How to make a bandsaw semi-mobile?

[Toller]

I have a 19" Grizzly bandsaw coming in tomorrow. As it stands, the table height is exactly the same as my table saw so I can put them next to each other and save much needed space, and they can act as each other's outfeed table. (other then the obvious need to get the blades precisely in line, any problem with that concept?

Ocassionally I will cut something really big (once a month?) where the bandsaw column will get in the way of what I am cutting on the table saw; so I would like to be able to move it; all 380 pounds of it. If I put a mobility base on it it will be higher than the TS.

Any suggestions for making it semi-mobile that won't add height? I thought about removing the wheels from my HTC base and bolting them directly to the bandsaw base (is the metal even thick enough for that?), but that would mean drilling a lot of fairly large holes in the bandsaw. Someone suggested using a two wheel cart/dolly (you know what I mean, but what are they called?), but it seems like a lot of weight for that. For me I mean; I have a very heavy duty cart that should handle the weight. My son is very strong and could probably move it by himself (on the cart of course), but he will be away at school most of the year.

I suppose I could put a half inch of wood under the tablesaw to make it equal to the bandsaw plus base, but that seems sloppy.

[tom]

Maybe check out, design and install some sort of retractable caster system, a la Powermatic? As for the concept of both acting as the others outfeed table, conceptually, it'll work. In actual practice though, good luck with that. Bandsaw kerf and 10 inch circular kerf are usually different. They'll close and open after the blade, also. Functional redundancy is great and all that, but I suspect you'll find more than just a blade alignment problem. Tom

[Toller]

I can drop the TS blade easily enough to accomodate the BS; but yes, I expect getting them perfectly even, level, etc. will be difficult.

>

[Doug Miller]

You can afford a new 19" bandsaw, but you won't spend ten bucks on the proper breaker for the circuit ??? (news:alt.home.repair:1002270 earlier today) Sheesh.

[Andy]

How about something like this?

require a bit of modification to the BS base, but I'm sure it could be done with a little creativity. Andy

[B A R R Y]

Ever meet any owner / operator pilots?

I know guys who won't spend $8 on a current chart (issued ~ every 6 months) so they can know where they're going in a $2-300,000 airplane. They then try to land at an airport that's been a football stadium for years, because the airport closure isn't on their ancient chart.

Then:

Recently:

Now there's a huge Cabela's right where the runways form a triangle, below the stadium.

Then there's boater$ who defer maintenance...

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[Paul Franklin]

I agree with the other posters that said this may not work out all that well, but if you want to try, here's one way.

Fasten two fixed wheel castors to the *side* of the base so the wheels touch or nearly touch the floor. On the opposite side fix a large eye bolt a couple of inches off the floor. Make a T shaped lever out of scrap with the long part of the T 4 or 5 feet long. Fix a couple more castors to the side of the short part of the T and a hook arranged so you can slip the hook into the eye, and then press down on the long part of the T to lift one side of the base enough so the machine is now riding on all the castors. Pull it where you want it. (Kind of hard to describe, but you should be able to get the idea). If you design the T shaped piece right, you'll have plenty of leverage to lift that heavy beast the 1/2 inch or so you need for enough clearance to move.

HTH,

Paul F.

[Jim Weisgram]

[...snip...]

[...snip...]

Get one of these for your tablesaw, one for the bandsaw. Unfortunately, that's at least $350. But the cool factor is huge!:

[L d'Bonnie]

You can build your own stands. I built mobile bases with retractable wheels for my Radial Arm Saw, Band Saw and Planer (400 + Lbs). When down off their wheels the working surfaces of the three tools is at exactly the same height.

I have a workbench made out of two 8 ft. sections. The three mobile tools roll into a space between the two work benches making a flat surface about 19 ft. in length. My workshop is 22 ft wide. This setup gives me almost 10 ft. on either side of the equipment as infeed and outfeed.

With a mobile table and some roller stands I have resawn (spell ?), ripped and surface planed timbers over 16 ft in length.

Toller wrote: