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Thread: Shop made table saw mobile base

  1. #1

    Shop made table saw mobile base

    Anyone have any experience with shop made mobile bases for cabinet saws like the ones in these pictures? I have a good amount of 2x4's, 2x6s, and heavy duty casters so I wanted to put one of these together for my PM66 rather than buying one. My only concern is the wood holding the weight of the saw plus some storage drawers and a folding outfield table, but the concern I hear from others are the casters not being able to hold the saw still even with a locking mechanism. Any tips out there?
    Screen Shot 2020-09-27 at 10.51.13 AM.jpgScreen Shot 2020-09-27 at 10.50.45 AM.jpgScreen Shot 2020-09-27 at 10.44.30 AM.jpg
    Last edited by Jim Becker; 09-27-2020 at 5:50 PM. Reason: removed color tagging

  2. #2
    I built the mobile base under my PCS but I used Portamate PM-1000 wheel set bolted to my platform of 2x4s and plywood. I wanted to raise the PCS to 38.25 inches height and this worked. But it is not easily portable. If I had to do it again, I would make a base like your illustrations. I have almost all the area covered by 2x material on edge but I get no detectable deflection in my base. The only issue I have is the PM-1000 has little wheels and on one end the do not swivel. I am near the capacity of the PM-1000 of 400 lbs. If I really want to move the saw, I need to back off the leveling screws of the swivel end.

    I have fully locking swivel casters on my outfeed/accessory table, my old table saw base now used under my drill press, and my router table. Also a flip top cart with my planer and hollow chisel mortiser. They move much more easily and lock down fine. I usually only lock a wheel or two, not all four (the outfeed table has 6). The outfeed table is 3x7 and holds a bunch of tools. It is probably closest to my table saw in weight. Just the weight of the table makes it a little hard to move. I have to lean into it pretty good to get it moving. I can't imagine having an issue with similar casters under my PCS and having all 4 of them locked. I am confident it would be solidly in place until I unlocked the wheels.

    You may want to review a youtube by Peter Parffitt. He built a base like this for a heavy (400lb?) 12 inch Jet jointer/planner. I think he used stem casters which makes some sense to me because I think you could adjust them up and down a little. The concrete in my shop is not terribly even and that might be handy for it's normal working position to level it up. I just got a 270lb bandsaw that will probably get a little base with a few drawers and casters like this.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2019
    Location
    Mid-Michigan
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    269
    I made a torsion box base of 3/4” MDF for my PM66. My preferred work height is quite a bit higher so I had no issues with swivel casters under mine and raising the table up to about 41”.

    5F2CB624-7529-45F9-B9F5-37AD1835F2FE.jpg

    since the ribs of torsion box couldn’t be full height I added auxiliary ribs to brace the underside.

    8894FA2A-894E-4482-87C0-1504CDE304BB.jpg

    I supported the extension table separately by chopping up and using the old mobile base from my previous saw. Its construction was similar.

    0EFDD179-4055-4135-9548-26FD2922E19A.jpg

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Tampa Bay area
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    1,090
    I have metal working tools so went with steel. Wanted the saw to remain as close to factory height as possible. Gained 1" of height with 3/4" of clearance under the base to clear sawdust/chips. Also used four total locking swivel castors and movement is not an issue.Attachment 442069
    Attached Images Attached Images

  5. #5
    I've never found a commercial Unisaw style mobile base that I have liked. I made the below, which I almost like. Unfortunately I mismeasured one of the wheel bracket heights, otherwise I would probably like it more.

    UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_6f91.jpg

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Upland CA
    Posts
    5,548
    I gave up on expensive mobile bases, and put several of my large tools on 4x4's with a plywood top. One narrow track pallet jack can pick them up and move when needed, and it stores under a bench, with just the handle out in the open.

    My proof of concept pallet jack cost me $50-60 and worked well, so I sold it for a $10 loss and bought a narrow 48" long jack new, for the cost of three mobile bases. I could not find a decent used one. The narrow (metric?) jack fits the size of tool bases better.

    I can move my MM CU300 combo machine, and my 24" Agazanni band saw easily, by myself.

    I need to get around to selling several mobile bases I am storing for no good reason.
    Last edited by Rick Potter; 09-28-2020 at 2:16 AM.
    Rick Potter

    DIY journeyman,
    FWW wannabe.
    AKA Village Idiot.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Modesto, CA, USA
    Posts
    9,879
    On my Unisaw clone I removed the plinth which gave me five inches extra height for a thicker base with toe clearance.
    Bil lD

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    North Dana, Masachusetts
    Posts
    486
    The casters on the white saw and the Powermaic saw would be a tripping hazard for me. I walk around the saw to pick stuff up off the outfeed table, instead of reaching over the blade. Copying the heavy duty Shop Fox base, with fixed wheels close in to the machine, helps.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Cambridge Vermont
    Posts
    2,282
    The biggest problem I had with my PM66 is the dust port. It's so low to the ground anything I made was going to lift the saw up so high that it put the table too high for me. Even with a commercial one I had to put bolts with nuts to space it up high enough. If I was going to do a full restoration on it I would have removed the dust port, filled it in, and put one higher up with something in side to direct the dust to it.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Central IL
    Posts
    257
    Check out Carl Holmgren

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGgBF6hn8s0

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Stone Mountain, GA
    Posts
    751
    Quote Originally Posted by Alex Zeller View Post
    The biggest problem I had with my PM66 is the dust port. It's so low to the ground anything I made was going to lift the saw up so high that it put the table too high for me. Even with a commercial one I had to put bolts with nuts to space it up high enough. If I was going to do a full restoration on it I would have removed the dust port, filled it in, and put one higher up with something in side to direct the dust to it.
    This is true. I made my mobile base out of angle iron and had to cut away a good bit of the frame where the dust port is. To regain strength where I cut away, I made and welded on a bracket that goes up and over the dust port, welded to the angle iron on either side. The only other option would be to raise the saw up at least another 1-1/2" or so to clear the 2x2 angle iron.

    Personally, I don't like the idea of heavy equipment sitting on wheels. It's difficult to level the machine, may not be as stable/solid as you'd like, and probably the wheels degrade being under constant load. I made my base with 6 jack screws that raise the wheels just a hair off the ground. I can adjust the screws to account for any wonkiness in the floor, get it lined up perfectly to the outfeed table, etc.

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