Bandsaw on an uneven concrete floor.

[Michael Adelong]

This is sort of related to Phil's stationary machine post.

I have an 18" BS and a wavy concrete basement floor. I haven't been able to find a section of floor large enough for the saw base that is completely flat in the area where I want to put the saw. I contemplated bolting it down, but I do not want to twist the base of the saw by pulling it down to an uneven floor.

Has anyone run into this issue and come up with a good solution?

I was thinking about making a rectangular form slightly larger than the base of the saw and using some caulk to stick it to the floor where I want the BS. I could pour in just enough floor leveling compound to get a flat surface. I'm thinking that I might end up with a 1/8" or 1/16" of an inch thick "pad" where I could put the BS. A layer of 1/2" MDF under the saw should prevent too much vibration from getting through to the leveling compound. I also have some 1" thick rubber matting available that I could use instead of MDF. I might need a chainsaw to cut it, though. This is very hard rubber with what looks like the steel belting you see in tires, but made out of nylon instead inside of it. I could drill through the holes in the base of the BS and use some anchor bolts (wedge kind - "Red Head" brand, I think) to hold the whole mess down.

I could also make a torsion box base to sit the BS on. How thick would an oak grid need to be to support an approximately 300 lb bandsaw? The base would need to be approx 16" x 18" (up to 24") in size.

What do you think? Any other ideas?

Thanks,
Michael

[Dennis Peacock]

I used wooden shims and evened mine up on the floor. This has worked fine for me over the last 6 years.

[Chris Fite]

You could choose a spot for it, and shim it level. Wood shims are cheap. My 18" laguna has levelers built into it. I doubt it will move around once in place on account of the weight.

[Brian Hale]

Wood shims would be my choice.

Brian :)

[Tom Pritchard]

I had the same problem and used wood shims to level it up. I move my saw when I have large (long) pieces to saw, so I couldn't limit myself by doing anything permenant. I have had no trouble with the wooden shims. Good luck!

[Jim Becker]

How about a stiff rubber mat under the saw to take out the uneven floor issue? (I also use wood shims as Tom does)

[David Fried]

I use some wood shims. I bought some leveling feet but haven't bothered to install them as the wood shims are working fine!

Dave Fried

[David Mueller]

You could choose a spot for it, and shim it level. Wood shims are cheap. My 18" laguna has levelers built into it. I doubt it will move around once in place on account of the weight.

What leveler's? My LT18 has 2 wheels in back and 2 bent pads in front. I could put after market on, is that what you did?

[Tom Andersen]

Hi David,

I'm a mechanical engineer and I have installed machines at some occasions. I will describe a method used by the pros. I am not saying that it is worth while for you to do it in this way, but I thought you might be interested in knowing the procedure.

First embed vertically four threaded round steel bars into the concrete at the location of the fixation holes in the band saw base. This is done by either drilling holes in the existing floor or knocking four holes in the floor. In the latter case, make a wooden template to keep the threaded bars in place while pouring the concrete to fix them. Now you have the four threaded steel bars sticking up from the floor. Next put nuts on the treaded bars an inch or two above the floor and level them. Then place the band saw with the threaded bars going through the holes in the base of the band saw and resting on the four nuts. That gives you a chance to do a final precise alignment of the saw with the four nuts. When the saw is where you want it, make a small rectangular form around the base and pour a special type of low-shrinkage grout into the form and under the machine. Finally, when that is dry, put four nuts on top to fix the machine to the foundation.

Regards
Tom

[Byron Trantham]

I used wooden shims and evened mine up on the floor. This has worked fine for me over the last 6 years.

Me too. I keep two shims on the BS table for that purpose.:rolleyes:

[Barry O'Mahony]

I use metal shims for my drill press. I think it gives a more solid, less compressible base than wood shims; I also had some pieces of scrap aluminum lying around at the time.

[Chris Fite]

David,

My LT18 has four threaded holes in its base near the corners. A cap screw through each serves nicely to level the saw. I used them to level the unit as it sat on the mobile base I made for it. I fastened the base of the saw to the mobile base with lag screws after it was level. I made my own base for the saw for mobility and to raise the table to a workable height.

http://www.k4ay.org/lt18_leveler760.jpg
http://www.k4ay.org/lt18_base.jpg

[Steve Clardy]

I use either rubber truck mud flaps, or wood shims.

[Michael Adelong]

Thanks for putting my feet back on the ground guys. Looks like I was greatly overcomplicating the issue. Shims it will be.

Michael

[David Mueller]

Chris, I thought that's what you probably did. Where you built your own mobile base, I have the mobility kit. you just used the holes where the saw was bolted to the pallet for shipping. For me, I don't reallyworry about absolute level, never happen on any concrete floor. I just aim for stable. looks like the group votes shims, works everytime it's tried.

Michael, Chris looks like he has a good setup, simple and inexpensive.

[Dev Emch]

Get some adjustable machine feet from MSC and install under your machine using the bolt down holes. If you have no holes to attach these to, you may need a sub base.

These feet can then be adjusted with a wrench to sit perfectly flat. And if you get the ones with rubber bases, you also kill off much vibration that can leak into your floor.

[Charles McKinley]

Hi Michael,

If you have a Jet you can therad carriage bolts into the holes in the base with the head going to the floor. Then use two nuts on top jammed togeather to adjust the height or get the feet that Dev talks about.

[Maurice Ungaro]

You can also just throw down a partial sheet of MDF, and place your machine on top of that. Should level things out.

[lou sansone]

grout in place is an excellent way to do things, but it makes it pretty permanent. shims would be another way, provided you can keep them from moving around. finally adjustable legs would also be a decent way to do things
Lou

[Andrew Shaber]

I had the same problem too. I put a block of wood under each corner and a shim and it is better. I think it really helps to get the contact on the corners so the saw doesn't teeter on a high point in the concrete.

I'm thinking about building a little base to go under the saw. I may put "T" nuts on each corner and run a bolt through each to act as a leveler.