I have a General model 350 table saw with the 50" Biesmeyer fence. Since I
also have a welder and a metal cutting bandsaw I am thinking about building
a mobile base for it. I am planning on making something similar to the ones
sold by HTC. Does anyone have any experience with this type of base? Do you
have any likes or dislikes of the one you may have?
The saw is a great saw and I love the fence but the unit takes up a lot of
space and it would be nice to be able to roll it around out of the way on
occasion. Just wondering how well the mobile bases work with a 500# saw.
I bought a General 350 with a sliding table 2 weeks ago. It is still in
a crate. Because the weight is up to 750 lbs, HTC suggested I order an
HD model to carry it. The HTC base has the same numbering as the
standard version for the 50" extension tables. With the letters HD
following that number. It is a special order item, costing $100 extra
The tool dealership stood behind the HTC equipment. I guess I'll find
out when this is all installed in my new shop one month from now.
Gary Curtis
Los Angeles
On Sat, 03 Dec 2005 17:11:55 GMT, "Leon"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Mine is a left tilt and the base is 22.25" wide at the saw cabinet. The
>wheels are located on center 9 inches from the left of the base.
Thanks for checking. My wheels are in the same spot.
Maybe my base has a bad weld or other defect.
Barry
Well since Barry basically has the same saw more or less that I have I will
have to reinforce the basic design which would not be a problem. I would
probably use 2x3 x1/8 tubing for the extension and 3x3x3/16 angle for the
saw base. I was also planning on adding some storage drawers like Leon says
he has so I could probably incorporate the frame for them into stiffening
the extension part. Probably should overbuild it to begin with so I don't
have to install the saw on the base more than once. I assume I will have to
take the saw apart to get it on the base. I remember it was a real bear
getting it into the basement by myself. Had to take it all apart so that is
not a job you would want to repeat any more than you have to.
Since my basement floor is not the smoothest and most level floor around I
was thinking of using two solid wheels under the saw base and one locking
swivel wheel under the extension. Then I was thinking of placing two t-bolts
on the outer edges of the extension that could be screwed down to contact
the floor and stabilize the base.
What kind of saw do you have mounted on the base Leon?
"Leon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Ba r r y" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> On Sat, 03 Dec 2005 11:51:20 GMT, Ba r r y
>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> The single spanning member is too
>>>flexible. With the brakes locked, the saw will rock back very easily.
>>
>> I'd like to clarify that the rocking is NOT due to the three wheel
>> design. I have no complaints with three wheel bases. Three wheel
>> bases are more stable than four wheel bases on my concrete floor.
>> Every one of my four wheel (or footed) bases will rock on uneven
>> floors.
>
> I wonder if you may have gotten the wrong base for your saw. I know that
> the problems you describe will happen if you got the base for the opposite
> tilt saw. The 2 wheels that are under the saw get placed in different
> positions depending on left or right tilt. Mine is the "lolly pop" design
> and I have probably 2 hundred pounds of extra drawers, shelves, and
> accessories under the right table extension and every thing is rock
> steady. My base also has a triangle welded at the union of the saw base
> and the single beam that extends out under the right table extension.
>
"bitternut" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I have a General model 350 table saw with the 50" Biesmeyer fence. Since I
>also have a welder and a metal cutting bandsaw I am thinking about building
>a mobile base for it. I am planning on making something similar to the ones
>sold by HTC. Does anyone have any experience with this type of base? Do you
>have any likes or dislikes of the one you may have?
>
> The saw is a great saw and I love the fence but the unit takes up a lot of
> space and it would be nice to be able to roll it around out of the way on
> occasion. Just wondering how well the mobile bases work with a 500# saw.
I have the HTC mobile base built for and sold by Jet. Mine is for the 52"
rip capacity Jet cabinet saw.
I like it a lot. I like the 3 wheel configuration. 2 wheels located just
off center in front and back of the saw cabinet and swivel wheel near the
end of the right table extension. I never use the brakes and the saw stays
where I put it. The big advantage of the 3 wheel mobile base is that it
never rocks or needs to be leveled.
Also consider building the out feed roller set up that HTC sells. This is
all mounted on the cabinet of the saw such that you can move the saw around
with the rear extension rollers in the up position. Again, no legs to
level.
"bitternut" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I have a General model 350 table saw with the 50" Biesmeyer fence. Since I
>also have a welder and a metal cutting bandsaw I am thinking about building
>a mobile base for it. I am planning on making something similar to the ones
>sold by HTC. Does anyone have any experience with this type of base? Do you
>have any likes or dislikes of the one you may have?
>
> The saw is a great saw and I love the fence but the unit takes up a lot of
> space and it would be nice to be able to roll it around out of the way on
> occasion. Just wondering how well the mobile bases work with a 500# saw.
If you are going to copy something copy the Delta mobile base... If you DAGS
you'll find some long discussions on the pros and cons of the HTC/Jet vs.
and Delta base. I've got a Delta under my Jet 3 HP Cabinet Saw with 50"
fence and it works great.
The whole notion of a tri-pod wheel base sounds good but in practice I don't
like it... you are always on the three wheels. I've got a Delta base under
my DJ-20 jointer which works great. The HTC base under my Jet 18" bandsaw,
on the other hand, is very unstable...
