Mounting a table top DP on a cart...

[Wade Lippman]

I am getting rid of the table my drill press sits on, so I am putting it on a mobil cart. Obviously it is very top heavy. I don't mind extending the base a few inches for stability, but if I make it too big it will defeat the purpose of making it mobil.

I thought that if I unbolted the post mount from the cast iron base and mounted it directly to the cart I could make it a bit less top heavy. Using big washers, it ought to be okay.

Any compelling reason not to do this? Heck, I can use the old base as ballast down at the bottom.

[Mike Wilkins]

No reason why you can't leave the base on the machine, and bolt it to the mobile cart top. I did this when I had a bench-top Delta drill press. Mobile base was approx. 18-20 inches square, on locking casters, with a door on the front to access the interior for storage. Plywood top, edge-banded w/wood strips, and the base was bolted to the top with 1/4" bolts, nuts & washers.
System worked great until I sold it after getting an older Rockwell drill press.
Good luck and watch those fingers. I like mine.

[Doug Hobkirk]

Ditto. I did it on a metal cart that has 2 drawers, bolting the base with big washers. I mounted it at the back (instead of the middle) of the table so I could rotate it outboard to drill the end of tall items, but that does make it easier to tip. A sandbag on the bottom is a good idea - I am very careful when I move mine but the ballast would undoubtedly help.

[Michael O'Sullivan]

No reason why you can't leave the base on the machine, and bolt it to the mobile cart top. I did this when I had a bench-top Delta drill press. Mobile base was approx. 18-20 inches square, on locking casters, with a door on the front to access the interior for storage. Plywood top, edge-banded w/wood strips, and the base was bolted to the top with 1/4" bolts, nuts & washers.
System worked great until I sold it after getting an older Rockwell drill press.
Good luck and watch those fingers. I like mine.

Mike-

I am actually in the process of doing the same thing. My top will be approximately 22"x22" and 1" thick -- 3/4" MDF topped with 1/4" plywood. My mainconcern is sagging of the top under the weight of the DP -- mine is a Grizzly that weighs about 150 lbs.

Did you have any sagging issues on your top? I am thinking of doing rabbeted solid-wood edge bands both for aesthetics and support, and am wondering if I would also need to cross-brace it underneath.

[Orlando Gonzalez]

Wade,

I put my CM 12" DP on this:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...ltimate+Garage

I replaced the legs with 3" locking casters and can move it anywher I want. The 3 drawers store all my drilling accessories (bits, hole saws, etc.). I spent $160 on it but I didn't have to build it from scratch. There is some assembly required and you have to bge real careful when mounting the drawers on the slides DAMHIKT.

Orlando

[Brian Patterson]

ShopNotes magazine had plans for a mobile base for a bench top drill press... don't have the issue here at work... will find it at home tonight. It was made with 2x4, 2 layers of 3/4" plywood for the top and a cabinet for 100lb of sand in the bottom. My buddy built it and it's very stable.

[Dick Adair]

Wade, if you can get a copy of WOOD Magazine October 2003 #151, there are some very good cabinet plans that I have used, just size them to your specs. I made the saw-router cabinet on the issue cover and a cabinet for a G7943 drill press using the same construction. Mine is a 20"x24" cabinet with a 25.5x21.5 top made of 2 - 3/4 inch MDF and 4 - 3" swivel casters. Very solid and very easy to move. I put 3 drawers in mine. I checked and the back issue is still available.

[Mike Spanbauer]

Wade,
I have the 7943 (I think that's the part number) Grizzly "bench top" drill press on a mobile cart myself. I did not take any parts off, including the base. I just mounted it to the top of my cart, which is nearly identical to the cart on the PM 719A I've for sale down in classifieds. Butcher block top scrap I had laying around, 20x24" and it is pretty darn stable. Of course, the entire thing probably weighs in around 300# between the cart and the press. I have 4 hartville tool double locking casters underneath it and when locked it's very stable.

Plus I have a woodpeckers drillpress table on it as well which improved the function enormously.

mike

[mike holden]

"I am getting rid of the table my drill press sits on, so I am putting it on a mobil cart. Obviously it is very top heavy."

If you take the base off it will be even top-heavier than it is now. I would vote for mounting the base to the top of cart.
If the cart has drawers, and you fill them with drill bits, sanding drums, etc. That will also help with the balance issue. But having seen so many of these around, I dont think you should worry overmuch about it.
Mike

[Brian Patterson]

ShopNotes magazine had plans for a mobile base for a bench top drill press... don't have the issue here at work... will find it at home tonight. It was made with 2x4, 2 layers of 3/4" plywood for the top and a cabinet for 100lb of sand in the bottom. My buddy built it and it's very stable.

ShopNotes, No.38, p16-21

[James Wellman]

I made this mobile cart which is a Danny Proulx design and it rolls great and is very stable. I have rolled it around my Garage/Shop and on the asphalt with no issues.

[Mike Wilkins]

Michael O. Never had any sagging issues with the top, using 3/4" plywood screwed to the base. With a small shop footprint (16 X 24) and not wanting to dedicate the space for a lot of permanent built-in cabinets, mobile cabinets with storage underneath makes more sense.
But now the Rockwell does take up the same amount of space.