Tablesaw mobility question

[Otter]

My wife is keen on me getting a Saw Stop table saw because of the safety side of things. But she wants me to wait until they have a contractor's saw available (I believe it is out now, but we still can't afford this thing for another 6 to 12 months anyway) because the cost of the cabinet maker's saw is steep. I know, I know... what's the cost of a hand or a middle finger compared to a new saw... But I'm thinking that I might be able to convince her that I could get a Grizzly cabinet maker's saw for the same price, or near about, as a Saw Stop contractor's saw. My concern is in moving a Grizzly (or something like it) around my garage. As I understand it, the big saws weigh about 400 or 500 pounds. Is it possible to have a cabinet maker's saw on a rolling base for mobility, or should they generally be placed in one position and left there? Is it smart to be moving a cabinet maker's saw on a mobile stand, in terms of twisting the frame or throwing the alignment off? Can a 170lb shrimp like me move a 400lb cabinet maker's saw without throwing my back out again? Thanks.

Ed

[Artemus]

Certainly. My Unisaw with the 50" Biesemeyer fence came with a Delta supplied rolling base. Powermatic also sells the PM66 with a built in rolling base.

I wouldn't want to move it daily from a storage location to a usage location but one could if pressed for space.

I've had no problems with mine, but then again my garage floor is pretty level and smooth.

My 110 lb daughter moved mine with no problem, just to show me she could.

Art

[Phisherman]

A table saw can be put on a mobile base, no problem. Most machines can be put on a mobile base, probably not a floor drill press as it is a bit top heavy. There are good bases and not-so-good, beware. You should do a "60-second tuneup" whenever you move a heavy machine.

[J. Clarke]

There are purpose-made mobile bases that work fine.

[Bonehenge (B A R R Y)]

It's all about the wheel quality. There are casters, and there are casters!

I have cheezy, not-so-good wheels under a 250 pound tool that is hard to move. I've seen high-end tool chests full of tools, probably weighing 2000 pounds, that moved when I lightly leaned on it. I also park and ground maneuver 2-3000 pound airplanes with only a push bar.

Of course, proper leverage and body mechanics are a biggie when protecting the back.

[Bill Waller]

Ed, My Grizzly 1023 saw rolls on a Shop Fox mobile base. The alignment issue is negligible. The motor/trunnion assembly and fence rails are mounted to the saw's top and is not affected by the movement of the base. This is the case for (I think) all cabinet saws. I cannot speak to hybrid and contractor saws.

I prefer the Shop Fox bases because there is no jacking required as there is with some of the other bases out there. The caster are on the floor and a simple screw down brake method keeps the saw where it belongs. Although my shop is not exactly small, all of the larger stationary tools are on mobile bases. It just makes things easier.

BTW: I like the 1023.

__________________ Bill Waller New Eagle, PA

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[Leon]

OK, this cabinet makers' saw that you are referring to is actually called a Cabinet Saw. It is a saw that has a cabinet, it is not named after a cabinet maker. With that out of the way, I would go SawStop over a Grizzly. Not that Grizzly does not build a good tool, but you give up a lot going with the Grizzly over a SawStop. It's like going from one extreme in quality to the other. The SawStop has a lot of features that the Grizzly and many other saws don't. That said, yes you can put a mobile base under a Cabinet saw. I have all my large tools on mobile bases. I have a 52" rip capacity Jet cabinet saw setting on a 3 wheel Jet/HTC mobile base and storage on the base under the table extension. I much prefer 3 wheel over 4 wheel as 3 wheels are always setting solidly on the floor with no adjustments and I never use the brakes.

[Art Greenberg]

This is exactly the same setup I _used_ to have. I also had a router in the right-hand extension wing. There were times that the damned saw would move while I was using it, or the router. No, I wasn't pushing against a dull cutter. The two wheels under the cabinet would slide on my concrete floor. And the one "locking" wheel under the right hand extension table would still rotate with a suprisingly light push on the end of the extension table when locked. It frustrated me at times.

