Hey Group, In upgrading my shop tools I purchased mobile bases for them too. For those of you that have or had large tools on mobile bases, where you happy with the way they worked or did you feel they were more stabile off the base? I know the base is locked stationary when the tool is used. Has anybody done away with the base and prefer a more permanent setting? Thanks in advance for your comments. Marc
The unisaw and bandsaw are on Delta bases which I bought at the same time I purchased those machines. Both are just as stable as with no mobile base.
The other machines are on the Rockler 92051 base. Normally $49.99, it frequently is on sale for $39.99. (I have no connection to Rockler & blah, blah, blah) It's easy to size the base to whatever machine you have. I have even seen oversize bases made for notoriously top heavy things like drill presses. Size it right and this base is also just as stable as with no base.
Art
My Jet lathe and BS are on Jet mobile bases, my new-to-me ancient Delta/Rockwell scroll saw is on an HTC base. They are solid, especially when you put the levelers down, and do a good job. Everything else I have in the shop is mounted on homemade bases, most equipped with cheap casters picked up at one of the borgs. They're steady, but a pain to move around. That will be changing with a few hours of shop time.
My TS was removed from the stand and mounted on a takeoff of the Popular Woodworking "Little Shop"a few years ago. It is VERY stable using the Woodcraft 3 inch locking swivel casters. Love those casters. I have the TS cabinet loaded down with at least a couple hundred pounds of stuff, and I can still roll it around with one finger. Lock 2 wheels when doing 95% of my cuts, lock all 4 when manhandling large ply cuts.
I like these casters so much, I recently ordered an even dozen to replace the ones on my homemade bases for my belt sander, jointer and clamp cart. Next time they're on sale, I plan to get 8 more to replace the ones on the roll around tool box and RAS.
Regards, Roy
Working in a 2 car garage sized shop requires that I use mobile bases. There isn't anyway I could give them up. I've got my jointer, BS, TS, planer, and SCMS on mobile bases.
Dave
Everything in my shop is mobil, except for the benchtop tool. The ones that are best have casters in the legs; my Performax sander and Craftsman RAS. The commercial mobil bases suck. If I had it to do again I would have made bases with casters. The only tool I ever lock is my table saw, which I rarely move. All the others have locks, but I don't usually use them. If you can return the bases, I highly recommend you make your own. Much cheaper, much better.
with the way they worked or did you feel they were more stabile off the base?
I have my 10" bandsaw (admitedly not a "large tool" by most standards) on an HTC mobile base model #HTC2000. I've been very happy with it - seems just as stable when locked as without the base. I also made my own base for my DP - basically got a rolling tool cabinet, pulled off the cheapo casters, bolted on 2x4 'outrigger' legs, and put good casters on the outrigger-ed legs. See below for caster description. These locking casters are fine for the DP where there isn't much lateral force. Roy, I suggest you take a look at these casters on ebay - item number
7559591283. They look a lot like the ones you linked to at Woodcraft, except they're on a bolt instead of a plate. I ordered a set to make my own DP base, and they work very well. Both rotation and swivel lock. In summary, I'm happy with a commercial base and my own version in their current uses. They're both functional. I don't think I'd want to rely on the locking casters alone to hold a TS or jointer or even a router table steady in use, but it'd be easy enough to put on threaded leveler feet to extend past the casters "lock" the base to the ground. Hope this helps, Andy
Depends on the tool, base, and the floor.
Based on my personal past results, I've settled on a happy medium of having SOME tools mobile.
Mobile: Band saw Router table Planer Drill press Clamp rack
Fixed: Table saw
8" jointer (this probably would be OK on wheels) Benches (the more stationary, the better!)My table saw is paired with a 4x7 outfeed table, so if I'm not cutting, it gets used for assembly, etc...
Barry
I compromised on my table saw. I have wheels on one side and big rubber pad feet on the other. It is very stable when sitting down and I can raise one end to move it around, wheelbarrow style.
That's exactly the setup I use. It's a smaller tablesaw that was made to sit on a stand, only I made a stand for it out of 2x4 with 2 wheels on one side. I move it aound like a wheelbarrow and it's plenty stable when in use. (I suppose the added weight of the chunky stand contributes to the stability.)
Couple lessons I learned though... don't use swivel casters for such a setup and point the wheels perpendicular to the line of cut.
Joe Barta
I don't like bases on wheels, compared to large stable bases. It has to do with stability. However, having wheels on machines are a must for some shops with space issues.
I have the following tools on their commercial bases:
Delta Unsaw Powermatic 6in. jointer Delta 14in. band saw
The machines all work fine when the wheels are locked and move nicely when unlocked. Mobility means a lot if you have a small shop like mine. The only way I could imagine doing without mobile machines is if you had a pretty large shop.
Fri, Feb 17, 2006, 7:01pm (EST-3) snipped-for-privacy@qis.net (marc=A0rosen) doth ask: comments
If I had enough room to not need to move my tools, I wouldn't - so no mobile bases. If I had limited space, and would have to move tools on occassion, I would possibly use mobile bases.
As is, don't have a lot of space, and I do have to move tools upon occassion. I don't have mobile bases, I just slide them. Works for a planer on a base, bench saw on a base, and wood lathe on a base.
JOAT IThere is no vaccine against stupidity!
Now *that* must be a handy tool! Many's the time I've wanted to undo a cut and start over. That and an undrill would be indispensable to me.
I built my own mobile base for my Delta contractor's saw from ordinary
2x4s. The base supports the saw on one end and the legs of the Unifence table on the other. It has six casters, four swiveling (and lockable), two fixed and oriented perpendicular to the feed direction. It's stable and works well, even without locking the swiveling casters.The old Unisaw I just acquired came with an HTC mobile base that supports the saw only, not the legs of the Unifence that I intend to take from the contractor saw and put on it. I need my tools to be mobile, so I'm either going to reuse the base I built for the contractor's saw or build a new one to fit the Unisaw's footprint (which is somewhat smaller than that of the CS).
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.