Mobile Base Question - PM 719T

[Belle City Woodworking]

As always you guys have come through with some great suggestions. Thanks again for the help and input!

John

[Belle City Woodworking]

I have a couple of those Portamates - including one underneath the mortiser - and I don't care for them necessarily especially with the smallish base of this floor standing mortiser.  When you lower the wheels and effectively raise one end of the machine to move it, it produces a pronounced tilt of this very top heavy machine.  I've had this mortiser for a few years with this particular mobile base, but the tilt has always bothered me and I have been considering replacing it with a non-tilting mobile base option.  
 
I do wish I can find the following Jet Mobile bases for a reasonable price again.  I have one under my floor standing drill press.  The advantage with the Jet is the wheels simply un/lock with your foot - so no bending down - plus no tilting of the mounted machine as well when you need to move it.  About $80 on Amazon.

If I don't get the Jet, I already do have the Shop Fox mobile base also mentioned.  Ths Shop Fox doesn't tilt (applause from audience) and won't even sniff at the weight, but my only knock is that even in its smallest configuration, it is still much larger than it needs to be to accomodate the mortiser's base - requiring a bigger footprint than is necessary.   Not sure, but I may have a bought a size too large (sneers from crowd).  May be fine for those with larger shops, but I am real estate challenged.  I may just cut down the bars and drill and tap a few more holes on the frame bars.  I know - 1st world problems.

That is one thing I did not consider and I thank you for pointing it out, the tilt of the base on this top heavy machine could be an issue.  I think I am going to try the Grizzly Bear Crawl as the bars will be able to be shortened to accommodate the smaller base of the Mortiser, and after watching the video of the base I noticed that there is minuscule tilt with this unit.  I also like the wheels on it, they should roll really nice on my shop floor.

Thanks again to everyone for your help!

John

[Belle City Woodworking]

Ended up getting the Bear crawl Mobil Base from Grizzly.  This is well made as far as being structurally sound, it is easy to modify to fit the smaller base tools like a Mortiser, it was easy to assemble, it is very stout, and, most importantly, it glides very nicely across the shop floor with minimal effort.  

NOTE:  (The fit and finish is not stellar but acceptable at this price point for what you are getting) 

Thanks again for all the suggestions and observations about some of the shortcomings of other mobile bases for this application.

Oh and what would this post be without more pics 




Thanks again,
John

[Bill Holt]

I have the Shop Fox on the DP and the Portamate on the BS and very happy with both because the DP seldom moves but the BS moves frequently.

[Cian]

Thanks again,
John

You don't diddle daddle ever.  Looks like a promising mobile base.  I would've oriented it so the outrigger wheels were on the backside to minimize challenges with tripping or feet placement while working, but that's all personal preference.

[Belle City Woodworking]

You don't diddle daddle ever.  Looks like a promising mobile base.  I would've oriented it so the outrigger wheels were on the backside to minimize challenges with tripping or feet placement while working, but that's all personal preference.

Yeah, I thought about that after I finally got it in the base.  If it becomes an issue I will turn it around