Going Mobile

[leehljp]

I have been forced to be mobile due to space limitations. One thing I used to do was use two fixed and two locking swivel casters. I have changed the casters most moble bases to all "swivel and lock" casters, and really like it.

[BizCoach]

quote:Originally posted by DaveinFloweryBranchGA
I recently began building a "swing into position" wheel set similar to the homemade mobile bases for the other tools they are describing coming from the wood magazine small shop issue. I plan to attach this to my already constructed base. Were you concerned with stability, you could enlage the base a bit.

Dave, Can you tell me more about the "swing into position" wheel set or post a link to pix and plans?
Thanks

[Woodnut]

quote:Originally posted by doctordremel

Now for something COMPLETELY different… Not long ago I ran across in an industrial warehousing catalog (which, alas, I cant find now) a “pneumatic mover”
...I wish I could help with the math as to what flow/pressure would be needed to lift 100-300 lbs that most of our machines weigh, but it might be worth a shot to experiment...

[Italics added]

Well, I'm not an enginneer, but by my recon'ing, a 2'x 2' base with 10 PSI should be generating ~5,760* pounds of force on the lower part of the base. Now I know that the CFM will come into play here, but that seems like a lot of "fudge" factor (5,500# or so) to me.

* [24 x 24 x 10]

[DaveinFloweryBranchGA]

quote:Originally posted by BizCoach
Dave, Can you tell me more about the "swing into position" wheel set or post a link to pix and plans?
Thanks

BizCoach,

Sorry to take so long to reply, but here is a description of what I did.

First, take a 2" X 2" hardwood board or two laminated 3/4" plywood boards cut to the length of the side of the drill press you want to put wheels on.

Second, (after squaring up the boards on all sides) mill a slotted hole suitable for a 3/8th's inch bolt to go through near each end where the wheels will be. These slots will be perpendicular to the floor and only need to be long enough to allow the board to slide up and down enough to engage the wheels. The wheels are mounted on the bottom of the boards at each end. I used casters just big and strong enough to allow my drill press to move around the garage easily.

Third, mount the boards with the wheels to the desired sides using 2 each 3/8ths inch bolts with a piece of thing metal used both as a washer and a spacer to keep the botls from folding over towards each other under stress. I used a piece of bracket material I bought from Ace Hardware, then drilled and cut with a hacksaw, then rounded the edges off. Basically, it's an elongated washer that runs between each bolt to stabilize them and keep the amounted wheels from slipping out.

Fourth, build one large or two smaller "cam shaped" locking arms. I made two simple ones by using an elongated tear drop shape with a 3/8ths inch hole in the middle of the largest section. I then mounted it with a bolt laying on it's side just above the "wheeled bar" described above. When I want to move the drill press, I rotate the "cam arm/handle" until it locks the "wheeled bar" in position.

Notes: 1. You only have to move the wheels just enough above the floor to make the base stationary and you only have to raise the base high enough off the floor (by pushing the "wheeled bars" down with the cam/lever/handles) to get the entire thing to roll.

2. You want to have two "stop blocks" for each cam/lever and some type of loop to keep them from slipping. I just used a piece of leather and drilled a small hole in one lever and a notch in the other. I pull them towards each other, the stop blocks stop them at a vertical position and I lock them in place with the leather loop.

I hope the above makes sense. These devices took a bit of time to build, but were simple and effective in construction. The biggest cost was the non locking casters. I apologize, but the daughter in law borrowed the digital camera a year ago and hasn't returned it. We may have to buy another, I'm suspecting.

Dave

[BizCoach]

Dave,
Thanks. I'll try and get a mental image of what you're doing from the words you put down.

Sounds like you need DILaw to get you a digital camera for Christmas. They're a lot cheaper now than they ever were. Wish tool prices went down like electronics do!