Happy New Year to all --
I'm still planning my shop upgrade, and while one piece of equipment has a mobility kit option, the rest do not.
Long ago, I built a custom dolly for my drill press, but that's nowhere near as large and heavy as what's coming. I'd need mobility for the following pieces of equipment:
- band saw, 550 lbs (can probably find a 3rd party solution for this, as the footprint is not that large)
- jointer, 1,000 lbs (won't be moved often)
- planer ~500lbs (potentially moved more often, i.e. might be stored against a wall, and placed in the middle of the shop when needed and/or only for long pieces)
I have various outlets around the shop, but might not be thrilled with my initial equipment layout, hence my curiosity about moving all pieces of equipment, even if only very rarely.
The main area of the shop is about 11.5 ft wide and 38 ft long, and the floor is concrete (it needs some repair work which I'll get to when the weather is warmer). The layer of concrete is quite thin, about 1/2" or so. Underneath that are stones (this shed is circa 1860). I realize that moving heavy equipment around this ancient floor might lay waste to that thin concrete, but am not interested in addressing the floor at this time.
Have considered a shop crane or something like that, but then I'd need a place to put it when not in use. That's possible, but the less stuff I have around the shop, the better. Also, seems from my brief research that the wheels of a shop crane might not be great on old unlevel concrete with "character". Also concerned about being able to get under the equipment, as the legs look pretty long on this thing:
https://www.harborfreight.com/2-ton-...ane-69514.html
Have considered casters directly attached to the equipment as well. I've tried Zambus on my current workbench base, and they work ok. Not so easy to get to the back legs, and I think that with full machine weight, it would be difficult/impossible to raise.
https://www.zambus.com/products/aplc-700f.html
https://www.zambus.com/products/alct-1000f.html
Definitely cannot connect anything overhead, as timbers are quite old/fragile.
Curious how others have solved these problems.
Thanks in advance --