What Mobile Base for Powermatic PM2000

[Brian Frances]

Gentlemen,
I was fortunate enough to pick up a usedPM200 in virtually unused condition so now I have the task of setting it up. My question is... what base are you fellow Creekers using for this saw? Please post the model number if you have it??

What's perplexing is that when I called Powermatic to asked them what's the maximum height the saw can be raised using the built in casters, they said 1/8". Are they serious? Most folks either completey move the saw for storage or don't move it at all! Why design this feature for a small fraction of users and don't offer an OEM base for the other users?

Your thoughts??

[Lewis Cobb]

Gentlemen,
I was fortunate enough to pick up a usedPM200 in virtually unused condition so now I have the task of setting it up. My question is... what base are you fellow Creekers using for this saw? Please post the model number if you have it??

What's perplexing is that when I called Powermatic to asked them what's the maximum height the saw can be raised using the built in casters, they said 1/8". Are they serious? Most folks either completey move the saw for storage or don't move it at all! Why design this feature for a small fraction of users and don't offer an OEM base for the other users?

Your thoughts??

I have a PM2000 and am one of the small fraction of users that needs to shuffle it a few feet here and there on a perfectly flat concrete shop floor

That being said, I have been contemplating adding an under table cabinet, as well as a router and a few other "things" to the beast - which will probably render the integrated mobile base unusable as I don't want a large weight reefing on the rails when the saw body comes off the ground onto the casters.

If you come up with a mobile base solution please post about it here - I have pretty much convinced myself that it will have to be a custom welded thing for my purposes. That's what I told my wife when I started mumbling about buying a welding machine and taking a welding course a few months back

[Matt Winterowd]

Do you need to move the saw over a threshold or some other kind of obstruction?

My shop floor is fairly uneven and I find the PM2000's casters to be more than adequate. The fact that they all swivel, so that the unit can essentially pivot in place is much more useful to me than any aftermarket base. In fact, the built in caster's are the main reason I picked the saw over the Jet XACTA Deluxe.

[Charlie Barnes]

I've had a PM2000 for a little over a year now. The integrated mobile base was one of the reasons that I bought it since I have to share the garage with my wife's car. The casters work well and I have no serious complaints. My floor is pretty flat, so no problems rolling over the expansion joints. However, the one minor thing that I have noticed is that it is significantly harder to retract the casters (lower the saw) if I am straddling an expansion joint and the floor sections may not be at exactly the same height. My guess is that this is somehow putting an uneven load on two of the casters. The strange thing is that it doesn't make a difference when I raise the saw, only lower it.

[Brian Frances]

[quote=Charlie Barnes;1057788]I've had a PM2000 for a little over a year now. The integrated mobile base was one of the reasons that I bought it since I have to share the garage with my wife's car. The casters work well and I have no serious complaints. My floor is pretty flat, so no problems rolling over the expansion joints. However, the one minor thing that I have noticed is that it is significantly harder to retract the casters (lower the saw) if I am straddling an expansion joint and the floor sections may not be at exactly the same height. My guess is that this is somehow putting an uneven load on two of the casters. The strange thing is that it doesn't make a difference when I raise the saw, only lower it.[/quote

I plan to keep the saw in the corner of the garage so I will be moving it back and forth about 15ft every time I use it. Are the casters fully functional with a 50" extendsion? I was also planning on putting on a Quality Grinding Extension wing for routing purposes so this will add an additional 100lbs or so. Can anyone comment on if they believe the casters can handle this additional weight?
The main reason for these questions is that the saw's cast iron top and cast iron bottom are off and I only want to assemble these parts once. This saw is HHHeavy!!

Thanks

[Matt Winterowd]

If you're going to add a cast iron extension on the 50" rails, then I do agree you'll want some support for the whole unit. I don't know if HTC makes a dedicated base for the PM2000, but they can make a custom base to order. I'd tend to go that route in order to stay away from having the entire outline of the saw framed by the base. Plus, I haven't been all that thrilled with either my Shop Fox or my General bases on other tools and I've read good things about HTC.

Enjoy the saw! I've had mine for about 9 months and I really love it.

[Charlie Barnes]

Brian,

I have the 50" workbench extension on mine. To improve mobility, I shortened up the height of the support legs on the right end a little bit and put a couple of large plastic furniture glides on the bottom (height reduction = thickness of glides). This helped ease the "chatter" or vibration I was getting from the support legs not sliding smoothly when I moved the saw. I also have a folding extension table I built on the saw as well. Again, no problems to move with the added weight.

Happy sawing.

[Rich Johnson]

I have the PM2000 and what a gem. I put a 25 foot extention cord on it and can roll around the garage at will. I am looking to put rollers on the extention table (locking) but havnt found what im looking for. The extention table legs do wabble when you roll the unit and I dont want to damage where they bolt into the table top. Has anyone tried this idea? Maybe the source of your rollers?

[Van Huskey]

My 2000 rolls just fine.

If I were going to put a really heavy table/lift I would build a set of legs on casters and brace it well. When you lift the saw side it would roll fine, set it down and it wouldn't move.

[Joe Leigh]

My PM200 rolls fine also. Not sure where that max 1/8" height came from, as my saw can be elevated to > 3/8"



This is more than enough for any imperfections in my basement floor.