Mount a jointer on platform w/ casters ?
user780791_
| Posted in General Discussion on
I’m about to order a jointer that weighs over 600 lbs. I thought I’d make a rolling base for it using a couple 2×6 and some heavy duty casters (wheels lock). Question : is this a bad idea, in terms of vibration, stability, or whatever ?
Replies
Most commercial jointer/planer mobile bases have ways to drop the machine off of the casters when in use, including mine, that may be difficult to do with a shop made base. When face jointing 8-12" boards you need a tremendous amount of force to push boards through and it would be difficult to do on casters even if they're locked, but maybe someone else has personal experience with such a design.
I don't think raising it much is a good idea. When I bought my jointer / planer combo I bought a SawStop industrial mobile base and had it cut one way, stretched the other way and welded back together to fit the machine exactly. I now have the hydraulic lift and full spin capacity for the J/P. I could not be happier, it is the best mobile base out there and the machine drops right back to the floor for use.
I don't have any machines that heavy, but I would go with a 'drop in' metal rolling base that has casters and threaded pads that raise it just enough to immobilize it.
I don't think a shop-made wooden base that raises the machine 'that' far off the floor is a good idea. I also agree you'll end up overpowering the locked casters.
My jointer weighs 500# and came with a mobility kit, can you order one with yours? If not then you could make one but the casters need to have a lever that allows to lower the machine back on its feet’s once it is moved in position.
I have a 1950s 8” delta jointer with a very sturdy welded metal shop made base that came with it and it works well. I wouldn’t try to make one out of wood, I would highly recommend purchasing one that is rated to the weight of your machine and as a previous commenter mentioned, it needs to be able to sit down onto the floor when you run material through.
Also I have a plywood floor and the jointer is wearing it quite a lot and I will need to reinforce that area, so if you’re in that situation, perhaps also reinforce the floor surface first as well.
I'm here to confuse the issue. My experience is just the opposite. I have one of the Delta short table 6" jointers. I made a mobile base for it that is able to lower it to the floor. However, If I leave it up on the wheels, I find the the inertia of the machine keeps it from rolling when I joint something. Having said that, I confess that I don't usually joint the flat side (mostly edge jointing). So, the pressure needed isn't a lot.
Edge jointing is an entirely different ball game, with very little resistance. Given the weight of his machine I assume it's at least an 8" jointer which you don't invest in to edge joint boards, but to prep rough wood prior to planing. The force required to push an 8-12" board through a jointer is overwhelming. I recently had to mill about 400 b.f of 8-12" Hickory and it wore me out and I'm 6'3" 245 lbs on a good day.
As others have said as well, a mobile base (shop made or purchased) where you can disengage the wheels will be necessary. I have a similarly weighted machine (12" Jointer/Planer) on the Bora Portamate High Clearance Base for 1,500 LBS. It works great. Easy to move the machine when I need to, solid as a rock and firmly on the shop floor when I raise the wheels up.
I made a wood base for my PM-100 planer, 320 lbs +/-. Everyone said it would fail, wouldn't work, bad idea etc. I guess they are right and it will fail, but it has worked flawlessly for 10 years now.
If you decided to build your own good quality casters with good locks would be very important. Never tried it but I suspect you could make some chocks from wood pretty easy. My base will get stopped dead in it's tracks by a piece of gravel.
Thank you all for steering me in the right direction.
I have an 8" jointer with longer beds and a helical cutterhead. I made a mobile base of plywood and 2x6 dimension lumber. Casters are appropriate for the weight and all 4 swivel. When I need to lock it in place I drop a piece of 3/4" stock in front of the wheels. It works great and I have had no issues.
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