like to make/modify a base that's roughly 20" deep by 52" wide!
Is the tubing used for either the D2058A or the all-swivel Bear Crawl standard dimensions, or some weird metric sizes?
In other words, will normal size steel tubing from my local Alro steel supplier fit-inside the corner sections to make the base longer?

Doug

[Bill Dufour]

I am 6'2" tall so I normally like to raise my tools a few inches on a mobile base. I also like to leave some toe room under the base.
Bill D

[Aaron Rosenthal]

Doug, when I got my SawStop last year I spent the money on the dust collector rather then the hydraulic base, instead picked up the bear crawl from Grizzly. Works fine, and, it was slightly discounted but after spending the money for the SawStop and the collector, a few dollars isn’t the issue.
My opinion.

[Doug Walls]

I am 6'2" tall so I normally like to raise my tools a few inches on a mobile base.
I'm 5' 7" so the normal height is fine for me! My garage floor is not too level & it has a few cracks in the concrete, so a 1" or so of clearance would probably help.

Doug

[Doug Walls]

Doug, when I got my SawStop last year I spent the money on the dust collector rather then the hydraulic base
I pretty much stretched my budget to the limit getting my SawStop, so including any type of base at the time wasn't an option.


picked up the bear crawl from Grizzly. Works fine
After reading several reviews on the Shop Fox vs the Bear Crawl, I'm leaning more towards the Bear Crawl!
Sounds like the Bear Crawl bases are made a little better.

Doug

[Darrell Bade]

After reading several reviews on the Shop Fox vs the Bear Crawl, I'm leaning more towards the Bear Crawl!
Sounds like the Bear Crawl bases are made a little better.

Doug

I have 4 Bear Crawls, one under a fairly heavy 15" wide belt. While I have a Sawstop ICS under my ICS and it is a great mobile base I think think Bear Crawl are the best of that style mobile base.

[Tom Trees]

I reckon this retractable caster design can't be beaten for the tablesaw, which Mr Holmgren popularised, if you can learn from my mistakes, I'd think much chance that one couldn't fault it whatsoever.
Flat bar would be an improvement over angle iron for the left of the base, to make axle closer ...or should I say further away from centre of machine,
Quite problematic for multiple reasons which is too long to chance writing for the second time:rolleyes:
Tipping, dragging feet, changing direction whilst being tucked away in a tight spot, being too harsh on the cheapo casters...
All issues to do with the casters "swing" and being too close to centre.
Still a bit tippy as it is, but it is tolerable now that I've moved axle closer to edge, pity I didn't have any flat bar to go further.
No directional changes which was most annoying, machine could be sitting lower but is plenty low for me, still have to help starting it off whilst waiting for the caster to swing, but is very little effort required to lift slightly, should you notice in the video
Small beans what would be left if scooted further.


I'd also not opt for a gravity latch in favour of a sprung latch with more than an inch of surface area to catch on, so the pedal doesn't get past when being moved.

Tom

https://youtu.be/Lnooql_zWH4

[Jim Becker]

The PCS I have in my temporary shop has the native PCS mobility kit. It's quite functional but has one fundamental problem for my particular shop situation and that's related to the conversation here in this thread about working height. In my case, I was able to position the tool using the PCS native mobility, but then I had to raise the base off the floor about an inch. Why? Close quarters that requires the table saw outfeed to go out over my CNC machine's table. I mention this as working height is not just about our personal comfort but also relevant to workflow in relation to other machines. Many folks have smaller spaces for their shops so that consideration really blossoms. In this example, a more traditional mobile base that would permit raising the tool "on" the base would allow for both mobility and clearance of the other worksurface.

[Jack Frederick]

My PCS has the SS Mobil base and I have been very pleased with it. I think you will be better off, should you fabricate a rolling base to make the base for your built cabinet to be separate on its own base, especially with an irregular floor. With the saw and a filled cabinet you are talking a lot of mass and that presents a lot of problems for the caster choice. Inertia is a real thing, on both ends. How do you get it rolling AND how do you stop it once it is going. You have the saw and a busted budget, but that saw will last you a long long time. Something to think of for future is add ons for the saw. I added the SS router table kit to the right and dropped the phenolic table. I was able to eliminate the legs which has been great and where the extension table was piled high with…stuff, nothing sits on the cast iron. I was out the $500 for the RT kit but built my own dust box for the router and my own lift so the total cost was the cost of the RT. I cut the long rails down so did not need new ones. Sorry for the tangent, but…

[Rod Wolfy]

I had the PCS base for a couple of years. I didn't want to spend the money for the Industrial base. However, It only went back and forth on the long axis of the saw. That is to say, I could moved it side to side, when I got stuff our of the way, or move it back and forth to get it towards the garage doors, but the floor had to be cleared (yes, I have a cluttered shop). I bit the bullet and bought the Industrial base last year. It's been great. I couple of pumps to the hydraulic jack and I can pull the saw directly towards me by a couple of inches or however much movement I need. Often, it's just to turn the table a few degrees so that my infeed will clear one garage door 4' behind me for an 8' rip cut. I should have purchase it to start with.

