"Retractable" Casters for Radial Arm Saw base ???

[TerryKing]

Can anyone point to a supplier of casters that easily retract (and hopefully easily extend)?

I need to be able to roll my Radial Arm Saw on it's moderately heavy base from place to place. But I really want the base to sit on it's own legs when it's parked-for-work. I have casters with 'locks' on them on my planer and it's never stable, and moves a bit way too easily - a bad solution.

Also, any DIY - weldit ideas welcome...

Thanks! Regards, Terry King ...On The Mediterranean in Carthage (Back ...In The Barn In Vermont for the Summer)

[Leon]

May I also suggest a mobile base with a retractable front wheel? The wheel raises and lets the front corners set on rubber feet. I have one on a stationary 15" planer, one on a router table, and one on a drill press/mortise machine stand and they all are steady when the front wheel is retracted. Probably cheaper than a set of good retractable casters. At one time I had a 350 pound BS sitting on one of mine. Look here, and, they are currently on sale for $37.99.

[Lew Hodgett]

Do a google for "furniture glides" which I did last night.

You will find them.

Lew

[bent]

hinge a 2x4 to the edge of the legs. Atach casters to 2x4 so perpendicular when flipped up. Hmmm, make a big knob out of a piece of wood, so when spun into position it flips the 2x4 and its casters 90 degees downwards into the whelling position. May need a piece of rope. I saw this probly in a by Nick Engler ww book series. Could make it eleganant with intelocking pieces of wood. If you only did one side, could pick it up like a trolly.

[bent]

um, I bet the rope was for the wood block spinning, maybe a looped rope, and the plank hinged you can push down with your foot. So you don't have to bend down.

[Woodhead]

Try Harbor Freight 41915 Universal Mobile Base kit (if still available). Its exactly the same as Delta's, but with poor instructions. For about 1/3 the price you can figure it out. I have two of the Delata and two Harbor Freight. Samo samo.

Good luck, Jim

[L d"Bonnie]

I used Norms worktable idea.

from Lee Valley.

casters are on hinged boards that swing up allowing the table to stand on its legs. Stepping on a plank pushes a series of levers down on the casters lifting the table and locking the casters into place. Lifting the plank releases the casters dropping the table back down on to its legs.

I have a Radial Arm Saw, a Bandsaw, and a 400 + lb. Planer mounted on movable tables that fit into a space between two 8 ft. permanent workbenches.

Gives me a RAS with a 18 ft rip fence and a Planer with

8 ft. in and out feed tables.

Thinking of a way to build another movable table for my Drill Press, one with a top surface that will crank up and down so I can vary the height of the drill working surface in relation to the two benches.

My Table Saw is movable as well as my Jointer and Dust Collector, along with my newest acquisition an Expandable Roller Stand

[terry]

Guys, thanks for the great pointers and ideas..!

I like the idea of the work tables and multiple tools. Hmmm.....

Regards, Terry King ...On The Mediterranean in Carthage (Back ...In The Woods In Vermont for the Summer)