Mobile Base

[Frank Dominski]

I'm looking to build a wooden mobile base for my grizzly G0555 14'' band saw. Does anyone have some pic's or plains they would like to share. I tried doing a forum search but no luck. Thanks Frank :)

[Matt Benton]

I would suggest using this design. I am designing something similar for a new Unisaw.

I'd suggest using 4" casters if at all possible, particularly if you're in a garage and plan to move it often...

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=75523&highlight=drill+press+mobile+base

[Joe Scharle]

I have a few mobile bases in my shop and the base I like best is from Woodcraft. They supply 4 metal corners + toe lift and you provide the plywood for mounting.

[Cary Falk]

Not for a band saw but maybe it will spark some ideas.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_0381.jpg

[Glenn Howard]

I have a few mobile bases in my shop and the base I like best is from Woodcraft. They supply 4 metal corners + toe lift and you provide the plywood for mounting.

+1 vote for the Woodcraft mobile base. For the money, it can't be beat, even with a shop built base. Woodcraft sells these for about $60 bucks. Add in the cost for some 3/4" plywood and you're still at or below what you'll pay for a set of quality casters.

I has a weight capacity of 600 lbs and can be sized up to 37" x 37". They add very little to the footprint of the tool, which is important if you're trying to preserve shop real estate. They are very stable when locked in and are, well, mobile when you want them to be. You'll want to measure closely to ensure that the legs of your machine is sitting on the corners, and not the plywood.

I have my band saw and drill press sitting on these bases, and I absolutely love them. For extra support, I ran a couple of bolts up through the plywood into the slots of my Steel City drill press.

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=5114

[Denny Rice]

I have a few mobile bases in my shop and the base I like best is from Woodcraft. They supply 4 metal corners + toe lift and you provide the plywood for mounting.

My vote also goes Joe's way. I have 3 of Woodcraft's mobile bases and I love em'. They are designed very well, and the 4 corners and casters are very heavy duty. The only thing you will have to purchase is a piece of 3/4" plywood for the bottom.

[Bill Huber]

I have 3 bases in use in the shop now and they are the same base. One on the table saw, bandsaw, and planner.

The thing I really like about these bases is the fact there is only one peddle to push down to move the tool.

You can get the same base at Lowes most of the time.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2383&filter=mobile


96252

[Prashun Patel]

After spending $500 on a tool, I can sympathize with the desire to NOT want to spend another $50-100 on a base.

The base itself is easy to build with 2x4's halflapped or just 3/4" plywood laminated 2x. The wheels are where the price is. You can either buy locking casters for roughly $50/set, or you can use cheaper nonlocking (load rated) casters and manufacture a brake.

There are two ways to make a brake: 1) pull something against the wheels, or 2) implement a jack by screwing in a t-nut to the bottom of the base and using a 5/16" bolt with a rubber stopper on the bottom end and a star knob on the top.

I prefer the jack method, because the brake against the wheel will not stop the wheels from sliding if you're not using soft wheels.

I gotta tell you, I have the Griz555 on a mobile base and have not gotten around to putting in the jacks or brakes and it's still plenty stable; I use door stops under the wheels...

Of course, this is all only if you're cheap like me...

[Steve Bishop]

Simple and cheep.
I used four 3" swivel brake casters with a threaded stud mount, and mounted them in the foot holes. Got them from Grizzly. With brakes on every wheel, I can always get to 2 of them to secure them.
They do raise the saw about 4" inches higher, does add to a top heavy feeling so be warned.

Steve

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg57/techie470/IMAGE_029-1.jpg

[Douglas Brummett]

Mobile base can be quite simple. The bandsaw in 14in size really isn't very heavy (about 150-200lb) and can easily be supported by even the basic garage casters. I have mobile bases on all of my tools and not one of them is the same(5 tools). The 2 that were store bought were on sale and that is the only reason they made it into the shop. The corner brace type I like, mine is the HF version that uses corner screws to lock. The erector set, "universal", bases are not that great. That type works but is a little flexy. My other bases are shop-made. Under my tablesaw is a 2X4 and mdf frame on 3" casters, I use eye bolts to lift it off the wheels and secure it during use. Cost on that was about $60, but it is 30"X72" so not really a bad price. Under my planer I used a 2X4 and 2X6 similar to Cary's base. That is very sturdy and on 4" casters. It rolls much nicer due to the wheel size even with 200+lb of planer and tool boxes on it.

My Bandsaw as I mentioned is lighter. I used light duty casters with 2.5" wheels and no locks. I used a single sheet of mdf, thru bolted the casters to the mdf directly under the feet of the base, and then wood screwed the feet to the mdf. I used t-nuts and the stock leveling feet as elevators to lock the machine when in use. For the application this works nicely and is dirt cheap.

There are a few pearls of information here in this thread already:
- If you are going to get a pre-made get one with a single lift
- Low CG is your friend since this is already top heavy
- Casters do not work quite as well as feet/eye bolts for totally locking the machine in place

[Tom Hamilton]

Frank, I've got a Griz 513X bandsaw (350lbs) on a furniture movers dolly.

These are 18" X 30", rated for 900-1000 lbs, and are available at the Depot, Harbor Freight, etc for $20.00. Northern Tool has a 16" square model that I've used under a drill press.

Simple, fast and cheap.

Best regards, Tom, in Houston, with 7 dollies in the fleet.

[Stan Smith]

I have 3 bases in use in the shop now and they are the same base. One on the table saw, bandsaw, and planner.

The thing I really like about these bases is the fact there is only one peddle to push down to move the tool.

You can get the same base at Lowes most of the time.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2383&filter=mobile


96252

I had one of these on my router table and cut it down to fit my drum sander stand. It works just fine and is very stable. I built my first mobile bases from a Shop Notes plan. That works very well also. I have one on my drill press and use the fulcrum wheeled handle that came with my MM16 bandsaw to move the drill press around on those rare occasions.

[Frank Dominski]

Just wanted to say thanks for all the replys. I know $65 is not much to spend on a base after the price of the machine but you know how us woodworkers are, all this scrap wood lying around, there must be something I can build with it.

[Paul Gatti]

I have 3 bases in use in the shop now and they are the same base. One on the table saw, bandsaw, and planner.

The thing I really like about these bases is the fact there is only one peddle to push down to move the tool.

You can get the same base at Lowes most of the time.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2383&filter=mobile


96252

Another vote for the Rockler mobile base. I have one of these on my assembly table and it works great.