Mobile bandsaw base

[NUTTSGT]

Since I picked up my bandsaw this past Summer, I've wanted a mobile base for it. My miter saw and table saw roll around and I wanted the same for the band saw. At about 60 bucks to buy one, I knew I could make one cheaper, plus give me something to do.

Here's what I started with plus another piece of steel. The casters came from a HF dolley.

After some measuring and thought, I cut the angle iron and some 1/8 steel for caster mounts. I laid them out on the bench to make sure it would all jive.

I clamped it down and started to tack it together.

It all looked good so I welded everything up. While it cooled, I drilled and tapped some 3/4" bolts for the retractable feet.

 

[NUTTSGT]

After the bolts were tapped, I added washers to the bottom to make them wider and hopefully take up any vibration I might get from the running bandsaw.

It was at this point, I realized I forget to drill the holes for the retractable legs to go through. Needless to say, I had to drill them (7/8") while it was welded together. While drilling, I got some chatter and the drill bit stopped. This created a problem, the chuck fell off the drill press. I have another thread asking about replacing the thread somewhere.

Once the holes were finished, I welded some nuts to the inside of the frame for the legs to screw into.

I made sure the legs would raise the frame above the casters. Everything looked good.

Time for some paint.

 

[930dreamer]

Nice fab work.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I threw a coat of black POR 15 on the frame.

I shot the bolts with some primer and some black Rustoleum.

Me watching the paint dry. . . .

Assembly time, first I bolted the casters in. I used the nylock nuts from the HF dolleys. What I found strange was the nuts and bolts were 1/4"-20 and they're made in China.

I added the retractable feet.

I know some of you maybe be asking why I drilled and tapped the 3/4" bolts. I did this to give me a place to crank the legs (bolts) down and stabilize the base. They are nothing more than some 3/8" bolts and some loctite. I added a nut to help lock them in place. If they start loosening up, I'll tack them in place. No big deal.

Time for the bandsaw.

I'm going to add some antisieze or something to the bolt threads to help them crank easier, I'll do that tommorrow.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Nice fab work.

Thank you sir.

 

[OccupantRJ]

That should do it, Eric. One of the best things I ever did was cut the legs shorter on my table saw and mount it on a dolly.

 

[NUTTSGT]

It's not like I'm going to be moving it all around but it'll easier to move it when I need to.

One thing I forgot to add. Price. . . .

I had the HF dolley alreay so that cost was already covered for the casters. The 3/8" and 1/4" came out of the bolt bins, already paid for.

The steel cost me 15 bucks and the 3/4" bolts were another $2.50 (give or take a couple of pennies). That's about $17.50 minus the scrap and pop cans I took in before buying materials, which netted me 16 dollars. So I'm into the little project about a buck and a half.

 

[larry4406]

Nice. I would have just welded a nut to the top of the adjuster leg threaded bolt for use in raise/lower vs drilling and tapping.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Larry, that would have included buying longer bolts. The bolts at TSC are only threaded at the end and I believe that there's not enough thread. The non threaded section of the bolt is thicker and I don't believe I could have just ran a die down it's length. I don't have a 3/4" die to thread it and if it's bigger, I would have had to taken them and had them turned down on a lathe.

I could have used all-thread (threaded rod) but I felt the bolt was a better option.

 

[bad_idea]

I have run a die nut down bolts to increase the threaded section. A little more work than I would put into it, but nice end result.

I fabbed a pair of these and bolted them to the legs of my table saw. Some scrap steel, a couple bolts from the drawer, and (2) wheels from Home Depot. Just tip the table saw and roll it around like a hand truck.

 

[larry4406]

Larry, that would have included buying longer bolts. The bolts at TSC are only threaded at the end and I believe that there's not enough thread. The non threaded section of the bolt is thicker and I don't believe I could have just ran a die down it's length. I don't have a 3/4" die to thread it and if it's bigger, I would have had to taken them and had them turned down on a lathe.

I could have used all-thread (threaded rod) but I felt the bolt was a better option.

