Mobile Base choices dilemma

[Mark Rios]

Can someone direct me toward a comparison of mobile bases? I'm going to have to buy one for the time being for my unisaw and I'm overwhelmed at the choices available. I need it to be pretty heavy duty as I will need to be moving the saw a couple of times per day. Sometimes I will need to roll over some bigger bumps/cracks so the wheels (bearings) should be pretty tough.

Any ideas, suggestions or opinions?

Thanks very much for your info and advice.



EDIT: This application would be for a regular base, not one with a long set of rails. Thanks again.

[glenn bradley]

While pricey, HTC makes various levels of bases for a given machine. Kinda like: light use, heavy use, miltary spec., etc.

[Mark Rios]

Thanks Glenn. I'll give those a closer look. I'm looking for a top quality (read most durable) base. These may fit the bill.

Do the levels that you mention have any certain distinguishing nomenclature, i.e. grade 1, 2, 3, etc?

[Vaughn McMillan]

Dunno if it's any help for something like a Uni, but I've got an HTC base on my 6" jointer and a Shop Fox base on my 14" bandsaw, and I much prefer the HTC. It's easier to raise and lower (no need to bend over, which, with my back, is an important feature).

[Mark Rios]

I found this one at Amazon and it looks good. However it only has 3/4" clearance when raised. I'll be high-centering all day with this. Something with taller clearance is needed.

http://www.amazon.com/HTC-HRS-10-Mobile-Unisaw-Shaper/dp/B000022630/sr=1-14/qid=1160089134/ref=sr_1_14/104-5840411-2223918?ie=UTF8&s=hi

[Burt Waddell]

At one time, I had a Delta, a HTC and a shop Fox base under unisaws. The Shop FOx offered some options that the other two didn't but the shop Fox was the lowest quality of the three. The HTC base has been under the unisaw for more than 12 years now. It still rolls as easily as it did when it was brand new. The wheels are still prefectly round. I've had the Delta base for 2 years and it seems to still be doing well.

Based on my experience, I recommend the HTC Stand as being a top quality piece of equipment.

[Mack Cameron]

I have seven (7) HTC's; jointer, router table stand, thickness planer, oscilliating sander stand, 2 nd router table stand, bandsaw and my table saw. I still require one for my scroll saw, it's on a homemade roller stand.

Is anyone from HTC listening to me? It's the only one for me. Good price and easily fabricated!

[Art Mulder]

Can someone direct me toward a comparison of mobile bases? I'm going to have to buy one for the time being for my unisaw and
...
Any ideas, suggestions or opinions?

Mark,

How big is your shop? My shop is a pretty modest 11x20. My TS is on a general mobile base. I don't really like it.

But then, I don't think I'll like any stock mobile base. That is because all of them, from what I can remember, tend to follow the same wheel pattern: Two fixed/straight wheels, and two (or one) wheels that pivot.

In a small shop, I am finding this to be overly restrictive and confining. I end up having to do a lot of seesawing back and forth to get the saw into the position I want. This is made worse by the large size of the saw. It has a pretty large footprint on the floor. I have a rolling bench, 25x60" and it has the same problems. On smaller tools (like my bandsaw) I did not find this to be as much of a problem.

For me, all future tool bases are going to have FOUR wheels that pivot. It will just make it much easier to move things around. This of course means that I'll probably have to make a custom base for my TS. Oh well. (on the other hand, if I had a Marty-sized shop, then the standard arrangement would be fine.)

...art

[Larry Conely]

I have several HTC bases, I've tried others, but always come back to HTC. I also have the good fortune to be within a half hour's drive of the factory in Royal Oak, Michigan.

On very heavy tools, I have also had mobile bases made. I'll purchase the wheels and have a welder fabricate the base of angle iron. At the end of the day it's about what you would spend on a mobile base, but it's heavier and is built to your specs. Stabilizers can be made with bolts and nuts or Destaco clamps flipped with your toe.

Larry

[Jim Becker]

That is because all of them, from what I can remember, tend to follow the same wheel pattern: Two fixed/straight wheels, and two (or one) wheels that pivot.
The HTC welded mobile base under my Jet cabinet saw has three wheels. The two under the saw cabinet are fixed and the one under th extension swivels. The same was true on the welded bases that were under my Jet jointer and Jet bandsaw when I still owned them. While I agree that four swiveling wheels give more instantaneous positioning, I find that they are also less stable unless they are fully double locking. Most mobile bases don't have premium caster systems like that unless they are shop-built. (I do have these type under several items, including my kitchen island and when they are locked...they are locked...)

[Rob Russell]

I had a Unisaw with 50" fence on a HTC base. The quality of the base was great, but the wheels on most prefab bases are a bit small if you have to roll over "bigger bumps/cracks".

[Frank Pellow]

I have a General 650 table saw with a big extension table all supported by an HTC purpose built base. I move the saw a lot in my smallish crowded shop and the base works works well.

[Steve Clardy]

I have the HTC under my cabinet saw.

[Corey Hallagan]

Mark, I have my table saw on the Jet Mobile Base. This one is rated for up to 600 lbs. It is also a snap together construction that uses the pop in pins etc. No tool required. It is very stout. I had a HTC base that flexed an everything so I put my drill press on that base and it worked fine. The jet rocks. I think I got it on Amazon for 39.99 delivered. I have attached a pic of my table saw on the base.

