If you’ve considered buying a mobile base, you’ve probably also wondered, “How in the world will I get my machine on that thing??”
For some lighter machines, it’s a little easier — just rope a few friends into helping you lift it onto the mobile base. But when you have really big, heavy-duty machines like a large table saw, you need a different method. (We still recommend getting your friends involved though — you’ll be glad of the help in case something happens.) Here’s the method we recommend for mounting your machine on a mobile base.
What you’ll need:
- Small pieces of scrap wood
- Longer pieces of 2x material or scrap wood
- Someone to help lift
- Your assembled mobile base
Step 1:
Take your small pieces of scrap wood and divide them into four stacks. You’ll want these stacks to be about the same height, especially if you’re working with a heavier or larger machine. Put these stacks near each corner of your machine.
Step 2:
Now take your longer pieces of 2x material and lay them across both ends so they lay parallel to each other. With the help of friends, lift the ends of your machine so they sit on these long pieces above the ground. For heavy machines, you will probably want a very thick piece of wood to support, or even something more durable like metal.
Step 3:
Bring over your assembled mobile base. Line it up underneath your machine so the corners of the mobile base line up with those of the machine. Making sure the mobile base is locked in place, remove one of the long pieces of 2x material supporting your machine, and carefully lower that end onto the inner corners of your base. Once those are securely in place, do the same on the other side, checking that the final two corners are sitting properly on the corner brackets.
Step 4:
Move all the scrap wood and 2x material out of the way and unlock the feet of your mobile base. Now you can move your machine around the shop with ease!
Looking for other ways to maximize a small shop? Check out our blog featuring four ways to make the most of a small space!
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