I was thinking just to weld a nut on the end of the bolt where your jam nut is for your smaller tapped bolt (i.e., plug weld thru the interior of the nut to the bolt tip). Then use your wrench on the welded nut for up/down. Pick a hex point to point size that is smaller than the bolt's minor diameter if you wanted to be able to remove the bolt. If removable not needed, use large nut for easier plug welding.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I have run a die nut down bolts to increase the threaded section. A little more work than I would put into it, but nice end result.

I fabbed a pair of these and bolted them to the legs of my table saw. Some scrap steel, a couple bolts from the drawer, and (2) wheels from Home Depot. Just tip the table saw and roll it around like a hand truck.

That probably would have worked alright, I have something similar on my work table that I can tip it up and move it. Once I got the base idea in my head, I went from there and didn't consider any other options.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I was thinking just to weld a nut on the end of the bolt where your jam nut is for your smaller tapped bolt (i.e., plug weld thru the interior of the nut to the bolt tip). Then use your wrench on the welded nut for up/down. Pick a hex point to point size that is smaller than the bolt's minor diameter if you wanted to be able to remove the bolt. If removable not needed, use large nut for easier plug welding.

I thought about something like that Larry, I know it would have been easier. But I knew the caster I used were "x" inches tall and TSC had bolts in one inch increments, I wasn't sure I could get the clearance I needed with those bolts. I really didn't want to waste time looking for bolts at a couple of other places, (Fastenal, would have had to buy a box, probably 40 dollars or more, True Value, 4-5 times the cost of TSC . . .if they had them) so I took what I had and ran with it.

It also gave me a chance of doing something that I wanted to do. Drill out a bolt, tap it and stick another bolt it it. Why, I don't know just something to do I guess.

 

[bad_idea]

Believe me, I follow you on the "I had to do it" reasoning. That is why there is a winch bolted to a stud in my garage, run into the attic, across two pulleys, back down through the ceiling to pick up my table saw and put it on a shelf.

Purely FYI, I ran a die nut down some 1/2-13 bolts tonight to increase the threaded portion of the bolt for a project. No lathe work, just run the die nut down the bolt. No excessive force needed. They were for this project: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=126482

 

[ZTFab]

Nice job, Eric.

 

[nutjob]

I built a rolling stand for a 6" jointer using the same idea as the retractable legs. I found that the stand was wobbly because of the loose fit of the threads in the nuts. I used 1/2" all thread rod with the long coupler nuts. Just to much distance from the floor to the nuts in the frame. If I put a 4x4 block under the bolt this helped a bunch since the bolt stuck out a short distance from the nut.

Hope this does not happen with your stand. The lighter weight of the saw could be a difference also.

I wounder if an acme thread rod and nuts would be a tighter fit?

Kevin

 

[NUTTSGT]

Purely FYI, I ran a die nut down some 1/2-13 bolts tonight to increase the threaded portion of the bolt for a project. No lathe work, just run the die nut down the bolt. No excessive force needed. They were for this project: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=126482

I didn't take any measurement on the unthreaded section of the bolt to see how close in size it was to the threaded area. It just looked bigger by the "all trusting eye." I may have been able to run a die down it, but I guess ita a moot point now.

Nice job, Eric.

Thank you, coming from somebody with your level of skill means a lot.

I built a rolling stand for a 6" jointer using the same idea as the retractable legs. I found that the stand was wobbly because of the loose fit of the threads in the nuts. I used 1/2" all thread rod with the long coupler nuts. Just to much distance from the floor to the nuts in the frame. If I put a 4x4 block under the bolt this helped a bunch since the bolt stuck out a short distance from the nut.

Hope this does not happen with your stand. The lighter weight of the saw could be a difference also.

I wounder if an acme thread rod and nuts would be a tighter fit?

Kevin

If it wobble too much, I'll try adding some blocking under it. Thanks for the advice.

 

[bad_idea]

There are different classes of bolts. If it wobbles you can step the bolts up to the next class for a tighter tolerance. Here's a little reading material on it: http://www.sizes.com/tools/bolts_inch_threadFit.htm

 

[NUTTSGT]

There are different classes of bolts. If it wobbles you can step the bolts up to the next class for a tighter tolerance. Here's a little reading material on it: http://www.sizes.com/tools/bolts_inch_threadFit.htm

Interesting read. Thanks.