I recently decided I did not need the saw to be mobile, and I took it off of that base. Its now sitting on two laminated layers of 3/4 plywood, with shims between the plywood and floor to level it. And I replaced the right hand extension table with a shop-built router table with a heavy top, cabinets below, and heavy-duty non-slip levelers on the bottom. The thing no longer moves. And that jarring "bang" that the saw sometimes made at startup, with the attendant transient blade wobble is gone, too. And unexpected pleasant side-effect.

My 8-inch jointer, bandsaw, and drill press are also on mobile bases. Unlike the Jet/HTC base, these are the type that has two wheels on one side and two non-slip levelers that rest on the floor on the other side. When its time to move the machine, a foot operated lever situated between the levelers lifts that side on a third wheel. I've found this type of mobile base to be satisfactory with those machines.

Well, if you _must_ have wheels rather than levelers, yes, a three wheel configuration works best on an uneven floor. I don't understand how you get away without using the brakes, though.

[Otter]

Thanks again to everyone who answered on this issue. There's a lot of good information out there and I'm going to be thinking a little more seriously now about a cabinet saw (thanks Leon) on GOOD casters (thanks Bonehenge), but now I'm back to wondering how the heck we'll ever afford a SawStop cabinet saw. I have done some research on various cabinet and contractor saws (FW Annual Tool guide, various WW mags, opinions here, etc) and what will be a big factor for me will be non-adjustable tolerance flaws in the workmanship or parts. Things like overly large warp or hills/valleys in surfaces, where I can't do anything about it, are likely to make me go to another model. Thanks again.

Ed

[woodstuff]

Essentially, I think any machine can be rigged with a mobile base that can be fixed not to move and be really solid. I do not plan to do as much with my Northfield bandsaw, as it is top-heavy. It is safer bolted to the floor.

have a good day, woodstuff

[Leon]

Wow! your wheels would slide??? I once pushed hard enough on mine that I could tip the saw before the sheels would move. Do you have a heavy saw setting on the base, a cabinet saw? I coul deasily see a contratcors saw not being heavy enough. That said, the right table extension will move if I push on it but the wheels supporting the saw itself are turned 90 degrees to the direction that I push and there has been absolutely no movement during use for the past 8 years and I do pull it out from a differnt location each time I use it. Or perhaps my less than slick garage floor helps keep the wheels from sliding. :~).

That is strange that the bang disappeared as that is caused by the motor torque on the belts. Mine does it some times and some times not depending on the supply of electricity.

Well as previously mentioned, it is probably the floor not being slick that provides the wheels with enough traction that they do not slide.

[Max]

Here's the system I use.

[woodstuff]

have a good day, woodstuff

[Ivan Vegvary]

Max, thank you for the pictures. Two questions.

1) Are you using a socket extension etc. to turn those bolts? I don't bend over that easily anymore. 2) When using the saw, do you throw down a pieces of wood or steel scrap under the bolts, or, do they simply rest on concrete. Weather permitting, I like to roll out my table saw onto the driveway to help with dust control. I would probably use some plywood scraps under the bolt so the saw does not settle into the asphalt.

Great design of yours!!! Very likely that I will copy it.

Thanks,

Ivan Vegvary

[Max]

The bolts are 1/2". The hex head is 3/4". I use a deep socket on an extension. My driveway is concrete so I don't have a problem with the bolts digging in. Your idea of using plywood scraps should work just fine.

much bending over.

Max

[woodstuff]

The bolts are 1/2". The hex head is 3/4". I use a deep socket on an | extension. My driveway is concrete so I don't have a problem with the bolts | digging in. | Your idea of using plywood scraps should work just fine.

Crutch tips work well for me on concrete; I welded some 1/2" pipe across the top of the bolts for handles, and it doesn't take much pressure to immobilize the machine.

woodstuff

[Art Greenberg]

Same saw as yours, I think (Jet JTAS10). Running hard, heavy stock (8/4 wenge) through the saw would do it. I could almost count on it happening when I used the router table, which was the final straw for me.

My basement floor is concrete, painted. Maybe its a bit more slick than your garage floor.

I think that there might be some cabinet stiffness issues as well. That would be the best theory to explain why more firm contact with the floor reduces or eliminates it.

[mac davis]

Yes... that's why they have wheels... ;-]

VERY important... never use the rails or table extensions to move the saw around..

mac

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