[Tom M King]

After building and using a couple of mobile bases recently, I'll never again have any mobile base with anything smaller than 4" wheels, easy to lock and unlock without bending over locks, and ball bearing swivels. 5" and 6" are not too big for heavy tools. The 4" ones are for light tools like a drill press. I'd put a cabinet saw on 5" wheels.

For a tablesaw, consider how you're going to mount an overhead dust arm.

[Stan Figura]

I also have a SawStop PCS with a 36" inch fence. I opted for the industrial base on the theory that it would be easier to move my saw with that base, compared to the integrated base. I don't know if that is really the case, but I am happy with this base. However, one of the drawbacks to the SawStop bases is that they it do not provide support to the table legs when the saw is raised, resulting in the table legs drooping somewhat.

I purchased a BORA PM-3550 Super-Duty All-Swivel Mobile Base for my jointer. I was drawn to this base because all four wheels swivel, making it easier to maneuver in tight spaces. I like this base a lot.

Bora makes a version of this base with a table saw extension that provides support for the table legs: BORA PM-3795 All-Swivel Mobile Base with Table Saw Extension https://boratool.com/catalog/product/view/id/1539/category/232/ In this version of the mobile base, the support for the main saw body is connected to the support for the table legs. Perhaps you could build a cabinet that sits on or straddles this connector.

[Doug Walls]

I stopped by a local steel fence & gate supplier that also sells basic steel supplies that are used in the commercial fencing business.
Still scratching my head on this one :confused: But I believe they under charged me for some steel I just picked up, not that I'm complaining :cool:
I got a 24' piece of 14ga. 1" X 3" for $78 & a 20' piece of 1/8" thick 2" X 2" angle iron for $36!
Had to have them cut down to fit in my Trailblazer.
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After building and using a couple of mobile bases recently, I'll never again have any mobile base with anything smaller than 4" wheels.
I tend to agree with that! Also, my garage floor has several cracks in the concrete & the smaller wheels get hung-up easily.


The 4" ones are for light tools like a drill press.
They make some medium duty 3" casters.
I have a set of 3" locking/swiveling casters on my Kalamazoo 816 bandsaw.
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There rated at 300lbs. ea.
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But the smaller 3" size on a 650lb. machine makes it hard to move. luckily, I don't have to move it that much.

I just picked-up some 4" swiveling casters locally that are rated at 450lbs ea. I think they'll work out ok for the SawStop.
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For a tablesaw, consider how you're going to mount an overhead dust arm.
I'm still trying to figure the whole dust collection system out right now. https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?298167-6-quot-Dust-Collector-Hose-Need-Installation-Tips Eventually I plan to have some sort of wall mounted overhead arm/guard that can be pulled out & positioned after the saw is moved out.

Doug

[Doug Walls]

After a few design changes & several other interruptions I finally got my mobile base for the SawStop made.
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I'm still planning on making some sort of cabinet/drawers for the right-hand side, but seeing I also plan to add a router-lift to the wing I'm waiting until I get that in place first.

Being that the saw will be stored up against the wall, I also wanted a way to lock the base in-place without having to crawl under the saw to lock the rear legs. What I came up with is front & rear retractable levelers that are operated from the front.

The front & back leveling feet pivot together on a shaft that's connected to a linkage set-up operated by a De-Sta-Co clamp.
Here's a picture of the underside of the base showing the connecting shaft.
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And here's a few more pics of the De-Sta-Co clamp linkage set-up.
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Doug

[Jim Becker]

That looks "very sturdy", Doug!! Bravo!

[Frank Pratt]

Nice design, should work well.

[John Kananis]

Freaking awesome man. Really nice fabrication and looks very well thought out.

[Doug Walls]

Thanks for everyone's comments!

So far, it's working really well.
I can flip & lock the De-Sta-Co clamp lever with my foot.

Once I finish adding a router/lift to the wing an outfeed table & several drawers under the wing, I'm sure it will weigh quite a bit more.

Doug