How Mobile are Cabinet Saws?
flairwoodworks
| Posted in Power Tools and Machinery on
Right now I’ve got a contractor’s saw on a 3-wheeled mobile base. It’s okay to move around on my unlevel, rough concrete floor. I am considering upgrading to a cabinet saw but am concerned that with the added weight, mobility will be an issue. For those of you with cabinet saws on mobile bases, which base do you use and how easy is it to move around the shop?
Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
– Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. – Albert Schweitzer
Replies
I have a Delta Unisaw w/52 inch fence & Delta mobile base. I had the same concerns you do, but I have to say the delta mobile base is great- extremely easy to move anywhere in my shop.
I also have a Unisaw, but the shorter fence, so the mobile base is only under the saw itself. I have a ply over concrete floor, which might be smoother than your concrete floor. At any rate, the saw moves easily.
I have a SC with an added cast router top which makes it fairly heavy. It's on a 3 wheel SC base which is a clone of the Delta. It moves easily enough on my so-so concrete floor, but can be awkward to steer with 2 fixed and only one moveable wheel. If you move up to a PM some models have built-in casters -- good idea.
Jim
Flairwoodworks,
I'm not sure how much you can generalize about cabinet saw move ability. The Unisaw with extension on a Delta base I've seen maneuvered easily with one hand. My Grizzly with a Shop Fox requires you get your arse into it. I've priced swapping out the wheels on my shop fox for 360's and larger and that is very doable.
On the other hand, currently configured, I don't need to lock it down after a move, it stays put. No sheet of ply or timber will cause the saw to move. Also, I usually move it only a few times a year to clean under.
I have a Unisaw with a 52" table - plus a router mounted in my outfeed table. This totals a 60" x 60" surface. Add in the router weight and 2 drawers with router accouterments (do you like that BIG word?) and it is really heavy
Mounted on an HTC mobile base it is a snap to move - yet doesn't require locking wheels when I saw.
Frosty
"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922
I have a PM2000 with the built in casters. I rarely move it, though on my level and smooth floor, its a breeze. The side table is rigid enough that it lifts the legs up.
I am dubious about how well that, or any casters, would function on a choppy, unlevel, or pitted surface.
Real trucks dont have sparkplugs
I have a Sawstop on a Jet mobile base. I also have wheels on the legs of the outfeed table, and use a flexible DC hose. I have no problem with moving the saw around, although my floor is pretty smooth. The floor, however, is very uneven, so if I move the saw I have to relevel the outfeed and side tables. I suppose you could paint marks on the floor once you find a nice level spot.
Simon
I have the General 350 with the 52-inch fence sitting on the Jet mobile base with a “T” extension for the table. Works fine although I do not move it a lot. Wouldn’t say it “glides”, it takes some umph to get it moving. I am more concerned with it staying in one place that moving around. But It is nice to be able to move it when I need to.
I am thinking of replacing the mobile base with the General Hover pad. Looks like it would be even more stable and still mobile. Thought I would check them out at the next WWShow.
Bob T.
Edited 10/27/2008 6:51 pm ET by Y1RET
I believe the Hover Pad requires a smooth floor surface, so the OP probably couldn't use it. I'd like one myself but I don't think my pitted floor would work either.
Jim
Any idea how soomth the floor need to be? Mine is just concrete, would I have to paint it or something?
I imagine it has to be pretty smooth, though not dead flat, because they advise you to test it with a suction cup. Mine didn't pass :^(
Here's their webpage with a video: http://www.general.ca/pagemach/machines/10824_929.html
Jim
Any idea how much the Hoverpad costs?
Don
Promotion price right now is $189 for the 18" x 24" or $249 for the 29" x 29".
http://www.general.ca/promo/ENG_US_small.pdf
Jim
Chris, I bought the Delta base for my new (older) Unisaw (52" fence), after collecting advice here at Knots. I am so glad that's the base I chose! Yes, the saw is mobile, and I too have a very rough, not level, concrete floor. You may pay a little more for the base than, perhaps, an HTC or other, but it is very sturdily made, goes together super-easy with only a few parts (no need to find a skilled octopus to help).
