Question on mobile bases.

[Jim O'Dell]

I read a thread about mobile bases on another forum and it got me to thinking about the base I will need when I get my new, or used , cabinet saw hopefully later this year. I will probably end up with the Grizzly G0691 unless something equal at a better price comes up.
So what do you all like about the mobile bases you have on your cabinet saws? Do any of them allow you to adjust the height on? I'm afraid I will need a custom base to do what I want (I will need to gain about 2 1/2" off the floor to match my other saw and cabinets). Anyone have plans they like for home built bases? This will have the outrigger legs for the longer rails. Thanks for any help you can offer! Jim.

[Don Bullock]

I have an HTC mobile base for my SS, but it doesn't come close to the 2 1/2 inches that you need. There have been some home made bases in some posts that use 2x4s that might meet your needs. Check this one out: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=71000

Here's a picture of one that might work:

[Paul Ryan]

I have a jet mobile base and would not buy one for something as heavy as a table saw again. It is rated for 700lbs but it is not very stable unless you postion it right. It wont give you the 2 1/2 in you need either. I had one problem with this base that I fixed. The saw rocked in the base and because of the design of the base it would cause the wheels to begin flexing and the whole rocking to get worse. I shimmed the saw tight into the base so the whole base has to rock for the machine to rock. But when the swivel wheels turn back they povide less support to the front of the base, this allows the whole base to tilt forward because the saw is so heavy. I don't know if you understand or not. But it is very simple to assemble and it moves very smoothly but it is not for a heavy machine. I would like to exchange bases with the one underneath my band saw. That is a shop fox that is very stable but it doesn't move as smoothly. I just have to get some buddies together to lift the saws.

[Don Bullock]

Paul, I fixed the flexing on my Jet base on a band saw by putting in a sheet of plywood in the base between the sides and then I screwed the saw to the plywood.

There is a picture of it in this thread:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=104613

[Jim O'Dell]

Don, thanks for the picture of the wooden base. I'll use that for ideas. I think I'd rather have it made from steel, maybe boxed steel tubing, but that can be adapted. I still want something I can crank pads down to sit securely on the ground, and allow it to be leveled out. I just don't trust wheels, dual locking or not, to not give some.
Thanks! And keep the ideas coming! Jim.

[Frank Drew]

I used HTC mobile bases on a shaper and a horizontal mortiser; I loved them because they allowed me to have those machines in a small-ish shop that didn't have room for permanent placement -- I'd just roll them out of their parking spaces when I needed them.

Although the wheels had sort of a locking feature, I still had to chock the wheels, particularly when using the shaper.

They were both low-rise, lifting the machines not much more than 1/2" off the floor.

[Steve Jenkins]

Jim, I had a member of our woodworking club make me a mobile base. He is a machinist by trade and lives in Everman justy south of Ft. Worth. If you want to pm me your phone number I will pass it on to him to give you a call if you want. Our next meeting by the way is tomorrow Tues. evening. The one he made for me has two 2wheels and two adjustable feet. It is moved with a "mule" which is a lever with two wheels that you hook under the side of the base with the feet and by pressing down on the handle of the mule it raises the feet off the floor and you tow it around to where you want it. Works great and the machine doesn't move a bit when it's in use.

[Jim O'Dell]

Steve, I'll hold off for right now. It will be the end of the year before I can get the saw. No need worrying someone about it right now. But, I may come back to this and seek information at that time. The purpose of this thread was to get ideas for when that day comes.
Sounds like the MiniMax mobility kit on the MM bandsaws.
In the end, I may try my hand at welding. I do have a small welder my Dad gave me, though I've never used it, nor have I ever welded. Guess I could see if I could burn the shop down. Thanks for the info guys! Jim.

[David Christopher]

heres minehttp://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachme...9&d=1228869503

[Todd Crow]

I built this mobile base for my G1023SL. It would be easy in the welding stage to adjust the placement of the caters for the 2 1/2 inches you want. You could also put spacers between the casters and the base to make it higher.

It is solid and doesn't move.

[John Gornall]

David - great base. I've been thinking about trailer jacks and it's good to see them in another design. Do they stay attached or can they be removed? Are there 3 or 4 jacks? Could you please post a few more detailed pictures. Thank you.

[David Christopher]

John, theres four jacks and they are removable. I can get more detailed pics tomorrow

[Duncan Horner]

John, theres four jacks and they are removable. I can get more detailed pics tomorrow

Yes please

[Steve Kohn]

I have my Grizzly G9983 15 inch WB sander (about 900 lbs) on a shop made mobile base. I wanted a lift of about 1 1/2 inches. I also wanted 5 inch casters so that it wouldn't get stuck on the smallest thing on the floor. I bought two fixed and two double locking casters from Grizzly and a bunch of 2" angle iron. Had the metal distributor cut the angle on 45 degree angles and had a friend weld it up. We also welded short pieces of 5 inch angle iron to the outside of the frame and welded the casters to that. Then I put two pieces of 3/4 in plywood in the bottom and screwed the sander to the plywood and bolted the plywood to the base.

I used esentially the same process for my PM66 however I drilled and tapped the angle iron in the corners and then drove 3/8 inch bolts down to the floor to level and raise the saw off the wheels. A jam nut keeps the leveling legs from shifting.

Pretty simple process.

[John Gornall]

This is good - maybe the problem of lousy mobile bases that only move back and forth and only if the floor is clean and smooth is about to end.

Steve - pictures please.