Hello All,
I have a fairly small evolving shop(12X18) but I still want all the tools. Hence, I need to be able to move my table saw into the corner when I use my planer (when I get a planer), etc. I have seen mobile bases in Woodcraft, Rockler, etc and was wondering what the concensus is out there for those of you that have mobile bases. I simply want a product that when I want it stationary (locked) I want it rock-solid. But I also want a product that will be easy to engage when I want to move a machine. Any help out there would be greatly appreciated. Thanks…
Regards,
Buzzsaw
Replies
I use a Shopfox brand for my contractor's style table saw. I have had it about a year and a half and it is holding up well. When it is in the set position it stays firm during use.
The Shopfox model I have uses a pair of non-swiveling wheels on one end and a set of castors on the other end. On the castor end there are two hand screws that act like mini screw floor jacks. When the mini-jacks are extended the castors are raised slightly off the ground and prevent the table saw from moving. Although this system functions well, it is necessary to bend and stoop down in order to operate the jacks. In short, the Shopfox is not a convenient as some other models I have seen.
Good luck.
Greg
Buzzsaw,
My shop is about 12x18 also...but it also has an oil tank in the corner. The lathe, cabinet saw with outfeed table, workbench, router table, Bandsaw, Drill Press, Planer and chop saw all fit....no jointer, it won't fit.
The TS has a shop fox under it, the BS a Delta mobil unit....without a doubt the Delta mobil is much better....however, the shop fox is adequate and extending from the top of the wheels I have supports for the drop down outfeed table. The Planer and chop saw are in a cabinet with pop up wings....can only use one tools at a time....on its own wheels. The router table is on its own wheels too.
The Delta bases are a bit expensive....but they are quality.
BG,
You and I have something in common. We both have the oil tank in our shop. Doesn't really help when the room is minimal to start with. Thanks for all your info. I've heard of the comination planer/jointer and was going to inquire about them. It may make sense for my shop size. I performed a search and there are a lot of very positive opinions on the Shop Fox but I will also look at the Delta bases...Thanks..Regards,
Buzzsaw
Hey Buzz,
I bought the cheapest mobile bases I could find and they work great. They are the "make'em yourself" ones from Rockler. They provide the corners and you make the sides out of hardwood. I actually used 2x pine for my Delta contractor's saw but it twists and bends pretty bad when I move it. However, it works great in both the moving and staying still parts of it's job.
My dad's shop isn't much bigger than mine and he bought the 'rich guy' $100 bases for all his toys. I spent about $40 on the first one (Rockler Christmas sale) and then about $30 on each additional one because those didn't come with the moving wheel. I have to manually switch it for each tool that I want to move. (That involves a wingnut and about a minute of my time).
I would highly recommend these inexpensive alternatives to the custom cadilac ones that each manufacturer offers. However, don't use the pine though. I'm swapping mine out for some oak that I got from a table at a thrift store. The pine is set to snap one of these days if overused.
Hope this helps. Oh, and good luck with the small shop. I actually kinda like my 1.5 car garage shop. It forces me to be tiddy and I feel as though I get things done pretty quickly as long as I'm set up. I've worked in a 3-man cabinet shop and a 7-man one. And while additional square footage can be nice, I think it's like a refidgerator. You'll use whatever size you got and get sloppy if you can afford the room to do so.
Well, I'm done rambling. If you actually had the patience to read this whole thing then I thank you.
Chad
The Rockler 4 piece is good if you use a hardwood of oak or laminated poplar. I have two of the Rocklers and two of the HTC (all steel)
Of course the bases made by HTC are the best and don't flex or get shaky. You will also want to make sure you have a means to bolt the base of your stationary machine to the webs on the mobile base. Keeps the surprises down and improves rigidity overall.
duster
Buzzsaw,
My jointer & planer are on shopbuilt stands that are probably 1000% overbuilt and have fulfilled my needs exceedingly well for the last few decades. My bandsaw (a 20" Inca) is on a store bought (HTC) mobile base, with which I have absolutely no quarrel.
