'Nother DP Question - Mobile Base?

[Russ Filtz]

Just wondering if a Delta mobile base will work fine on a drillpress? Seems like the DP might get top heavy if moved, or is the DP base heavy enough to make moving safe?

[Chris Padilla]

Russ,

I made my own mobile base. For starters, the DP is VERY top-heavy or to put it another way, it has a high center of mass due to the massive headstock. The wimpy platform it comes with isn't well suited to a mobile base. In fact, they recommend you bolt it to the floor if at all possible. I would like to do this but one never knows if one might need to move it.

To that end, I made a large, low and wide mobile base out of 4 sheets of laminated 3/4" plywood. The first three sheets have a hole cut out of the center to fit over the DP base. The fourth sheet is what the DP base sits on. I then added wheels and adjusted them so that the floor clearance between the bottom of the mobile base and my garage floor is like a 1/4" or so...maybe less. You want to keep this DP as low to the floor as possible.

When you move the base, attach a rope or whatever to the mobile base only and gently pull on that nice and easy.

Funny thing...my DP hasn't moved in over a year but I see a need in a couple weeks to move it! :)

[Russ Filtz]

That's why I like the delta base, after you move it, it comes back down to rest on the ground and not just on locking casters. Plus you can make the base any size you want if you put the DP base on another base like you did. Perhaps I could use some thick MDF? That stuff is pretty heavy, or even get a sheet or two of steel to bolt to and then place in the mobile base. Thanks for the ideas!

[Chris Padilla]

MDF is not structurally a good material to use. Think about it for use in shelves--it sags under its own weight. I would stick with plywood at the minimum for this application of expanding the base of the DP. Laminate 2-3 sheets together and you have a very strong base that will not flex.