Hi all,

I bought a universal mobile base to put under my table saw and I have a
question. I put it together as per the instruction sheet and set it down
to test it, but -colour me stupid here- is the thing not supposed to be
immobile when in use? No matter where I position the levers the darn thing
keeps on moving. It gets a little more difficult to move in certain
positions but I really wouldn't want to rip a 2x4 with the base not
absolutely firm on the ground.

I also busted a bolt while hand-tightening it. Maybe I just got a piece of
crap?

Which mobile base did you get?

When at rest, does it touch the floor with three points or four?

I have a Jet mobile base, made by HTC, that is a three point and it sucks.
My bandsaw wobbles on it. I have many Delta mobile bases, a couple are
universal, and they all sit on four points when you aren't rolling. They
are rock solid.

Rob


"Joe Shmoe" wrote in message
news:ummQb.247649$X%5.112723@pd7tw2no...
Hi all,

I bought a universal mobile base to put under my table saw and I have a
question. I put it together as per the instruction sheet and set it down
to test it, but -colour me stupid here- is the thing not supposed to be
immobile when in use? No matter where I position the levers the darn
thing
keeps on moving. It gets a little more difficult to move in certain
positions but I really wouldn't want to rip a 2x4 with the base not
absolutely firm on the ground.

I also busted a bolt while hand-tightening it. Maybe I just got a piece
of
crap?

Rob wrote:

Which mobile base did you get?

When at rest, does it touch the floor with three points or four?

I have a Jet mobile base, made by HTC, that is a three point and it sucks.
My bandsaw wobbles on it. I have many Delta mobile bases, a couple are
universal, and they all sit on four points when you aren't rolling. They
are rock solid.

Rob




It's supposed to have 4 points. 2 wheels and 2 rubber "levelling pads".
In total there are 4 wheels but 2 of them have levers that (as I understand
it) are supposed to lift them off the ground. The 2 that are supposed to
lift are also the 2 that pivot.

I bought it from Lee Valley. Maybe I'm just doing something wrong. The
instructions weren't the greatest and after having one bolt break maybe I
should toss it before I causes me any more grief.

Sat, Jan 24, 2004, 5:06am (EST+5) (Joe=A0Shmoe) says:
snip Maybe I'm just doing something wrong. snip

The way I got your original post, you put the base down, and tried
it, without the saw on it. It that's so, maybe you ought to try it with
the saw on it.

JOAT
You have two choices in life: You can dissolve into the mainstream, or
you can be distinct. To be distinct is to be different. To be different,
you must strive to be what no one else but you can be.
- Alan Ashley-Pitt=A0=A0=A0

Life just ain't life without good music. - JOAT
Web Page Update 22 Jan 2004.
Some tunes I like.
http://community-2.webtv.net/Jakofal...OMETUNESILIKE/

It really should lock down. I have the jet univeral mobile base with
extension. All 6 wheels have locks and stay in place. Its not the best base
in the world, but it does lock in place and do the job.

Bob

"Joe Shmoe" wrote in message
news:ummQb.247649$X%5.112723@pd7tw2no...
Hi all,

I bought a universal mobile base to put under my table saw and I have a
question. I put it together as per the instruction sheet and set it down
to test it, but -colour me stupid here- is the thing not supposed to be
immobile when in use? No matter where I position the levers the darn
thing
keeps on moving. It gets a little more difficult to move in certain
positions but I really wouldn't want to rip a 2x4 with the base not
absolutely firm on the ground.

I also busted a bolt while hand-tightening it. Maybe I just got a piece
of
crap?

Joe Shmoe wrote:
I bought a universal mobile base to put under my table saw and I have a
question. I put it together as per the instruction sheet and set it down
to test it, but -colour me stupid here- is the thing not supposed to be
immobile when in use? No matter where I position the levers the darn thing
keeps on moving.

I also busted a bolt while hand-tightening it. Maybe I just got a piece of
crap?


Could be. I visited the local woodworker's shop the other day and I had a
choice of three different "universal" bases: the Delta, Jet and some off brand
I'd never heard of. The fellow talked me into the Delta and I'm glad he did.
There was no real price advantage, the Jet and Delta were the same price (you
supply the wood) and the off brand was more money (was made completely of metal;
no wood required).

I visited the local hardwood supplier and bought some red oak. Milled it down
and put the thing together. It's easy to move when I want it to, but it's rock
solid when I don't. The Delta has two small fixed wheels and then one large
castoring wheel that raises the whole thing off the levelers.

I loaded my planer onto it.

I bought two of the bases for about $100 and enough oak for both of them for
about $35. None of the hardware stripped or broke when I put it together.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN


http://www.mortimerschnerd.com

T. wrote:

Sat, Jan 24, 2004, 5:06am (EST+5) (Joe*Shmoe) says:
snip Maybe I'm just doing something wrong. snip

The way I got your original post, you put the base down, and tried
it, without the saw on it. It that's so, maybe you ought to try it with
the saw on it.


That's correct. I'll put the saw on it today, maybe the weight will keep
it from moving? I'll let you know.

Mortimer Schnerd, RN wrote:

I visited the local hardwood supplier and bought some red oak. Milled it down
and put the thing together. It's easy to move when I want it to, but it's rock
solid when I don't. The Delta has two small fixed wheels and then one large
castoring wheel that raises the whole thing off the levelers.

I loaded my planer onto it.

I bought two of the bases for about $100 and enough oak for both of them for
about $35. None of the hardware stripped or broke when I put it together.