I have other tools, including rolling tool boxes, work tables, assembly tables, etc., on wheels, and the biggest mistakes I made along the way involved wheels that were too small, wheels that weren't stout enough for the load, and wheels that didn't lock or didn't pivot.
What ever you decide to do, you'll want to make sure the design passes muster under the harshest possible conditions imaginable, as ideal conditions seem to exist only in magazine photos: When I designed a mobile base that would enable me to move gear from the workshop across the lawn, into and out of moving vans, and the like, I wasn't disappointed. On the few occasions when that little voice in my head told me small wheels adequate for short trips around the shop would be sufficient, I was inevitably disappointed at some point down the road.
One more thing to watch out for: the final height of the tools after theh wheels have been installed.
Good luck,
-Jazzdogg-
Buzzsaw,
One more thing...in a small shop..having all 360 degree wheels is great. It makes it so much easier to move stuf around. I can swap out the two fixed wheels on my shop fox with grizzly wheels for about $3.95 each.... I can't do that on the Delta base
I have a Delta Unisaw with 50" fence. Got the Delta base and it's OK but straining under the load of a thick table, PC router & lift base + 2 drawers for router stuff and TS stuff. Also, it's 2 fixed wheels plus 1 swivel - makes for lots of back & fill turns - a real pain in a tight space.
I have the Shop Fox base on the jointer. Forestgirl had problems with hers - holes didn't line up. Mine worked fine, though I did cut a bit off each of the short pieces to make it a bit closer fit to the jointer base (didn't want the base to stick too far out). I prefer the 4-wheel approach on the Shop Fox, even if only 2 turn, to the 3-point Delta. The base is pretty cheap through Grizzly - $60 to $90 depending on how much weight you have.
just in the last few months one of the wood mags did a product review on mobile bases. i'm pretty sure it was either 'wood' or 'popular woodworking' (if it was fww somebody would have thought of it by now) because that's what my local grocery store newsstand carries. maybe you could search their websites for the article.
m
"if it was fww somebody would have thought of it by now" Hah! I sent buzzsaw an email telling him I'd find that article, finally did tonight, and it was in FWW Tools and Shops. Only explanation I have for not remembering that was the publication is that December was c-r-a-z-y!!!
Sheesh. Anyhoo. HTC seems to get the major kudos. Since they offer a 30-day trial, you can't go wrong I guess. They tested the HTC 2000 and the HTC HRBS-14. The 2000 was rated "Very Difficult" for assembly -- it has 108 parts! The more expensive HRBS-14 was rated average, and has 25 parts. It was given "excellent" on mobility and stability.
The Delta 50-274 was rated "very good" for mobility and "good" for stability. The General 50-025 was called the "best in its price range" ($49). "Difficult" assembly (114 parts), Very Good on both mobility and stability.
The Jet they tested (HMB-UMB) was rated Avg. and Poor in the two categories, the Shop Fox, Avg. and VG, the Delta 50-345, which is one you add hardwood rails to, is said to be "tippy while moving."
For a tool that's going to be moved with any frequency at all, I can't see getting a base that requires me to kneel down on the ground to release the wheels (Shop Fox, HTC HRBS-14). I'll never buy another Shop Fox mobile base -- too many people have had problems with them quality-control-wise, and I don't like the design.
I've totally lost track of what machine was involved in this thread originally. Some of the bases in this review were Dedicated, others were Universal. It's on page 82 in the Tools and Shops issue.forestgirl Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
ya know, i was thinking it actually was fww, but since it wasn't in any of the issues currently piled up by my two favorite reading spots (the leather chair in the great room and the porcelain chair in the not-so-great room 8-0) and nobody else had mentioned it, i just figured i must have run across it somewhere else. thanks!
m
Yep, I went through the last 6 months of every other magazine I have before stumbling across the T&S issue of FWW. That's OK though, I spotted a couple that should help me with setting up new storage over the new counter-tops.