Look on this page at Amazon, you'll see the base. The bar-handle that's connected on the plate of the single wheel is what engages, disengages, the wheel to make it mobile (or not). If you have a lower shelf on your extension, the width has to accomodate that bar when it's set in the "up" position. I just cut down the shelf that came with my saw. Then I built a storage cabinet to go on it. Will post pictures in a while.
Well, my free FTP program is no longer free, so have to do attachments and see if I can remember how to make those pictures also show up in-line.
Anyhoo, this is my saw, on it's base (not really visible) with a narrower shelf than it came with. The storage "cabinet" (loosely defined) isn't quite finished. That shelf on the top will accomodate a tray-type drawer that opens from both sides of the saw. The bottom left has a few of the 9 vertical saw-blade holders in it. Haven't decided what to do with the bottom right yet. When the aforementioned handle on the base is in the up position, it clears the shelf by about 1/4".
View Image
FG,
That is the same base as the one I currently have on my Delta contractor saw. It works fine, but I have a little trouble when moving the saw back the way it came - the swivel castor tends to resist movement (hope that made sense). Maybe I need to keep my floor cleaner. I think that should I bite the bullet and get a cabinet saw, I will keep the Delta mobile base and drop my contractor's saw in the wing.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
I don't know about Delta, but the SC clone comes in a variety of models that all look the same, but apparently handle different weight levels. Might be a good idea to check that a Delta contractor model can take the extra weight.
Jim
I seem to remember a very dissatisfied SC base customer posting here not too long ago. I love the SC tools, but I'd research the base pretty carefully before buying one.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Yep, I remember. Never did hear if that situation was resolved. Mine's OK, but a bit clunky. I'm not sure if the variety of SC bases is because there are slight differences in base size for the saw base (2" max) or if it's a weight thing. The basic base is just like the Delta, but the stretched out 50" version isn't as good as yours. There's an extension added to the basic frame, and the foot pedal stays where it is rather than being moved further to the right. I have a hard time seeing how that's going to work well -- one set of fixed wheels is always going to be off the ground when moving the saw, with more stress on the right side if it's taking the weight.
Cheers, Jim
I have a SC cabinet saw on a Delta mobile base. Broke the lift wheel off it in short order. Got a replacement but have not attempted to move it since. I figure why get a cabinet saw if you want to move it all the time? If that is the case, go with a contractor's or hybrid saw. I do think I could move mine though but I would be very, very careful.
I'm not moving it "all the time." But certainly need to occasionally. Sorry about the broken wheel!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
I figure why get a cabinet saw if you want to move it all the time?
Because I would HAVE TO with the size of my shop.
No true cabinet saw here (But I think at least it works for what I do and then some).
I have saved money for one over several years and something always 'comes up' that requires the funds. Last year a new roof and a sewer problem.. Much more cost than replacing all my power tools with good ones!
Thinking about it.. Even if I had a HUGE shop I still would want them moveable. I change my mind often... OK, except for that huge cement embedded metal lathe!
As Chris posted..
Ever heard the saying: buy the best you can afford?
Did that all my life. OK, so the kids got almost all of our money for education... We put up with what mom and dad had.
I have always wanted a 'true' cabinet saw. Never had one but have access to several I have used on more than several occasions.
Yes, they are better. But for me.. YES! but I still like my old junk Ridgid table saw. It works! Now if only my Ridgid have a riving knife....
Edited 11/15/2008 8:15 am by WillGeorge
Thanks Jim - I hadn't thought about that.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
"I will keep the Delta mobile base and drop my contractor's saw in the wing." Hmmm, the rest made sense, but I'm not quite following this. As to moving it back whence it came, maybe a little sideways-forward-back action will help?
What really impressed me was when I had to move the saw across a big crack in the floor (probably an "expansion crack"? with a wood strip in it, but the wood's been eaten by insects). I thought for sure it'd get stuck, but it wasn't very hard to get it past that.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
FG,
If you will recall from the thread you started when you got your Unisaw and someone mentioned that there was another used Unisaw in your area, I suggested putting the two together like so... http://forums.taunton.com/fw-knots/messages?msg=40877.12
The sideways wiggle while pulling backwards is the solution. Not ideal, but it works. Maybe it would be wise to upgrade to bigger wheels.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
"Maybe it would be wise to upgrade to bigger wheels." On the Unisaw base? Might make things interesting with the solid feet.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
FG,
Well, the further I get into this, the more I am leaning towards building my own base. I do like the way that the Delta mobile base handles though - with two ridgid castors and one swivel. I am thinking of having two ridgid castors on the left side and two swivellers at the extreme right end. I have yet to work out how I will keep the saw from moving, as I don't have total confidence in the built-in locks on the castors.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
How about levelling casters? Here's one brand:
http://www.greatlakescaster.com/categories.php?cat=245
Jim
Jim,
Wow. I never knew something like that existed (not many castors have their own blog)! Fancy! And not really pricey either. My only concern with those is the diameter of wheel - 1-3/4" is kind of small for my rough floor. I'm thinking 3 or 4" diameter castors. I'm sure that I could use the same principle in my design though. Keep the ideas coming!Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
The ad's a bit odd in that the main page says they're available in a range of sizes, but when you click on the item it only shows one size. It might be wothwhile to check if they still do the larger ones.
Jim
I decided to make a mobile base for my Unisaw after looking at the HTC bases. The first one I made using 4/4 Alder but it did not standup to the weight of the saw. I rebuilt it using 5/4 maple and it now is very robust. I have 6x 3" casters under it; 2x on right are straight, 2x in middle are swivel, 2x on left are swivel with brakes. I have not had an issue with the brakes not working well.Be sure to use a hardwood for the base. Even though the brakes worked on the casters fine, the saw seemed to rock in the base due to the deflection of the 13/16" Alder.I would recommend keeping the height increase of the saw to a minimum unless you want the table of the saw to be much higher than it is currently. I used 1-1/2" Aluminum angle bolted to the 1-1/8" maple using T-nuts. I think the base of the saw is about 5/8" off the floor. I have had no issue with the maple runners splitting as a result of the weight on the Al angle like I did with the Alder.Sorry for the low quality photo. I can take a better picture and repost if you are interested. I also created a SketchUp model of the design which I should be able to find if you are interested in that as well.CK
Thanks for the picture. It is effective in getting the idea across. I will want to keep the saw as close to the standard height as possible. I've made a mental note to take care when choosing stock.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
"I can take a better picture and repost if you are interested. I also created a SketchUp model of the design which I should be able to find if you are interested in that as well." CK, I'm running into some problems with my Delta base. Would you be willing to post the abovementioned for me? Would be greatly appreciated. If you'd prefer, drop me an email throught Knots, and I'll reply so you can use email instead.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Here are three pics showing the left and right side and a front shot of the saw with my mobile base. I have also attached a SketchUp model. Please verify that the dimensions in my model will work for your saw.Hope this helps,CK
Thanks so much, CK. I'll copy them all to my computer. Interesting the way you used an angled frame-piece to catch the feet on the outfeed table supports, great idea!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Hard to open a .skp file! :>)
Is the SketchUp file not opening for anyone?
My computer (XP) has no idea what to do with it. :-(
Better life through Zoodles and poutine...
Opened fine for me, once I installed SketchUp. I hadn't gotten it onto this laptop yet!
Any big download is a good excuse to go down to Doc's Marina Bar and have a drink while I use their cable-broadband free wireless, LOL!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Multi-tasking at it's finest!!
................................................
Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.~ Denis Diderot
Yep, I've got my priorities straight, for sure! Next "Doc's Task" is to download some of the bullriding videos I just found on YouTube. Great stuff, that!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Yep, I've got my priorities straight, for sure!
First the Horses and then Woodworking I'd bet!
Loved Horses.. Never could afford to keep them.
