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I started off with a pine 2x4 and a Harbor Freight mobile base kit (item#95288). The kit calls for hardwood, but I think the pine will do just fine.
I chopped 2 lengths of 2x4 on the miter saw.
Then to the tablesaw for a rip down the middle.
Next to the fun part. Lots of chips. Jointed all boards to finish dimensions of 1.25 x 1.5. Kit calls for 1.25" square, but the bottom of the brackets is open, so I left a bit extra on the height instead of turning it into sawdust.
The directions provided really do leave room for improvement. I gave them a quick read, but other than looking back at a picture once in a while just went from the hip. I ended up having to trim the long runners for wheel clearance, leveler clearance, and then once again for the big leveler pads when retracted. It was a bit of trail and error, but in the end not too much in the way of errors. Close to an error. Darn bolt heads stick into the region I planned on using. Fortunately I was able to get a little bit of wiggle room by removing the stock plastic feet from the base.
I can't say that I am overly impressed with the kit, but for the price it gets the job done. Mine was on sale for about $30. Only negative is that it requires 1.25in square stock, so you pretty much have to be able to mill lumber to size. So I guess you have to factor in time when you consider the savings over a kit that uses off the shelf 2x2 lumber. I had the 2x4 and wanted to work out the jointer so it was a good exercise for me.
I also posted this up on my blog with pictures if you are interested...
http://rollinglifestyle.blogspot.com...hips-fall.html
The Kit in question:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=95288
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dbhost commented
dbhost commented
I did as the OP did, which is simply rip a 2x4 into 1.25" widths, and leave the 1.5" dimension alone. For the leveler pads, I clearanced the bottom corner of the wood with the belt sander, so that there is a roundish notch that blends into the 1.25" dimension.
An item of note, In order to keep your holes dead on accurate, you will want to use a DP table, fence, or stop of some sort to line the bit up for your holes.
And very typical of HF instructions, you are better off without them.
As soon as I get the other two of these mobile bases finished, and a couple of weeks of use under them, I will write a more detailed build report, as well as usage report.
The low cost of this unit is quite appealing, and the quality so far looks pretty decent. It's the goofy design of the odd sized lumber requirement, combined with the incredibly bad instructions that make this a hassle IF you are wanting to just slap something together quick. IF on the other hand, you are up for some shop time, and trying to figure out how to make this thing work, it's actually kind of a fun little build up.
There is a potential for 5 of these in my shop.
#1. The one currently under the sander.
#2. The one that will be placed under the planer.
#3. The one that will be placed under the band saw.
#4. The one that will be placed under the future jointer, IF I get a Sunhill SM150B and place it on a stand.
#5. The one that will possibly be placed under my drill press with a plywood base between the corners.
My biggest concerns with these so far is how they will handle the nearly 200LBS of the riser block equipped band saw. All the other stuff is no concern.
*UPDATE* I tossed the second one together under the band saw tonight. Figuring out how to assemble the first one was the pain in the butt, the second one was easy. Knowing what I was doing, and having a proper drill press make this go together VERY easily. A proper write up with photos is pending. There was no flex whatsoever in this setup, even using the pine lumber. I have a couple of messed up rails on the one under the sander, those are going to get redone once I get a drill press table set up...
I now have all my tools on mobile bases of one type or another. This is my favorite of the bases I have used. I am not as much a fan of the cam type that lifts the machine for transport. Using lifting/leveling feet like this does is not as jarring and solves the issue that no matter where you go the floor won't be level there.