Mine get stacked mostly on the nightstand, and an occasional table in the living room. Problem is, my Maine Coon cat likes to lie down on the stack and then do her "Upside-down-aren't-I-cute?!" routine, which effectively puts half the stack on the floor! A couple of times, and I'll break down and file them in magazine boxes.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
FG,
A few months ago I realized the magazine situation was getting out of hand. I built an Arts & Crafts style mag holder to fit next to my leather chair. It's a fun project because, for the most part, its all oak scraps. Now my mag holder is full and there is a pile of mags on top of the holder...but it did look oderly for about 2 months....
"but it did look oderly for about 2 months...." ROFL!!! Ain't it the truth. BTW, did you post pics of the magazine holder? I can't remember. Magazines are bad, but I have them under control. What's really driving me nuts at our house is the paperback books! Both Nick and I read them, but slightly different tastes. He reads 3 books for every one I read, and we have so many! The only ones either of us want to get rid of are the ones we hated, which is a short list.
Guess I'll have to design a bookcase with shallow short shelves and figure out where the heck to put it.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
I have two Shopfox units. They work well, are inexpensive and can hold alot of weight. The only problem I encountered was during assembly. It is easy to strip the threads in the steel beams if you are not careful.
Thank you to everyone on your opinions on mobile bases. Now I have a decision to make but I will take all of your points into consideration. Knots rocks!Regards,
Buzzsaw
Ok......I have HF build it yourself under the Jointer..
A HTC Universal under the Bandsaw...
And JETs new universal under the tablesaw.
The HF was cheap and cheap is exactly what I got. I uses oak to make the frames but it still flexes quite a bit. Plus you will need to replace the supplied nut's & bolts. They snap real easy.
The HTC is a pain because you have to activate two (2) levers (right & left) to engage or disengage the lift. Plus it really tilts the band saw which as you can imagine can be a scary thing.
The JET went together in about two minutes. It has foot operated locks and seems very solid. This is the best of the three IMO.
Bill in Madera
thanks Bill,
After reading the reviews in Tools and Shops I was sold on the HTC. Now I'm not sure. I'll look closer at the Jet as it is for my table saw, as yours is...Regards,
Buzzsaw
OK,
I think after reading the reviews in Tools and Shops I think I am sold on the HTC HRBS-14. It pretty much gets the best review. If there is anyone out there who has any real complaints about this mobile base please let me know... ThanksRegards,
Buzzsaw
One other thing, I'm trying to find the dimensions of the unit, HTC HRBS-14. I need it for my table saw and I want to make sure that the dimensions of the unit will work for me...They constantly refer to using it for band saws and it appears that the width may be a bit thinner than my table saw stand. Does anyone out there use the HTC-HRBS-14 for their table saw? ThanksRegards,
Buzzsaw
I've owned an HTC stand. I can tell you it is world's above the two Delta stands I own (one for the big Unisaw with 50" Bies and a universal for a little contractor saw". Much better built and moves things smoother. Also has better clearance if moving on imperfect floors.
Robbie,
Will if fit a typical contractor saw stand?
ThanksRegards,
Buzzsaw
Buzzsaw:
HTC has a bunch of different bases. They have a base that fits Delta contractor saw with straight legs, they have one that fits the older Delta contractor saw with curved legs. The one I had, fit the Delta contractor saw with a 30" Unifence or Biesemeyer (actually I had a 38" fence).
I am sure they have a mobile base that fits your saw. If not, they also have a universal / adjustable stand that will. My experience is with the former, not the latter. On the former, all the corners and joints are welded. If my new Unisaw didn't come with a free Delta mobile base, I would have bought another HTC.
You may want to try Amazon to see the selection of different bases and configurations.
