Caster are to high

[BMiles]

I just bought a used BT3100 with the caster kit. I have to lift the saw pretty high to move it. Is there an easy way to make the caster lower to the ground?

thanks

[LCHIEN]

Some people have put a wedge shaped piece of wood between the caster and the stand... it tilts the wheel closer to the floor so you don't have to lift the saw so high to move it. May need some longer bolts at the top 2 bolts on each caster.

[Turaj]

As Loring said, put a few washers on the top bolt to tilt the castors downward. You still need to lift the other end but not as high. I had it that way before I made a complete mobile base for it.

[atgcpaul]

You will get tired of picking up and moving the saw like a wheelbarrow soon enough because everything on top will slide off.

Consider building a base like this in the near future. It keeps the saw table parallel to the ground and when the base is disengaged, the saw rests on its own leg levelers. I built something similar to this when I had a BT3. It required very little materials and made the BT3 very easy to move around.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8KUfxS_nCA

[LCHIEN]

You probably don't need a wedge. Just cut a 3/4 thick piece of wood about three inches long and one inch wide and drill two holes in it (You need two of these) and put it between the top of the casters and the frame of the base. You will need longer bolts for the top at least.
Add more spacers if you need using metal washers. The idea would be to get the lowest edge of the wheel to be just a fraction of an inch above the floor before you try to lift the end of the saw and transfer the weight onto the wheels..

[tfischer]

One of the best things I ever did for my saw was put it on a Herc-U-Lift Plus. Unfortunately they don't make them anymore, but if you ever see one, snatch it up.

Just stomp on the pedal to raise saw up an inch or so and have it ride on the casters. Step on the release and it's back on its own 4 legs and stationary.

[LCHIEN]

The various mobile tool bases are a better idea - like the Herculift or the old HTC2000 Don't know if either are still sold or if there's newer models. Search for mobile tool base on Google.

Here's an excerpt from my BT3 FAQ (see my tag line to get a copy)

How do I make the saw mobile?
The castors supplied with the accessory kit are one way but generally regarded as a bad thing. This is because you have to raise one end to “wheelbarrow” the saw – its heavy and strains the rails (maybe). The amount you have to tilt to get the saw on the wheels and off the legs to roll is seemingly excessive.

There are commercial “mobile bases” or mobile tool bases sold. Ridgid Herculift (required drilling holes in the tool stand), HTC2000 (Amazon - $45) with adjustable steel rail base, Harbor Freight – cheap but you have to supply wood rails and others including Delta, Sears, Woodcraft sell mobile bases.

Users have made many various forms of rolling tool stands/bases/extended wide table arrangements, many of which are pictured on the http://www.bt3central.com/index.php?page=articles site.

The Sears Craftsman 21829 model is the last remaining version of the BT3 available new and incorporates a compact fold up wheel system that adds to the cost but many owners have expressed a liking for. Once folded, the saw can be wheeled and when stopped it stands on end taking the least space for storage, a significant advantage for some.

[tfischer]

I have HTC2000-ish bases on my band saw and jointer... don't like them nearly as well as the Herc-U-Lift. The tool isn't as stable as it isn't on its own 4 legs and always on 2 wheels, and it's a PITA to maneuver (especially the jointer) as you have to really swing one end around to steer it. The Herc has 4 casters and you can push it in any direction, and when it's 'parked' it's just as stable as if it isn't on any base (and no higher off the ground).

No idea why they dropped it. They still sell it standard with at least one Ridgid table saw.

I was maneuvering a long, heavy board across the jointer a few months ago and just about tipped the whole machine backward. Scared the crap out of me. Maybe this would have still happened without the mobile base because the thing is so ridiculously top heavy, but I don't know...

[ballard770]

1) I have a bt3000 on a Shop Fox mobile base. From Grizzly for about $75 + shipping. I live close to Bellingham store so I don't have to deal with shipping. It works fairly well but the lock devices are a PITA as they have disappeared.
2) a second bt3000 on an HTC mobile base, seems to work ok.

3) a third bt3000 stand (i use it for a lapidary saw) has two 5" casters instead of the puny ones from Ryobi and the wheel is closer to the floor plus it extends an inch+ forward giving it better leverage to move the cart. Probably the cheapest solution - less than $20.00 from Harbor Freight and assuming that the saw isn't moved too far or often harbor freight should be OK.

[cwsmith]

I just did a quick Google search for "Ridgid AC9950 Herculift" and got the following link:

http://www.toolpartsdirect.com/tti-ac9950-acc-ridgid-herc-u-lift-plus.html

The website shows that it's available for $149.17 plus shipping. A bit expensive compared to what they originally sold for ($75 IIRC). The website indicates that they are available, or I should say it lets me add one to the "shopping cart".

I bought I have one on my BT3100 and on my thickness planer. The thing of it was, that when I bought my BT3 back in 2005 I inquired about the Herc-U-Lift at my local HD and they told be they never heard of it; several months later they had a skid full on clearance. I bought four of them, two for $35 and a week later two for $18, then they were gone.

CWS