Edited 11/10/2008 12:30 pm by WillGeorge
You have to have SketchUp on your computer. Google for Google SketchUp download and you'll find it. [It's free]forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
I have the PM66 with the PM mobile. Have no trouble with it. It has the ridged castors on the left and the swiveling castors on the right like you mentioned. The ridged castors on the left can be locked and are at cross angles to the direction you are pushing your wood so are probably more firm that a steel leg. The ones on the right can be locked so again are probably more firm than a steel leg. The PM66 is supposed to weigh 600 lbs. so is a little heavier than most cabinet saws yet I can pull it around the shop with one hand. I don't think you need to worry about the castors skidding under normal use. Also, if you happen to be interested in the PM mobile, its frame is flexible enough so you can level the saw with the saws own legs under the extension table.
Edited 10/30/2008 12:57 am ET by Tinkerer3
I recently re-designed my existing tablesaw due to the lack of room in my basement. After some careful machining and design I installed a SawStop fence and rail system on my existing Craftsman tablesaw. Its overall length is 86 inches. I now didn't have the room to move this size of equipment around so I put the tabletop part on industrial slides and anchored the base to the concrete floor. When I need to cut full sheets of material, I slide the tablesaw forward to give me the room for 8 ft lengths and then slide it back to conserve working room. Mobility? well... not really, but a solution to a room problem.
Steve
Would you have any pictures of your sliding setup that you could post?
Here are a few photos of my sliding tablesaw. A simple 2X4 structure bolted together to support the weight of the saw, table and rail/fence. The slides are 4 ft. full extension industrial slides acquired at Lee Valley Tools at a cost of $157.00 cdn for the pair. They are rated for 450 lbs each so there is no worry of overloading them. They slide with the touch of one finger!
As you can see... I am still in the early stages of rebuilding and designing my little workshop in my basement.
After I set up my dust collection system and re-route some electrical, it will more than suit my hobby needs.
I play in the basement too, and I never would have come up with a solution like that. Looks like you could put "raised rails" on the 2x4's when you would like in feed support to cut sheet goods. Nicely done and welcome to the forum.
Very nice shop.. If only mine was that clean.
Just some fun I found to make my saw work in my shop. I am always turning it for rips or cutoffs on long sticks. Small shop to work in unheated!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziRTAn2oiLs
I'm missing something here . . .
I'm familiar with the idea of having a sliding side table to slide a workpiece by the stationary saw, but I don't see what having the whole saw plus extension move back & forth does for you.
Don
The answer is in his earlier post: "When I need to cut full sheets of material, I slide the tablesaw forward to give me the room for 8 ft lengths and then slide it back to conserve working room."
He's in a tiny shop. To move a saw forward and back like that, when it's mounted to a mobile base (such as the Unisaw w/53" fence), you'd need way more room because it has to pivot first.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Thanks, I missed that. all makes sense now.
Don
Mel,
Neat set up for sure. I hear Methods of Work calling your name...Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
I have a SawStop cabinet saw with a 52" fence, with the SawStop mobile base it is easy to move even on my floor which is far from smooth, it will lift the wing and all. I seldom move my saw, but when you want to rearange things wheels are a must unless you have an overhead crane in your shop. I have wheels on everything in my shop.
Mike,
Many thanks for posting your knowledge. You have the saw I am considering and a rough floor like mine. That's just what I needed to hear.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
I have a grizzley1023 for 5 years and love it. My shop is in a basement of a 125 year old house. The floor is made up of squares of concrete put over dirt floor years ago.
To say its uneven would be a complement. I installed a 12x12 interlocking garage floor over the concete(doing basic repairing and as much leveling as possible). It handes the weight fine and gives it a softer warmer feel.
I tried standard mobile bases for my equipment and found the best ones are made by me with plate casters from Woodcraft. (thickness planer, Drill press).
The mobile base from Grizzley was a bear to move LOL. I went with the jet wheels that attach directly to the saw and have no problem.
As for a saw my biggest error in tool purchases is buying my "next" tool purchase instead of looking for the last tool I would buy. If you can afford a contractor saw its not that much of a stretch to a grizzley cabinet saw. In the long run I have wasted more money buying cheaper and working up. Try to anticipate need as much as possible. If circumstances change there is always a good market to sell used.
"The mobile base from Grizzley was a bear to move" Ah, that's great!
Ever heard the saying: buy the best you can afford?
Thanks for the input (edit) and the laugh.
Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Edited 11/14/2008 11:50 am by flairwoodworks
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled