Portable shop on wheels

Wheel are great and a necessity for me because the shop is so small.
Two important things to keep in mind….

1. don’t skimp on the wheels. bigger is generally better. Harbor freight has sales on their casters all the time. Check through the stock to pick the ones that aren’t too loose in the bearings. HD and Lowes have four-packs that go with their big metal shelving units, and they have locks on them… which leads to…..

B. some tools need to be locked down when using. Any tool on which your will be pushing heavy stock in one direction will need to have lockable wheels or wheels that adjust up and down.

Here are a few of mine.
http://mikedrums.com/benchwheels.mov
http://mikedrums.com/castercam.mov
http://mikedrums.com/routertablewheels.mov
http://www.mikedrums.com/tablesawwheels.mov

I’ve seen to good portable shops One is on a HGTV on Carter can and another fold out one in and old Finewoodworking Magazine.

-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/

Thanks, I was originally thinking about larger wheels, like from wheelbarrows, but that just seems too large.

I can see my table saw and router needing to be locked down, but not sure the table would need it. Also, I thought about making it so that it lifts like a wheelbarrow, making it lock down automatically.

-- http://www.ahomespecialist.net, Making design and application one. †

My whole shop is going to be mobile. I have been working over the winter to get it done. Only have the drill press left. I am also going to redo the tablesaw. I will be using 4” casters. It is currently on 2 1/2” casters but compared to the weight, they just don’t work well. My RAS is on the woodcraft casters that are foot lever operated, my router cabinet is on bench dog casters with levelers. I am using shop fox mobile bases for everything else.

-- Methods are many,Principles are few.Methods change often,Principles never do.

I agree on the drill press. The floor stand ones are a little top heavy.

I’ve got wheels on just about all tools. If nothing more than to give a little more room when using them.

-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

My drill press is the only floor standing power tool I have that’s not on wheels and I think the drill press is top heavy enough without putting wheels under it.

-- Only the Shadow knows....................

The only “stationary” power tool I don’t have on wheels is my table saw, everything else is mobile and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

-- A hammer dangling from a wall will bang and sound like work when the wind blows the right way.

The trick to having a drill press on wheels is to only have two wheels, so it must be tilted to be rolled. That way, you are always in control of the weight.
Like this guy did with his saw…
http://www2.gol.com/users/nhavens/resource/bt3k10.jpg

With a drill press, the wheels would go on the front, instead of the back, so when you pull it back towards you, it would engage the wheels.

I built these “carts” for my router/shaper and planer. They have two wheels and two “legs” so they can be moved if needed. I mostly did them for the drawers. Is there ever enough space for your “stuff”? – lol

http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af359/Dave1945/Miscellaneous/DSC00391Small-1.jpg
http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af359/Dave1945/Miscellaneous/DSC00387Small.jpg
http://i1023.photobucket.com/albums/af359/Dave1945/Miscellaneous/DSC00388Small.jpg

-- Adversity doesn't build character...................it reveals it.

Thing on wheels make it immensely easier for me.

I’ve already built this cart;

But in the next year or so will be building more.

-- Derek, Bremerton WA --

Yup, small shop so everything is mobile. especially nice on pretty days when you have a lot of repetitive ‘dust ’ to make.

-- Big G

I agree that wheels are great. Just be aware that wheel sraise the level of the surface you are working on. If you are tall this may be a blessing but if you are short it may be a problem.

It’s the length of the leg that determines the height of the working surface Rob. If you add wheels, just shorten the leg appropriately.

-- Derek, Bremerton WA --

Here’s a portable shop on wheels. I wonder if the equipment is included.

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/tls/1660578975.html

-- Michael Murphy, Woodland, CA.

Here’s a base I like – though I would use a bit of metal in the corners.

It keeps the tool on all 4 legs except when you need to move it around.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko3-Lzt7BFY