Bob
Buzzsaw,
I think the HTC is a geat base....
However, in a tight space, as we have, moving a 400 + lb machine around is a real pain when all the wheels can't 360....
I never put the breaks down on my shopfox..the griz TS is so heavy it does not need it....but, when I need to move the TS 12" to the left..so I can crosscut a long board...what a pain.
just a friendly reminder....
Hey Buz, Please note that I have the HTC Universal "bolt together" model.
I forgot (sorry) to mention that I used to have the HTC 3 wheel jobber under my old table saw. This was a one piece unit. It was plenty strong and served me well. It's new owner likes it very much. I did have a few occasions that made me a little nervous. Being that the saw set on basicly a tricycle, I felt a few times that the saw was ready to tip over. This happen when I was cutting large sheets of plywood. Maybe it was my error but either way it was a little unnerving. No more 3 wheel models for me . I need all 4. ;-)
Here are a couple of pic's ( I hope) of two of my bases. I could not find an old pic of the three wheel job. Sorry!
Have fun and work safe.
Bill in Madera, CA
Ooops! I blew that didn't I?
Here is the Jointer base.
Bill
Here is a picture of my Shop built jointer base and my Delta base that I use on my planner and my shop built cabinet for my table saw.Scott C. Frankland
Scott's WOODWORKING Website"He who has the most tools may not win the race of life but he will sure make his wife look like a good catch when she goes to move on."
Thank you all for your posts! I appreciate it...Regards,
Buzzsaw
Scott, how did you fare in the snow? It looked really terrible in the pics in the papers.
Cheers,
Peter
The snow was the least of my worries. I got stuck at work for 38 hours straight. I was the only police officer working at the airport that night and there was a lot of civil unrest. On one side I had airline staff who were over worked, tired and had been verbally abused on the other hand I had the traveling public who were tired fed up and being verbally abusive (I got crapped on for ordering all the bars closed). I ran out of cell space never had any backup and no guard. The airports security was way under staffed and most had little or no breaks. But I did get 26 hours of double time out of it which I have already spent on a new lathe. When I got home my neighbor asked how I made out and how my little fellow was feeling. I told him that he still had not broke his fever and my wife wanted to take him to the hospital. I went in to get changed and dress for some major snow removal as I had about 6' of snow in my driveway. When I went back out my neighbor had recruited two other neighbors with snow blowers and 5 other guys with shovels and they had me totally shovel out with the exception of my front steps. Hell of nice bunch of guys. As I went in my little fellow was standing in the door way watching me and his temp broke. And mine went thorough the roof and I was in bed for the next 4 days.Scott C. Frankland
Scott's WOODWORKING Website"He who has the most tools may not win the race of life but he will sure make his wife look like a good catch when she goes to move on."
Wow...what a situation to be in. I am at a loss for words.
Peter
So was I when I got home. 40 some hours of being awake and on the go makes one pretty stupid. I did get a lathe out of it though.Scott C. Frankland
Scott's WOODWORKING Website"He who has the most tools may not win the race of life but he will sure make his wife look like a good catch when she goes to move on."
Scott,
You only thought you got a lathe...that was your head spinning with the fever....lol
just teasing
Hi Buzz,
I bought my mobile bases at Woodworkers Wharehouse. They were $50 on sale. They are the kind with 2 fixed wheels and 2 swivel wheels. At each front corner there is a lever you flip with your foot to lift or lower the base. This works very well. My only regret is that I've seen some higher end bases that have 1 lever in the middle of the front. I think this would be much more convenient to use. Either way, you can't go wrong using your foot instead of having to bend over and use your hands. I can just imagine some day when you're tired banging your head on the under side of the jointer bed. Ouch!
There are more old drunkards than old doctors. Ben Franklin
Was there a lot of effort in putting the base together? Some of the bases that were reviewed had over 100 pieces to assemble...ThanksRegards,
Buzzsaw
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