What wood is best for a mobile base?

[Todd Hoppe]

I just purchased a Grizzly G0586 jointer, which does not come with a mobile base. I purchased the Rockler universal mobile base, a Delta clone.

What is the best hardwood to use with this? The jointer weighs over 500lbs, so I want to make sure the wood is capable of meeting the 600lb capacity of the mobile base.

[Jim Becker]

A hardwood, such as oak or maple would be my choice for wood, but you can also get steel tubing for not a lot of money and it would be much stronger. And you can cut it with a hacksaw.

[Ken Werner]

The best wood for a mobile base is the appropriate size of square steel stock. I forget the precise name. Like Jim said, the stuff is not expensive, and is very strong. I bought enough for 3 bases for under $30. Look for a steel fabricator or supplier. Unlike Neander Jim, I used my sawsall to cut it.
Ken

[Todd Hoppe]

Thanks for the tip. I was NOT excited to cut up some of the nice maple stock I have in the basement, but I also wasn't going to go to make a special trip to the lumber yard for cheaper oak.

Steel is available at the bix box, on the way home, rather inexpensively.

Thanks,
Todd

[Christian Aufreiter]

Steel would have been my choice but as I’m not experienced at metalworking I opted to build a wooden mobile base for my jointer/planer combo that weighs approximately 680 lbs. The base was built from pine about six months ago and I haven’t faced any problems so far. As a consequence, I tend to assume that hardwoods are not a must if the design and construction are thoroughly done.





Hope this helps,

Christian

[Todd Hoppe]

I really like the look of that stand. Perhaps I'll build one of those, and use the universal mobile base for my drill press instead. I like the idea that then, I can use four rotating casters, and make the big beast of a jointer more mobile yet.

Thanks!
Todd

[Don Bullock]

Christian, that's a super stand.

[Ted Miller]

Todd, I just built a base for my 12" jointer. Using the corners from a shop fox, adding 1x2 steel for rails and new casters and now my 980 lb jointer moves with ease on my shop floor. I went to a steel supplier and went to the seconds area and bought 14' steel for .30 a lb. Casters were $30.00 for 325 lb cap. each and the steel was $15.00 and the shop fox corners were just laying around gathering dust. I do have a older Delta base and I used 2x2 oak to fit under my 15" Makita planer, but its a light planner at only 348 lbs...

[Brad Townsend]

I just assembled one of those bases and it's a good one. One thing to beware of though is that the predrilled holes in the base may not be in perfect alignment. If you are using steel, clamp the stock in the bracket where you want it and drill through from each side. Don't just drill through both sides on your drill press and assume the holes will line up once you put it in the bracket. If you do, the hole opposite the one you marked may not line up and you will have to make it bigger, which is going to give you some unwanted slop in your connection.

Incidently, steel is fine, but perhaps overkill. The main function of the wood is to connect the four corner brackets and hold them firm. The four corner brackets are really bearing most of the weight. Any hardwood should work just fine.

[Ken Werner]

Todd, before you go to use the universal for the drill press, look it over very carefully. My HF press would not fit well inside the Delta universal.
Ken

[Don Stanley]

Christian, Nice looking stand! What I want to know, is how you rate a tile shop floor?

-Don