Dave Black
Member
- Messages
- 638
- Location
- Central PA
I want to make a mobile base for the lathe. I want it to set down on the legs and off the wheels when not moving. Any ideas?
Tod, I fixed your link
My concern with a mobile base is getting the bed out of alignment if the floor isn't perfectly flat everywhere the base must be moved. But, if it must be moved out of necessity, it must be moved. Stu did it so it must be (kinda?) feasible.
The problem with the stamped steel stand is it doesn't have enough weight to stabilize the lathe without adding sandbags or other weight to it. The cabinet helps with the weight and gives you more storage as well.I have some really nice large casters that are rated for a few hundred pounds each. I think I will go with the idea that Bill found. Any thoughts if I could adapt the stamped steel stand or if I should make a new wood cabinet for it?
Sand? Sounds familiar. I made a mobile cart for my scrollsaw. It's about 27" long by 16" wide by 20" high. I put three drawers in the operator end of it and filled the other end with bricks! No problem with tipping.Thats what I was thinking Bill, I am going to make a cabinet with hollow plywood legs and fill them will sand and probably put some drawers in it too.
frank, i've had my lathe on it's mobile platform for most of this last summer, and have hauled it in and out of the garage numerous times, and have had no problems. that's also taking into account that my dad's garage floor and driveway are only fairly level. (stu isn't the only one up on wheels) as far as the casters go, my casters are hd specials, rated at about 200 lbs each, which is more than sufficient, since the whole thing, lathe, platform, and grinder stand, and grinder is probably just shy of 300 lbs. once i get to it's favorite spot on the driveway, and the casters are locked, it's quite stable, and has no tendency to want to dance. the lathe itself is secured to the base with 3" lag screws driven into the hidden cross members.
Stability isn't what I'm concerned with. But, on an uneven surface the lathe bed can get a bit twisty causing the head/tail to not line up properly.