Rockler mobile base review

[jim gossage]

There have been several posts during the past 2 weeks about mobile bases. I thought I would review the Rockler mobile base that I just purchased. I have used several other mobile bases including the Shop Fox and HTC with either locking wheels or adjustable leveling feet. The bases with locking wheels never seem to lock as solidly as I would like. The bases with 4 wheels and 2 leveling feet work ok but are a bit tedious to screw down and up whenever you want to move the tool. I find the Rockler to be the most versatile and solid of the bunch. You buy the hardware and supply your own hardwood runners that stretch between the steel corner pieces. The footlever caster (pic 1) is used to move the machine onto or off of the leveling feet. When the caster is pushed down with your foot (pic 2), the leveling feet come up 1/4" from the ground and the machine can be moved around on 3 wheels (2 rear and the middle caster). When the caster is released and in the up position (pic 3), the machine rests on the two rear wheels and the two leveling feet.



Rockler advantages:

• Very stable when the caster is in the up position; the machine does not move or rock as long as the leveling feet are leveled to your floor.
• The caster is very easy and smooth to raise or lower (just use 1 foot).
• The base can be any size you want because you supply the wood.
• It is rated for 600 pounds, but I suspect could hold at least 800.
• It is fairly cheap at $60 plus about $5 for ash runners.
• The corner hardware is made of solid 1/8" thick steel.
• Everything fit together well.

Disadvantages:

• You have to put it together yourself, but of course, many of us like to do that anyway.
• It might not work well for a table saw if you wanted to mobilize the saw plus an extended top, unless you could rig up an extra 2 wheels.

Assembly pointers:
The directions are pretty good but I learned a few things that may help others. They recommend cutting the lumber to 1-1/2 x 1-1/2" to fit inside the corner brackets. That would be a little loose. I started with 1-3/4 and ran it through the drum sander until it just fit, about 1-5/8. The directions call for 7/16" holes through the lumber, but the bolts are actually 5/16". Drill the holes about 1/32" oversize to make assembly easier. I originally cut the lumber 1-3/4 x 2" because I had 8/4 ash. I figured deeper runners would only make it stronger. However, the increased thickness did not allow the leveling feet to sit at the right height, and so the base sat at a slight angle. So I had to plane it down to 1-5/8 to allow the feet to sit correctly.

[Gary McKown]

Jim - thanks for the review. Pretty much my experience with six of similar models from Harbor Freight (which have been closed out for a while). I use them on the small bandsaw, drill press, router cabinet, planer stand, belt sander, and lathe. I agree it is worthwhile to custom-fit the thickness of the rails - this makes it beefier with less need to rely on just the bolts to maintain rigidity.

Couple thoughts on these - If you have a heavy load, you can decrease the tendency of the rail with the lifter to twist, by mortising the ends into the "stiles" running the other way. For a really heavy load, I added a second set of rails above the normal ones, with cutouts as necesary for the hardware and rear wheels.

I found the greatest drawback to supporting and moving heavy loads is the casters. There is too much play in the mounting, so some large washers help there. The casters are just plastic and the axle hole is larger than the axle bolt, meaning quick wear and getting a "set" after a while, so adding a "bearing" made from shim stock also helps.

Another thought - round over the rails to provide a better fit into the corner brackets, which also allows an extra 1/8" or so in the thickness of the rail. Finally, if the tool permits, you can get the lifting lever out of the footpath by just turning it around.

[Dan Mitchell]

Interesting review, thanks for that. I have two of those, heaviest load being my PM 8" jointer. I like them a lot, especially the fact that the mobile function can be engaged with only one foot motion, rather than 2 as on some bases. I even built the base for my shop built router table, as well as bases for my bandsaw & planer, using 2 casters from HF on one end, the other end set up so that I can use the pivoting wheel from one of the 2 Rockler bases to move them as well

[jim gossage]

Another thought - round over the rails to provide a better fit into the corner brackets, which also allows an extra 1/8" or so in the thickness of the rail.

Yes, I agree. I did that too but forgot to mention it. I did not notice the same problem with the Rockler wheels and axles - maybe its unique to the HF models. I should also mention that the footlever caster can be moved with 2 thumbscrews, so that you can move it from one base to the next if you only move your tools rarely, or if you want to save money.

[Jason White]

I had a couple a few years ago and found them to be a bit too tippy, especially the one under my 6" jointer.

Jason

There have been several posts during the past 2 weeks about mobile bases. I thought I would review the Rockler mobile base that I just purchased. I have used several other mobile bases including the Shop Fox and HTC with either locking wheels or adjustable leveling feet. The bases with locking wheels never seem to lock as solidly as I would like. The bases with 4 wheels and 2 leveling feet work ok but are a bit tedious to screw down and up whenever you want to move the tool. I find the Rockler to be the most versatile and solid of the bunch. You buy the hardware and supply your own hardwood runners that stretch between the steel corner pieces. The footlever caster (pic 1) is used to move the machine onto or off of the leveling feet. When the caster is pushed down with your foot (pic 2), the leveling feet come up 1/4" from the ground and the machine can be moved around on 3 wheels (2 rear and the middle caster). When the caster is released and in the up position (pic 3), the machine rests on the two rear wheels and the two leveling feet.



