Advice? Unsure how to add casters to bandsaw cabinet

[Simon_M]

Suggestions welcome! I have a new bandsaw and want to increase the flexibility by aiding mobility and adding casters. I have some heavy duty casters which have two braked and two free wheels and support 200kg+ The bandsaw as only just over half this weight - so should be ok (if properly supported).

I looked at the Peter Parfitt machine platform design too. This moves the wheels outside of the frame but doesn’t lift the overall operating height by much more than 30mm. As an alternative, I would prefer to pass on the outside leg idea but having 2-3” extra height would be a bonus (for me) so moving the casters underneath would be an advantage and only the front casters need to be accessible.

Peter’s design used a frame with domino (I don’t have option of) joints. Would a sheet of 1/2” plywood support the weight or would a jointed frame be best (scrap material - plywood/hardwood etc. available)? I don’t want to have it break and the bandsaw to topple over!

 

[Doug71]

I bought one of the jet mobile stands for my bandsaw, with the base the same size as the bandsaw base it did not feel safe, felt like it would tip over. I made a larger wooden base to put in the mobile base and fixed the bandsaw to that so it had a larger footprint, now it doesn't feel like it will tip over.

From my experience I would not be happy with the casters just under the bandsaw, I think you will need a bigger base area.

 

[Simon_M]

Thanks. I hadn’t considered mount points carefully enough.

I can understand that for stability the wheels need to be outside the original cabinet footprint...

And, ideally a harder (not too “squidgy”) material for the wheel “tyre”.

 

[MikeJhn]

I used these:

From these people: https://www.castors-online.co.uk/ they have worked very well for the last four years on my BS350.

 

[Simon_M]

Thanks, are the wheels bolted to a swinging arm - so don't support the bandsaw when it's used? Metal is probably stiffer than wood in this configuration.

On the BS350 do you have metal guides top/bottom and two thrust bearings on edge? Is it a good solution? Have you used RP blades - the supplied blade 5/8" x 4tpi (surprisingly not junk) seems excellent and really impresses (me). RP tell me that the machines come with blades from the same source as their own branded blades and Yandles that their own brand blades are the same as RP ones except for the packaging.

Finally, I have decided to put the cabinet directly on the (resin/concrete) floor for maximum stability and move it along a few feet along near another socket to maximise the in-feed and out-feed areas.

I realise that the problem I'm trying to "fix" is a nearby tall shelf - that can be (simply) reconfigured as two wide/low shelve units so that the "problem goes away".

 

[MikeJhn]

Yes the wheels are on the swinging arm, the RP original wheels bent after only a few weeks so where replaced.

I have thrown the original guides away and put on correctly oriented bearing guides, there is a link here somewhere which shows how to do it, simple job in the end, the bottom guide takes a bit of work, but well worth the effort.

I use TuffSaw blades, they are the best you can get.

 

[MikeJhn]

Found the link: axminster-hbs350n-bandsaw-advice-t105064-90.html

 

[Simon_M]

You have a good solution with bearings upgrade and the wheels...

With the wheels on the swinging arms, the wheels will not affect the stability when retracted. So you have the best of all worlds: wheels + mobility and small factor.

Something tells me that BS stability will be something to aim for - like using a lathe on solid cast legs that contributes as much as anything.

So having the cabinet directly on the floor and creating space around it is today’s (new) plan with sufficient in/out-feed (with a shelf needing reconfiguring).

 

[Ttrees]

As low as you can get it for sure, most designs of welded framed saws are narrow and tippy.
I made a mobile base using Bob Minchin's (AKA 9fingers) retractable caster design on 75mm regular swivel casters for a 300kg machine.
They wouldn't hold up with regular use, or on a rough floor which for some might be a good thing.
I recently dropped the saw down a bit further, maybe an inch.. and had to be aware of swiveling the caster out,
to enable it to not sit on the retracted wheel.
It might need some help ...think big crowbar to get past this point to enable the levering mechanism to work again.
I haven't found that out yet, so will have to see.
I had to get a mini crowbar to retract the lever, so not holding my breath.
I think I would made a small altercation to it, if doing another base for a tippy machine, or something I want to sit low.
Carl Holmgren has some good designs from wood on youtube.
A metal one will lift 200ks+ just fine.


EDIT
Only read the thread properly now. :roll:
Made this one up for the other workshop.
Its stable with large casters, and semi-designed to disengage if it starts moving too fast down the slope.
No leveling adjustment though

Tom

 

[TFrench]

I fitted castors to the stand of my kity bandsaw (added bracing between the legs to beef it up. Definitely made it feel unstable, but the extra height was nice. My startrite is heavy enough that I have just welded brackets to it and don't have to worry about it moving! I do have feet I can wind down if I need to lock it in place but I haven't needed them yet.

 

[Doug B]

This is mine, casters welded to an angle iron frame which the bandsaw fits snuggly into, Ive used this design on all my machines, I really don’t like bases that have parts which protrude as they are a serious trip hazard.

Welding the casters on means the machine sits flush inside the angle, of the four caters two are locking so no movement when in use & I've never had problems with stability.

The hardest part I’ve found working on my own is getting the machine on the base, a couple of large pieces of timber & some steel bar can be very handy.
HTH

 

[gmgmgm]

For most of my machines, I've made a plate of 2x 18mm plywood glued together, then bolted the castors to the corners. The machine (e.g. bandsaw, planer) is then bolted down to the top. 36mm of plywood is pretty strong (according to the sagulator), and it's worth having a think about the right orientation/shape to try to get the wheels away from the centre-of-gravity as much as possible, without becoming a trip hazard. I haven't felt the need yet to have screw-down legs, but I'm keeping them in the back of my mind for any future need.

For my table saw which is much larger, I've bolted that to a sturdy pallet and move it around (infrequently) using a pallet truck. A pallet truck is a very handy thing to have, and in a suitable space you could dispense with having wheels on any equipment.