John
"mm" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> The whole notion of a tri-pod wheel base sounds good but in practice I
> don't like it... you are always on the three wheels.
Which is fine. I have been using this set up for 5 years with no problems.
No leveling, No rocking, ever.
I've got a Delta base under
> my DJ-20 jointer which works great. The HTC base under my Jet 18" bandsaw,
> on the other hand, is very unstable...
Way to top heavy for a tripod.
>
> John
>
"Ba r r y" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Sat, 03 Dec 2005 17:11:55 GMT, "Leon"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Mine is a left tilt and the base is 22.25" wide at the saw cabinet. The
>>wheels are located on center 9 inches from the left of the base.
>
> Thanks for checking. My wheels are in the same spot.
>
> Maybe my base has a bad weld or other defect.
Imagine.... LOL. Did yours also have the triangular reinforcement piece at
the intersection of the base and the beam extending out to the end of the
right table extension?
On Sat, 03 Dec 2005 11:51:20 GMT, Ba r r y
<[email protected]> wrote:
> The single spanning member is too
>flexible. With the brakes locked, the saw will rock back very easily.
I'd like to clarify that the rocking is NOT due to the three wheel
design. I have no complaints with three wheel bases. Three wheel
bases are more stable than four wheel bases on my concrete floor.
Every one of my four wheel (or footed) bases will rock on uneven
floors.
The 650's rocking is most obvious when the saw is pushed from the
ends, as in over the motor cover or the end of the fence table. The
single spanner visibly flexes during the motion. The base is flexible
enough that the operator's free hand can easily get the motion going
during rips.
Bolting the saw body and table legs to the base would probably help,
but is more difficult than it sounds.
Barry
On Sat, 03 Dec 2005 13:56:35 GMT, "Leon"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I wonder if you may have gotten the wrong base for your saw. I know that
>the problems you describe will happen if you got the base for the opposite
>tilt saw. The 2 wheels that are under the saw get placed in different
>positions depending on left or right tilt.
Where are your wheels? I'd like to check mine.
Thanks!
Barry
"Ba r r y" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Sat, 03 Dec 2005 11:51:20 GMT, Ba r r y
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> The single spanning member is too
>>flexible. With the brakes locked, the saw will rock back very easily.
>
> I'd like to clarify that the rocking is NOT due to the three wheel
> design. I have no complaints with three wheel bases. Three wheel
> bases are more stable than four wheel bases on my concrete floor.
> Every one of my four wheel (or footed) bases will rock on uneven
> floors.
I wonder if you may have gotten the wrong base for your saw. I know that
the problems you describe will happen if you got the base for the opposite
tilt saw. The 2 wheels that are under the saw get placed in different
positions depending on left or right tilt. Mine is the "lolly pop" design
and I have probably 2 hundred pounds of extra drawers, shelves, and
accessories under the right table extension and every thing is rock steady.
My base also has a triangle welded at the union of the saw base and the
single beam that extends out under the right table extension.
On Fri, 2 Dec 2005 17:54:11 -0500, "bitternut"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I have a General model 350 table saw with the 50" Biesmeyer fence. Since I
>also have a welder and a metal cutting bandsaw I am thinking about building
>a mobile base for it. I am planning on making something similar to the ones
>sold by HTC. Does anyone have any experience with this type of base? Do you
>have any likes or dislikes of the one you may have?
The HTC base under my General 650 is all but useless and was the
biggest waste of $175 I've seen.
The base I'm talking about has one long leg spanning from the main
body to the tray for the fence table, and two wheels centered on the
main body and a third on one end. The single spanning member is too
flexible. With the brakes locked, the saw will rock back very easily.
I've had to install an elaborate network of wooden wedges to stabilize
the base, totally destroying any concept of mobility. Removing and
reinstalling the wedges is so annoying, I seek every work around
before moving the saw. The base's only value to me is that it raises
the saw to a height that is more comfortable to me.
Since you've got the metalworking gear, I'd suggest a rectangular form
over HTC's lollipop design. With an extra spanning member and maybe
some added gussets, you'd be good to go.
I'd like to have mine modified, but getting the saw off of it is no
trivial matter! 8^(
Barry
"bitternut" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> What kind of saw do you have mounted on the base Leon?
A Jet JTAS -10 Cabinet saw.
If you saw is a left tilt and the motor is on the left side you want the
wheels a few inches left of the center line of the saw. If it is close to
center or right of center on a left tilt the stand will be unstable and you
may wind up with a see-saw effect. I never have to apply any brakes on my
mobile stand as it takes some effort to just get it to rolling.
"Ba r r y" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Sat, 03 Dec 2005 13:56:35 GMT, "Leon"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
> Where are your wheels? I'd like to check mine.
> Thanks!
> Barry
Mine is a left tilt and the base is 22.25" wide at the saw cabinet. The
wheels are located on center 9 inches from the left of the base. From what
I understand right tilt saws have the wheels located to the right side of
the center of the saw. If you have a left tilt setting on a right tilt base
the majority of the weight will be located left of the wheels and the wheel
under the right table will have less weight and be less stable.
Alternatively if you have a right tilt on a left tilt base there could be
too much weight situated between the wheels with the swivel wheel under the
extension carrying too much weight. That situation would put a strain on
the lolly pop stick union with the base.
Seriously, I have to lean into the saw at the extension table end to get the
saw to move with no brakes applied.