My Mobile Base

[yamato72]

Attached here are a couple build-up pics for my mobile base, it is based to some degree on the woodstore.net plans and also on Ray's design. I simplified the torsion box base construction somewhat by making dadoes but not notching the ribs.

The most important design consideration for me was to create a "pocket" to store the SMT when it was not in use. This dictated the width of the saw cabinet and I had to contend with some funky angles since the top of the "pocket" is the underside of the sawdust shelf.

My garage is my workshop and I am constantly contending with cars and lawnmowers and such whenever I am making any sawdust, so the base is completed only to the point where I could install the saw. The router cabinet and drawers will come later, but right now I intend to build a similar cabinet for my compound miter saw.

I would love to hear any comments or questions.

This is my first project with MDF and it works pretty well, though I don't like the raw edges so I will likely wrap them in strips of maple.

I worked on these plans for months and I believe that I was able to get to the point where most of the dimensions were simple (no 2'-13/32" cuts). There is an 8th inch reveal on most surfaces and the face frame aligns with the inside edge of the rails, so that when I build the router cabinet the rails will attach to the face frame.

The overall length is 5'6" and the depth is roughly the distance between the rails. Hardware is from the Grizzly store on Amazon.com.

[chopnhack]

Very cool Yamato! I love how you came up with that angled slot for storing the smt, that was really interesting. Can you tell us more about the caster attachment and what type were used? Pics? Thanks.

[Uncle Cracker]

Very nice job!

[jaspast]

Why did you make it extend so far to the right?

[bigstick509]

[Cochese]

Those are some clean dadoes. Router or saw?

[yamato72]

Thanks for the comments, guys. Hopefully it won't take too long to finish up.

I made the dadoes with my PC890 router.

The casters are http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ef=oss_product

The drawer slides are http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ef=oss_product

Locating the saw all the way to the left was a running change that I made, mainly to contain the sawdust. The space to the right of the saw will be to store the rip fence, miter fence, etc.

In looking at other designs, I saw quite a few with the rails extending past the left edge of the cabinet.

[yamato72]

A little better view of the casters.

I wanted the base to sit lower so they are mounted outside the torsion box; relying on the cabinets above to keep the top skin true.

You can also see that I lose some storage space on account of the SMT pocket / dust shelf.

Those ribs on the very end were added afterwards. Had I planned better I would have run the long ribs all the way to the end and then dadoed and boxed the center ribs. I will improve that design on the base for my compund miter saw (though I am not planning on doing a full torsion box).

Sorry for the burn marks, I'm not as accomplished as you guys, plus I had an inexperienced helper assisting me with the long rips.

[dbhost]

I like it, but I am a bit confused by the pocket for the SMT. What is the advantage of removing the SMT? I'd be worried about throwing it out of alignment by removing / reinstalling it all the time...

[yamato72]

I like it, but I am a bit confused by the pocket for the SMT. What is the advantage of removing the SMT? I'd be worried about throwing it out of alignment by removing / reinstalling it all the time...

I have to store all of my equipment in a narrow space at the back of the garage whenever I'm not using it, and the SMT sticks out so much that it has to come off. So in between storage and the occasional times when I have to take it off, I want it safely stowed out of the way.

I've spent 10 years with BTs and in my experience, there is never a safe place for me to stash the SMT and when it is off the saw it is a magnet for damage.

The goal of this cabinet is really to be able to stow everything and roll it in and out of position as needed. It will be the same with the other bases I'm building.

[yamato72]

Why did you make it extend so far to the right?

I just realized that I mis-read your question. Below is the basic plan I've been working from. As you can see I've made some changes:

[pelligrini]

Looks cool. Don't worry about the burn marks, it's just shop furniture. (that's what I try to tell myself too). The SMT pocket is a neat feature. You'll probably be vacuuming it out at times though. I assume you don't have any tall drops or thresholds to go over. I tried mounting some casters similarly on a base I was doing for my jointer. My bright idea worked pretty well inside the shop until I tried moving it over the 1 1/2" drop at my shed doors.

Are you planning on extending the rails to the right too? You called it a dust shelf, I'm assuming you don't have dust collection yet. Your design should be easily adaptable to provide collection for the saw and future router cabinet.

I've never really had any problems with getting the SMT out of alignment. I take mine on and off the saw fairly often. It used to get stowed safely in some stud space in my shed, but a bunch of cutoffs have taken up residence there. I still try to keep it out of the way. It can take some abuse, but I wouldn't want to push it.

[yamato72]

Test

Test post - anyone else having trouble posting to this thread?

[pelligrini]

Looks cool. Don't worry about the burn marks, it's just shop furniture. (that's what I try to tell myself too). The SMT pocket is a neat feature. You'll probably be vacuuming it out at times though. I assume you don't have any tall drops or thresholds to go over. I tried mounting some casters similarly on a base I was doing for my jointer. My bright idea worked pretty well inside the shop until I tried moving it over the 1 1/2" drop at my shed doors.

Are you planning on extending the rails to the right too? You called it a dust shelf, I'm assuming you don't have dust collection yet. Your design should be easily adaptable to provide collection for the saw and future router cabinet.

I've never really had any problems with getting the SMT out of alignment. I take mine on and off the saw fairly often. It used to get stowed safely in some stud space in my shed, but a bunch of cutoffs have taken up residence there. I still try to keep it out of the way. It can take some abuse, but I wouldn't want to push it.

[gnal41]

Your base is a very clean pratical design. I have the same problem as you, garage not deep enough and I have to remove the SMT when saw is not in use. I often thought of a base design that would help with the SMT space problem, but your solution trumps my ideas -VERY NICE DESIGN!