Morty, just a small point here, but why did you use red oak? I used
white oak for mine. It's a lot stronger and it's also a little
cheaper (at least in WI).

Joe

BIG JOE wrote:

Morty, just a small point here, but why did you use red oak? I used
white oak for mine. It's a lot stronger and it's also a little
cheaper (at least in WI).


They don't offer to help carry the stuff at the hardwood place I went to. I am
VERY arthritic, having crushed one of my hips many years ago. I saw the red oak
first and that was as far as I cared to walk. No prices marked on anything that
I could see.

As for strength, how tough does it have to be? I was helping a neighbor beat
something into position with a scrap of it and a sledge. The sledge barely
marked it, even though I wasn't holding back. It's quite tough.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN


http://www.mortimerschnerd.com

Which saw/base do you have? I have the Delta base under my Uni and
it's great. Lifts high enough to clear any unevenness in the basement
floor, and when I lower it off the casters, it's rock solid. Made a ply
base to cover the bottom to put a shop vac on top and vertical partition
to mount a blade holder, miter gauge, etc.
Mark

Joe Shmoe wrote:

Hi all,

I bought a universal mobile base to put under my table saw and I have a
question. I put it together as per the instruction sheet and set it down
to test it, but -colour me stupid here- is the thing not supposed to be
immobile when in use? No matter where I position the levers the darn thing
keeps on moving. It gets a little more difficult to move in certain
positions but I really wouldn't want to rip a 2x4 with the base not
absolutely firm on the ground.

I also busted a bolt while hand-tightening it. Maybe I just got a piece of
crap?

In article M3nQb.253060$ts4.55713@pd7tw3no, Joe Shmoe
wrote:

I bought it from Lee Valley.

Well, there you go!

Just call them. They'll go out of their way to ensure the base is
working properly for you, and if it isn't I'll bet you $10 they offer
to either replace it or take it back with them paying the shipping.

djb

--
There are no socks in my email address.

"Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati"

Dave Balderstone wrote:

In article M3nQb.253060$ts4.55713@pd7tw3no, Joe Shmoe
wrote:

I bought it from Lee Valley.

Well, there you go!

Just call them. They'll go out of their way to ensure the base is
working properly for you, and if it isn't I'll bet you $10 they offer
to either replace it or take it back with them paying the shipping.

djb




Yes they will, gotta love those Canadians I'm thinking that the
problem is on my end though. The instructions for assembly were good,
there's just no instructions on how to use it. I know, I know, most of you
wreckers can figure these things out on your own, some of us just need
reassurance every now and then that we've done a setup properly.

I followed T's advice and put my tablesaw on the base. That did a lot to
stop it from moving but the only way I can find to stop it completely is to
put the levelling pads in a fully extended postion. Only problem there
though, is that now the saw is nowhere near 'level'. If I adjust the legs
to make the saw level, there is just way too much movement in the saw.

And now I see it's snowing outside. Great...

My $20 Harbor Freight bases work great which I'm guessing is a similar style
as yours. Solid as can be when in the down position and moves great when in
the mobile position. It really sounds like you don't have the adjustable
pads adjusted properly or you are trying to use them to make up for an
uneven floor. I don't think the adjustable pads are really designed to make
up for a big unevenness in your floor, maybe you're expecting them to do too
much? They should be adjustable to the point that the saw rests on them
when you lift the wheel and in the air when the wheel is down. This
shouldn't be difficult to do on a relatively even floor.

--
Larry C in Auburn, WA

"Joe Shmoe" wrote in message
news:ummQb.247649$X%5.112723@pd7tw2no...
Hi all,

I bought a universal mobile base to put under my table saw and I have a
question. I put it together as per the instruction sheet and set it down
to test it, but -colour me stupid here- is the thing not supposed to be
immobile when in use? No matter where I position the levers the darn
thing
keeps on moving. It gets a little more difficult to move in certain
positions but I really wouldn't want to rip a 2x4 with the base not
absolutely firm on the ground.

I also busted a bolt while hand-tightening it. Maybe I just got a piece
of
crap?

Larry C in Auburn, WA wrote:

My $20 Harbor Freight bases work great which I'm guessing is a similar
style
as yours. Solid as can be when in the down position and moves great when
in
the mobile position. It really sounds like you don't have the adjustable
pads adjusted properly or you are trying to use them to make up for an
uneven floor. I don't think the adjustable pads are really designed to
make up for a big unevenness in your floor, maybe you're expecting them to
do too
much? They should be adjustable to the point that the saw rests on them
when you lift the wheel and in the air when the wheel is down. This
shouldn't be difficult to do on a relatively even floor.



I'm sure the uneven floor is part ofthe problem. I'll have to find the
most even spot when I go to use it. For the most part I'm happy with the
base, gives me a little more roomm to move around.

Thanks for all the advice.

In article M3nQb.253060$ts4.55713@pd7tw3no,
Joe Shmoe wrote:

It's supposed to have 4 points. 2 wheels and 2 rubber "levelling pads".
In total there are 4 wheels but 2 of them have levers that (as I understand
it) are supposed to lift them off the ground. The 2 that are supposed to
lift are also the 2 that pivot.

I bought it from Lee Valley. Maybe I'm just doing something wrong. The
instructions weren't the greatest and after having one bolt break maybe I
should toss it before I causes me any more grief.

I have one from LV under my table saw; I presume the same model of
stand. I think it would require a very great effort to move it. How
heavy is your table saw? My general is over 300 lbs and nothing short of
good casters or really good slides will let it move easily once it is on
the floor. Actually, the little levers to pop it up on the feet require
quite a lot of force...