Rockler advantages:

• Very stable when the caster is in the up position; the machine does not move or rock as long as the leveling feet are leveled to your floor.
• The caster is very easy and smooth to raise or lower (just use 1 foot).
• The base can be any size you want because you supply the wood.
• It is rated for 600 pounds, but I suspect could hold at least 800.
• It is fairly cheap at $60 plus about $5 for ash runners.
• The corner hardware is made of solid 1/8" thick steel.
• Everything fit together well.

Disadvantages:

• You have to put it together yourself, but of course, many of us like to do that anyway.
• It might not work well for a table saw if you wanted to mobilize the saw plus an extended top, unless you could rig up an extra 2 wheels.

Assembly pointers:
The directions are pretty good but I learned a few things that may help others. They recommend cutting the lumber to 1-1/2 x 1-1/2" to fit inside the corner brackets. That would be a little loose. I started with 1-3/4 and ran it through the drum sander until it just fit, about 1-5/8. The directions call for 7/16" holes through the lumber, but the bolts are actually 5/16". Drill the holes about 1/32" oversize to make assembly easier. I originally cut the lumber 1-3/4 x 2" because I had 8/4 ash. I figured deeper runners would only make it stronger. However, the increased thickness did not allow the leveling feet to sit at the right height, and so the base sat at a slight angle. So I had to plane it down to 1-5/8 to allow the feet to sit correctly.

[Jonathan Hsu]

I've been looking into one of these to get my work bench up on wheels, but I need it to go 22x46. The Rockler website doesn't specifically say what the max dims are, but I'm guessing 42" based on the wood stretchers that they sell. Anybody with one of these know if the instructions gave a max spacing?

The legs are sheet metal, roughly 1x4 "C" channel so bolting on casters is not the best solution, plus is raises the height of the work surface.

[Dick Adair]

FWIW..... This site http://web.archive.org/web/200312250...l.net/jdismuk/ is about 9-10 years old. Dizzy was a regular on several of these forums but I have not heard from him for a while. The Jet saw setup shows how he used some of the parts from these kits and they work very well.

[Bill Huber]

I use and like those bases, the one peddle is really nice and fast. The problem I ran into after 2 years of heavy use was the peddle got to the point it would not lift very much do to ware.

Here is the fix, and it work really nice.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...ht=mobile+base

[Joseph Tarantino]

jim...any opinion on how tha mobile base will work for an 18" jet band saw, jwbs-18. here's a pic:

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/...04952478YWLPuc

weighs 350 lbs. the htc1000, that was with the saw when i bought it for $40, is subpar at best and wholly inadequate at worst. your comments would be appreciated.

[Dan Mitchell]

jim...any opinion on how tha mobile base will work for an 18" jet band saw, jwbs-18. here's a pic:

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/...04952478YWLPuc

weighs 350 lbs. the htc1000, that was with the saw when i bought it for $40, is subpar at best and wholly inadequate at worst. your comments would be appreciated.

Joe - I have two of these bases, one under my ~485# 8" jointer, w/no issues, if weight is your concern.

[jim gossage]

jim...any opinion on how tha mobile base will work for an 18" jet band saw, jwbs-18. here's a pic:
weighs 350 lbs. the htc1000, that was with the saw when i bought it for $40, is subpar at best and wholly inadequate at worst. your comments would be appreciated.

Joe
I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work. Its plenty sturdy for your weight, as long as you use hardwood runners. It only lifts the one side up about 1/4", so no worries that it will tip it over. I'm thinking of putting one under my 500# minimax BS.

[jim gossage]

I've been looking into one of these to get my work bench up on wheels, but I need it to go 22x46. The Rockler website doesn't specifically say what the max dims are, but I'm guessing 42" based on the wood stretchers that they sell. Anybody with one of these know if the instructions gave a max spacing?

The legs are sheet metal, roughly 1x4 "C" channel so bolting on casters is not the best solution, plus is raises the height of the work surface.

Jonathan,
The instructions do not list maximum dimensions. My sander's base was 20x32" and no problems with that. I suspect that the long runners that run from the leveling feet to the wheels (see the front in pic 4) can be as long as you want because almost all of the weight is born by the corner hardware, not the runners. There may, however, be a maximum dimension on the runner that holds the footlever. When the footlever is depressed and lifts up the runner that goes between the two leveling feet (see pic 2), the weight is transferrred to the center of this runner because that end is now supported by the caster. On my sander, that runner bends less than 1/4" in the lifted position (pic 2). With a longer runner, I believe that it would bend more and might not lift the machine enough to move it off its leveling feet. How long? I'm not sure but if your bench is less than 500#, I'm sure you could go at least 30" on the end runners. That's my long-winded way of saying you'll be fine with this base.

[jim gossage]

I use and like those bases, the one peddle is really nice and fast. The problem I ran into after 2 years of heavy use was the peddle got to the point it would not lift very much do to ware.

Here is the fix, and it work really nice.

Bill,
Thanks for that fix. What exactly wore down for you? The metal sides that bear against the caster base when you depress the pedal?

[Curt Harms]

under a G1023 saw. The lifting mechanism wore down pretty quickly to where the plate to which the caster attaches would not lift level. If the plate is not level, the caster will not swivel. Didn't work for crap. The
fix was 2 lifting casters, one in each corner. Tied the pedals together with a 1 X 4, now it works well.