Mobile base for drill press, any ideas?
 

Just picked up the DP400 from Lowes for $220. But I would really like to
have a mobile base for it seeing that it is good size for my garage. There
was one idea I found online here
http://www.tundraware.com/Woodworkin...istMobileBase/

Now this is not bad but I'd like to have more of footprint than just the
drill base itself. The manual suggests at least 3" extra all around. We
have a couple of drills this size at work but they are bolted to the cement,
so I don't know how tipsy they get without securing. Of course bolting to
the ground is best. The ones at work don't move at all which is great .

Of the mobile bases that I saw for sale the Delta 50-345 looks best to me in
that I could make a plywood base to fit the mobile part and I like the
simple lifting 3rd wheel.

And there is the HTC2000 by I don't know who really but the delta just looks
easier overall.

Now I really don't have the funds I want to put out $50 at this point for a
mobile base, I need to buy some building supplies for my project instead.
I'd like to cut this cost in half at least.

Any ideas?

I have mine mounted on casters with no locking mechanism of any
type. The casters only hold the base off the floor about 1/2
inch. I have never found it to be awkward to have it moveable, my
drill press work just doesn't seem inclined to move the tool. The
same is true for my bandsaw, miter saw, stationary sander (I have
had to chock the wheels on the sander if I'm being aggressive),
and planer Let the tools do the work.

Save the mobile base stuff for the table saw and jointer
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"Grant" wrote in message
news:_cnYc.5695$bT1.379@fed1read07...
Just picked up the DP400 from Lowes for $220. But I would
really like to
have a mobile base for it seeing that it is good size for my
garage. There
was one idea I found online here
http://www.tundraware.com/Woodworkin...istMobileBase/

Now this is not bad but I'd like to have more of footprint than
just the
drill base itself. The manual suggests at least 3" extra all
around. We
have a couple of drills this size at work but they are bolted to
the cement,
so I don't know how tipsy they get without securing. Of course
bolting to
the ground is best. The ones at work don't move at all which is
great .

Of the mobile bases that I saw for sale the Delta 50-345 looks
best to me in
that I could make a plywood base to fit the mobile part and I
like the
simple lifting 3rd wheel.

And there is the HTC2000 by I don't know who really but the
delta just looks
easier overall.

Now I really don't have the funds I want to put out $50 at this
point for a
mobile base, I need to buy some building supplies for my project
instead.
I'd like to cut this cost in half at least.

Any ideas?

On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 09:09:30 -0700, "Grant" wrote:

Just picked up the DP400 from Lowes for $220. But I would really like to
have a mobile base for it seeing that it is good size for my garage. There
was one idea I found online here
http://www.tundraware.com/Woodworkin...istMobileBase/

That is so scary I can't believe someone actually did it.


- -
LRod

Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite

Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999

http://www.woodbutcher.net

Yes I can appreciate the resourcefulness but it looks a bit to "minimalist"
for me.

"LRod" wrote
http://www.tundraware.com/Woodworkin...istMobileBase/
That is so scary I can't believe someone actually did it.

I don't understand this urge to go out and buy things that we can easily
make in our shops and save money by doing it.

I make my mobile bases out of scrap ends of 2x4s laid horizonitally,
joined at the corners with glued mortises and tenons. But you can make
simple lap joints screwed or bolted together if your prefer.

I mount four casters and there you are. I use locking casters or a "step
on" spring loaded door stop to keep it from moving.

What could be more simple to craftsmen like us?

Peace ~ Sir Edgat
=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F 8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=
=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8=F8

I agree. I have put some mobile bases together in a couple of hours using
leftovers from my shop. However, the thing that often escalates the
shop-build cost to near that of a commercial base is the price of those
pesky swivel and locking casters. He will need fairly good sized wheels to
maintain stability when moving the drill press.

Do you have a good source for wheels? I have salvaged grocery cart parts
before but they are kinda hard to come by (honorably).


"Sir Edgar" wrote in message
...
I don't understand this urge to go out and buy things that we can easily
make in our shops and save money by doing it.

I make my mobile bases out of scrap ends of 2x4s laid horizonitally,
joined at the corners with glued mortises and tenons. But you can make
simple lap joints screwed or bolted together if your prefer.

I mount four casters and there you are. I use locking casters or a "step
on" spring loaded door stop to keep it from moving.

What could be more simple to craftsmen like us?

Peace ~ Sir Edgat
øøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøøø

By the way - In my humble opinion the best solution to this problem might be
put something else on wheels and find a permanent home for the drill press.
In spite of some conflicting opinions, if you ever roll against a nail, or
chunk of wood, and get the head ahead of the center of gravity (high!), it
will be on the floor before you can react.

You don't want to be under it.

Well.........OK. Good Point!

Reminds me of a boss I had at a former job. We were moving some of the
computer equipment around and he told us to be careful. If we fall, we were
to put ourselves between the computers and the ground. "Flesh grows back,
but computers cost money" was his phrase.. He was not kidding.

On of the many reasons it is a "former" job.

wrote in message
...
On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 13:32:02 -0500, "RonB" wrote:

By the way - In my humble opinion the best solution to this problem might
be
put something else on wheels and find a permanent home for the drill
press.
In spite of some conflicting opinions, if you ever roll against a nail,
or
chunk of wood, and get the head ahead of the center of gravity (high!),
it
will be on the floor before you can react.

You don't want to be under it.

Then how can you prevent it getting damaged.
Throwing your body under it is the only way to go.
Broken bones heal, but a bent up DP is forever.g

And this is what makes the Delta moblie base look so good. But the price is
beyond what I really want to fork out right now. Heck the Delta would be
nearly a 1/4 of the price of the Drill Press itself. And at least with
something like the Delta base I'd have something I could use for something
else later on. But again the price, even if it is fair, is beyond what I
want to spend right now.

I might just be stuck putting a plywood base on the drill press so it is
more stable as the manual suggests and just slide it around as needed for
the time being. It weighs in at 200lbs, which is about 30lbs more than
mine. But I feel I could handle it


"RonB" wrote
I agree. I have put some mobile bases together in a couple of hours using
leftovers from my shop. However, the thing that often escalates the
shop-build cost to near that of a commercial base is the price of those
pesky swivel and locking casters.

After looking at that thing in the URL, yours is a point well worth making! I
once had to move a floor DP with an hand truck, and the darn thing got away
from me on a turn. I managed to grab the top and stay upright, but it took
both hands, so picture me standing there, unable to move, and trying to figure
out what to do with this thing. (Obvious answer: slowly lower to the floor and
go get a cup of coffee instead.)

The problem with bolting on a stable frame is that you typically want to be
able to put the DP up against a wall, and there's no good way to stabilize it
for moving unless you extend the frame behind it a ways.

GerryG

On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 18:22:46 GMT, am wrote:

On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 09:09:30 -0700, "Grant" wrote:

Just picked up the DP400 from Lowes for $220. But I would really like to
have a mobile base for it seeing that it is good size for my garage. There
was one idea I found online here
http://www.tundraware.com/Woodworkin...istMobileBase/

Any ideas?

Yes, Don't use the one in the url above if you value your health.

I have the mobile Delta base. It was included "free" when I bought
the bandsaw. I did see a neat shop-made mobile base with the plans in
a (far back) issue of ShopNotes. It was based on a stick with two
wheels and a hook on the end. You slip the hook under an eyelet in
the base and "pry" up the base by pushing down on the stick. The base
itself has two wheels. Most of the cost would be in the wheels, total
cost well under $20.

On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 13:47:51 -0700, "Grant" wrote:

And this is what makes the Delta moblie base look so good. But the price is
beyond what I really want to fork out right now. Heck the Delta would be
nearly a 1/4 of the price of the Drill Press itself. And at least with
something like the Delta base I'd have something I could use for something
else later on. But again the price, even if it is fair, is beyond what I
want to spend right now.

I might just be stuck putting a plywood base on the drill press so it is
more stable as the manual suggests and just slide it around as needed for
the time being. It weighs in at 200lbs, which is about 30lbs more than
mine. But I feel I could handle it


"RonB" wrote
I agree. I have put some mobile bases together in a couple of hours using
leftovers from my shop. However, the thing that often escalates the
shop-build cost to near that of a commercial base is the price of those
pesky swivel and locking casters.

Here's a half of $50 solution at www.homier.com. (Go to tools --
Accessories and scroll.) They have traveling tool shows and a mail order
business. Poor quality generally, but the mobile base works great for
my DP. The base is 3-4" wider on each side, and 1-2" longer. (I can
measure it if you send me an email.) It costs $16.99 plus about $10
shipping (unless they are in your neighborhood), and maybe tax. I
wouldn't use the base for anything with a bigger footprint or much more
weight (or for pushing uphill or downhill), but for the drill press it
has proved stable and cheap.

David

Grant wrote:

Just picked up the DP400 from Lowes for $220. But I would really like to
have a mobile base for it seeing that it is good size for my garage. There
was one idea I found online here
http://www.tundraware.com/Woodworkin...istMobileBase/

Now this is not bad but I'd like to have more of footprint than just the
drill base itself. The manual suggests at least 3" extra all around. We
have a couple of drills this size at work but they are bolted to the cement,
so I don't know how tipsy they get without securing. Of course bolting to
the ground is best. The ones at work don't move at all which is great .

Of the mobile bases that I saw for sale the Delta 50-345 looks best to me in
that I could make a plywood base to fit the mobile part and I like the
simple lifting 3rd wheel.

And there is the HTC2000 by I don't know who really but the delta just looks
easier overall.

Now I really don't have the funds I want to put out $50 at this point for a
mobile base, I need to buy some building supplies for my project instead.
I'd like to cut this cost in half at least.

Any ideas?

Two square pieces of 3/4" ply and 4 - 3" swivel casters I got from
Grizzly's Summer sale (something like 150 lb. rating on each and for
like $2-3 each). I put the locking type on the front. Doesn't move
except when I want it to and total price was around $12 (ply was
scrap).
Cheers,
cc

Yeah that looks like it would work if it was 21" by 28", which is 3" extra
around the actual base. The manual says to use this measurement if not
bolting to ground directly. If I did buy a base I'd like to get it near
this measurement.


"David" wrote Here's a half of $50 solution at www.homier.com. (Go to
tools --
Accessories and scroll.)