I often have to move my tablesaw around. So I made a rolling lift that raises the saw onto casters.

My design has a couple of advantages over the typical commercially made rolling platforms. Unlike those, it does not raise the height of the saw by 3 in. to 4 in. Also, when lowered, the base of the saw rests on the shop floor, so there’s no intermediate platform to compromise sturdiness.

To build the lift, you need four swivel casters, four butt hinges, a screen-door latch, some scrap hardwood, and a few assorted nuts, bolts, and washers. Also, you need a small piece of metal (I used 1/8-in.-thick aluminum) for a striker plate.

The lift has two main parts: a pedal beam and a catch beam. Attached to each beam are pairs of casters and butt hinges. The hinges mount to the base of the saw.

With the lift installed, you raise the saw simply by pushing down on the pedal-beam arm until the striker plate engages the screen-door latch. Once engaged, the two beams lock together to hold the saw up on the casters. The beams pivot up when the screen-door latch is released, lowering the saw base to the floor.

Drawings: Jim Richey

Drawings: Jim Richey

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