Harbor Freight portable machine base

[PTsideshow]

Since I brought the Delta/Rockwell model 14 inch bandsaw home. I have been trying to get it the basement. It seems a lot heavier then when I took it to my dads house 15 years or so. I bought the HF Mobile machine base. The instructions suck, the base is the same as others sold by the wood working stores and other tool importers, but on sale and the coupon you can't beat it.

First thing you should now is you are required to supply the hardwood frame rails. Also they don't supply enough hardware to bolt it together with all the available holes.

After cutting the wood to the proper length for machine base you have to add some and subtract some from the sides, so the base will fit the machine base. see photo below.

Put the rear wheels, first so the wood will be positioned correctly they don't go to the corners
Measure the size of the openings so the base will fit correctly. Also make sure that you put the bolts in so the heads are inside the framework. Then clamp the rails in place so you can drill the holes in the wood they suggest you drill thru the holes. They claim they are 3/8" but they are the next size smaller metric.

Here are the 3 holes on the rail and bracket. I drilled all 3 out and added the extra bolts nuts and lockwashers.
They have some all threaded bolts these are for the caster mounts. Also you will need to use the washers between the caster mounts and rail brackets to keep the mount straight. They have 4 larger nuts that are used to mount the casters to the mounts I also put a flat washer on each.

Completed unit

With the machine mounted in the base.
:clown:

 

[JCochrun]

How well does it work? I'm looking to get some mobile bases but wanted to get some honest reviews first. I built on for my mitre saw but it was kind of a pain and I don't have much scrap wood around now.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[PTsideshow]

Well I have an uneven floor with pot holes here and there. I will be greasing/lubing the straight axle back wheels before I start moving it around. I didn't do it during the assembly, I should have. The front casters are two inches tall so it is close to the floor, and to turn corners it will have to have a large radius or a lot of back and forth with a shuffling movement. Since only two wheels can turn (side ways).

I have then on the bandsaw for making the clean up easier not for a lot of moving around the shop. I think with the lube on the bolt axle and plastic wheel it will move easier than now although it does move. I will say that it moves well enough for my purposes. As with every thing this is my opinion and your mileage may vary. No point in paying more just for the Grizzly or Northern tool name on the box or what ever the big box stores are calling them these days. Went back today to get another one for the other bandsaw and both of them were gone. I think if I get one for my floor drill press I will have to have the base bolted to a plywood cut out since the old Delta has a rounded back side.
Any thing else just ask I will try to answer.

If it under 300hundered pounds then it should work.
:clown:

 

[PTsideshow]

To be clear it is just the low base not like the picture on the box with the legs of their table on the base.
:clown:

 

[joefyffe]

"Instructions suck" Instructions?? Instructions? Instructions????? You don't need no stinkin instructions!!! :biggrin: Are you trying to read the American side of the book, or the China side of the book? Instructions! :embarrassed::embarrassed: