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Thread: Good quality mobility bases?

  1. #1
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    Good quality mobility bases?

    Anyone have recommendations on decent quality and reasonably priced mobility bases for table saws?

    I haven't paid any attention to the market in years, googled yesterday and was a little shocked at the prices I saw. Last I remember, they were half of what I'm seeing now. Bases for would cost more than the saws. Two tablesaws unexpectedly followed me home this last week, a nice Delta contractor with Biesmeyer just like my first saw was, and a big old Unisaw with all the Biesmeyer stuff that I always thought I really wanted. I need neither but for nostalgia. Need them on bases so I can move them out of the way when I'm making money, not just playing.

  2. #2
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    I've used the Bora Portamate 3500 for most of my tools. Easy to put together and easy to move the tool around my garage.

    Not knowing the weight and footprint of each of your saws, it's tough to give a specific recommendation.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by ChrisA Edwards View Post
    I've used the Bora Portamate 3500 for most of my tools. Easy to put together and easy to move the tool around my garage.

    Not knowing the weight and footprint of each of your saws, it's tough to give a specific recommendation.
    Ones a 52" Unisaw, the other is a 36" delta contractor.

  4. #4
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    After my recent move I replaced the shopfox mobile base on my cabinet saw with a portamate 3500. This is now my favorite mobile base.

  5. #5
    I've had a couple of the nylon-type wheels fail on me over time, so I've switched over to Shop Fox, steel wheel, extra heavy duty bases. I put one on my PM2000 and it's working great. Hope the wheels don't fail.

  6. #6
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    Not sure what your 'reasonably priced' threshold is, but the SawStop ICS base is very good. It has a hydraulic lift mechanism & all 4 casters swivel for good maneuverability.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Frank Pratt View Post
    Not sure what your 'reasonably priced' threshold is, but the SawStop ICS base is very good. It has a hydraulic lift mechanism & all 4 casters swivel for good maneuverability.
    Ditto on the SawStop base. I have that, and also some 3500's, and the SawStop base is easily nicer, one toe-tap and you're done; very smooth action. The base size seems typical for a table saw, you could measure it; a sheet of plywood would make it adaptable across a broader range of footprints. Not much more expensive than the 3500. Of course, the 3500 can more easily be shrunken down (or enlarged) to the footprint of the machine, which is why I have them.

  8. #8
    Lots of customers with the Portamate bases for our jointer/planers. HTC could be another option.

    Erik
    Ex-SCM and Felder rep

  9. #9
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    HTC brand is what I have. They make a fold down outfeed table too
    Regards,

    Tom

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Santa Fe, NM
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    Portamate PM-3500 on my S500P. Works really well.

  11. #11
    Same here but my Rigid R4512 came with a mobile base but I really dont like mine because it is hard for me to get to the foot lever.
    Last edited by marlin adams; 10-14-2019 at 5:30 PM.

  12. #12
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    Recently bought the Portamate PM3500 for my big spindle sander. It is much nicer than any of the other mobile bases in the shop.

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Frank Pratt View Post
    Not sure what your 'reasonably priced' threshold is, but the SawStop ICS base is very good. It has a hydraulic lift mechanism & all 4 casters swivel for good maneuverability.
    Been wondering why no other manufacturer (at least that I'm aware of) makes a mobile base with 4 swivel casters. Most have 2 fixed and 2 swivel, which makes maneuvering the saw much more difficult. I think they could offer a version with a hydraulic lift system like SawStop's ICS base and a version without and have a couple of very competitive products.

    Seems to me there would be a pretty good market for such. On the other hand, if I've thought of this then Grizzly or Bora or Rockler or whomever has no doubt thought of this--and they surely know the market better than I do.

  14. #14
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    Jim, four swiveling casters can actually be harder to move and place, depending on what's on the mobile base and four makes for more difficulty in "locking things down" once the tool is where it needs to be and stationary for use. That's likely why it's customary for there to be two fixed and two swiveling with locks in most solutions. I actually tried using four on a couple of the tack trunks I build for folks and it was a major mistake requiring a retrofit for those customers. It was two "squirrely"..
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  15. #15
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    The PortsMate has the option for 4 swivel casters, that's what I have on my Shaper.

    Skip to the 1:30 second mark.

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