Floor Drill Press Mobile Base

[SHADOWFOX]

I am putting together my Delta 17-968 drill press and this thing is huge. I am debating wether I should put it on a mobile base or just leave it stationary.. Anybody got a mobile base set up ideas that you can share? Would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you!

[cabinetman]

I've had four different floor model drill presses that were heavy enough not to warrant bolting to the floor. Any time there were long items to drill on one end, I would set up a support for the long end. For a mobile base, you could simply bolt the base to a piece of 3/4" ply that was large enough to mount swivel locking casters. If your casters are mounted outboard of the dimension of the base, you should have no stability problem. Keep in mind the major weight of the DP will be higher, and rolling it around should be done with care. Just keep the area clean. Don't participate in drill press races.



"I'M NEVER WRONG - BUT I'M NOT ALWAYS RIGHT"

[SARGE..g-47]

If I had to choose one major power tool I don't want mobile, it is the drill press. As Cabinetman mentioned, it's top heavy (just moved one last night with a tall hand-truck and a helper to keep it from shifting to make way for a large BS). A mobile base would work, but I would make it much wider (and real sturdy) than the actual foot-print to counter the squirreliness of that off-centered weight which makes it top-heavy.

If I make the base wider, I lose floor space on a machine that usually doesn't get too much long stock. So... I leave it stationary on the floor for stability and when I need to put a piece of long stock on it, the machines beside it are mobile and I can just roll them out of the way to make way for support extentions. Or if the stock is not overly long, the height of the DP table will usually leave the stock high enough to clear the machines on each side if additional support is not needed.

Regards...

[Tom Miller]

I have my DP (Jet 17") in a corner for space considerations, and need to pull it forward every so often to work on longer stock. I have it on an HTC 2000 mobile base (same as for my jointer and bandsaw), which works well. It's very stable in place, and feels stable enough while moving; partly because I have a fairly wide DP table to hold on to.

This type of stand can be configured such that the front wheels are outboard, making it more stable than the DP alone.

Regards,
Tom

[os1kne]

If you do build a mobile base, you might want to consider adding weight (lead shot, sandbags, steel plates, etc.) to the base to counterbalance the top heaviness.

Good luck.

[SHADOWFOX]

Thanks for the responses guys!!

Anybody care to post a pic of their set up?

[jnesmith]

Chris:

I have mine on an HTC2000 and like it. I just need to roll it out a foot or so to use it; I don't wheel it all over the place.

[Whaler]

I have my Jet on a Shop Fox base and it is very stable.