Corey

[Art Mulder]

While I agree that four swiveling wheels give more instantaneous positioning, I find that they are also less stable unless they are fully double locking. Most mobile bases don't have premium caster systems like that unless they are shop-built.

Well, I thought shop-built was implied in my posting, since as far as I know none of the commercial stands are like that.

I bought a set of the double-locking ones from woodcraft some time back.
http://woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=1989
They're very nice. I had intended to build a cabinet/base to replace the metal legs under my contractor saw, but haven't gotten a "round tuit" yet. In the meantime I built them into a mobile base and they roll and lock very well. So I haven't tried this yet on a table saw. Works okay with my bandsaw.

But again, the narrowness of my own shop is really behind my issue.

[glenn bradley]

The grades are based on load capacity as far as I can tell (sorry, tossed the catalog long ago). They have a few different raising mechanism options that alter the price as well. I'll try to find thier web site for you.

[glenn bradley]

Here you go:

http://www.htcproductsinc.com/mb.html

They have a lot of distributors. I would find the base and options you want on their site and then try a distributer. If they don't have it readily available, I bet they could order it. You may not get a discount that way but, if you're going to use it a few times a day and you use it for 5 years, it's only pennies a day, right? See how my rationalization engine works ;-)

P.s. Don't forget the lifetime warranty when your choosing a brand.

[Eddie Darby]

I have the ShopFox Heavy Duty (700 lbs.) mobile base for my cabinet saw, and I have the extra extension kit, that is sold separately, so you can use it on table saws with long rails or a side mounted router.

http://www.woodstockint.com/Products/D2057


Since the side extension kit is sold separately, you could add it on in the future should your set-up change.

http://www.woodstockint.com/Products/D2259

They also have an Extra Heavy Duty kit for 1300 lbs. though this seems a bit too much since most saws are around 500 lbs.

http://www.woodstockint.com/Products/D2058

[Bruce Page]

Mark,
I have 5 mobile bases – 4 Delta’s that have the single foot lever lift (including the one under my Uni), and 1 HTC that has a single locking swivel castor and a thumb screw setup on each of the other two wheels.
The Delta’s will not budge when the foot lever lift is disengaged. The HTC under my jointer moves around no matter how tight I tighten the screws.
The HTC was the first MB that I bought….

[Jim Becker]

Bruce, it looks like HTC has changed the locking mechanism on the wheels...some kind of orange clamp in the pictures on the site. (It's notable that they actually have a web site now...took them long enough!) I was always able to crank mine tight, but I've heard the same complaint as you cite before.

[Bruce Page]

Thanks Jim, that's good to know. I have never been happy with the HTC that I have. I have been very pleased with the Delta design and will purchase another when needed.

[Jim Becker]

Bruce, I actually love the Vega machinery mover I use for my lathe. If it were actually under the machine all the time, it has NO wheels on the ground and only raises the machine a fraction of an inch. I happen to remove it and store it since the lathe stays in one spot unless I rearrange the shop and the base would get in the way of my feet. I use a car jack to raise one end of the 800 lb lathe slightly and slide out that half of the base after releasing the set-screws on the front and back rails. Then repeat on the other site. It's a Johnson bar setup when moving, but that's just fine for a rare move.

[Jay Albrandt]

Mark,

I bought a Delta that Bruce Page is talking about. It has the extensions for the longer table top and rails which you said you don't need but I could take it apart and ship you what you want. I had it under my Jet TS and I loved the way it moved. I don't know how it would hold up to the cracks and such you mentioned but when you flip the wheel down with the lever, it won't budge. I don't use it since the garage is a dedicated shop. It is yours if you want to reimburse me for the shipping.

Jay

[Maj Munn]

I bought some mobile base:s at an auction HTC or something like that I would hove to look at them tomarrow but if I have the right size I could let one go for under $100.just as long as I get my money back.

[JayStPeter]

I use the Delta under my Unisaw. But, both the Delta and HTC welded bases are sturdy and durable.

[Mark Rios]

Mark,

I bought a Delta that Bruce Page is talking about. It has the extensions for the longer table top and rails which you said you don't need but I could take it apart and ship you what you want. I had it under my Jet TS and I loved the way it moved. I don't know how it would hold up to the cracks and such you mentioned but when you flip the wheel down with the lever, it won't budge. I don't use it since the garage is a dedicated shop. It is yours if you want to reimburse me for the shipping.

Jay


Jay, I have a stock Delta mobile base kit for my saw. It is the Delta extended mobile base for use with the 50" (large) fence/rail set-up. However, the main base part can't be used alone, it only has the two fixed wheels on one end. The third wheel is on the extension part. They have to be used together. Is your's different?

I am using shorter rails so I need a regular sized mobile base, not an extended base. I'm sorry, I'm not very fluent in mobile bases.

[Mark Rios]

A very big THANK YOU to all who have posted. I apologize for taking a while to get back to my thread and I wanted to make this post to make sure that all know my appreciation for lots of great help, advice and offers of your bases.

I need to get just a regular one now (until I finish my current job) and I'll just have to keep my saw in my trailer until I can get a mobile base with larger wheels made. I at least need to be able to move it around in the trailer. I haven't been able to set up my new(to me) Uni yet because I don't have a base (yet) to put under it. I need the Unisaw for this current kitchen project as my older Ridgid won't take a dado stack. Hopefully I can work something out with Jay. If not, I'll look at other options you kind folks have offered. It will happen now very soon thanks to all of you.

Thanks very much again.