# Mobile base for Grizzly G0690?



## mikeintexas (Oct 25, 2011)

I will be purchasing a Grizzly G0690 TS this week and I'm really excited about it. I will need a mobile base too, but I've not read
too many good things about the ones Grizzly sells. I.E. threaded holes strip out, cheap wheels, etc.

Thinking about building my own, but would prefer a premade metal base. I will happily pay for a well-made, sturdy base.

I have heard dood things about Delta's mobile bases. Can someone point me in the right direction? Thanks.


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## WillemJM (Aug 18, 2011)

mikeintexas said:


> I will be purchasing a Grizzly G0690 TS this week and I'm really excited about it. I will need a mobile base too, but I've not read
> too many good things about the ones Grizzly sells. I.E. threaded holes strip out, cheap wheels, etc.
> 
> Thinking about building my own, but would prefer a premade metal base. I will happily pay for a well-made, sturdy base.
> ...


All my stuff is on Grizzly bases and after two moves the tire broke off one caster, the rest still fine. Hard to beat for the price. Never had problems with stripped threads.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Delta vs Grizzly/Shop Fox*

I've made a few of my own bases, because I can weld and cut metal fairly well. I bought a few CL's tools that came with Delta's bases, which I thought were nice quality. I ordered a tool from Grizzly and a Shop Fox base, which I traded to a buddy. 
Here's a site for the Delta bases that I spent hrs searching to find a specific size, now I don't even remember why... :blink: possibly for an 8" Grizzly jointer...? As a welder I don't care for the SF adjustable side frames, but that's just me. Here's the site:
http://www.mikestools.com/Delta-Mobile-Bases_1883.aspx

I don't know what a small welding shop would charge if you supplied the casters, it might be worth a call or visit with your dimensions in hand or even a piece of plywood that has the base shape cut out the same size as the machine for a template. I recommend that so you know it will fit. I'd allow 1/8" extra on all sides, if it has to fit up around the base. 

 bill


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## JohnK007 (Nov 14, 2009)

HTC is having a clearance sale on many of their mobile bases. Would be worth the trouble to see if they have a base for the G0690. Go to their website (http://www.htcproductsinc.com/index.html), look up which model fits your saw, then see if it's on their clearance list (http://www.htcproductsinc.com/docs/MobileBaseCloseout.pdf) . I bought two bases from them a couple of weeks ago for my sander and jointer for $47.25 each. Couldn't beat that price with a stick!


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## mikeintexas (Oct 25, 2011)

I have read better things about the HTC bases than the Griz/Shopfox...though they have their probs too. Nothing is perfect, i guess. $48 is a great price and could be worth the risk/checking out. Thanks for the tip.


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## RJweb (Feb 25, 2011)

Mike,
congrads on the new saw purchase, I know it will be better than the last one, we need pics when available, RJ


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## mikeintexas (Oct 25, 2011)

I checked and HTC isn't clearancing any of the HTC-series mobile bases. Maybe I'm expecting too much, but the HTC's look weaker than the Grizzly's. The rails look thin and with all the holes for adjusting the size...it's steel swiss cheese. :blink: Of course, I've no real-world experience with either one, so I'm just going by reviews I've read and what I can see online.

Maybe I will check out a local welding shop. I can't weld and don't own any welding equipment. I do wield a mean soldering iron though.:laughing: 

Something made of 2" tubular stock with screw-down feet on all four corners is what I'd really like to have. It probably would cost $100 just in parts...but I'm guestimating here.

The search continues. Thanks guys.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Here Ya go Mike*

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=21257&filter=mobile base casters
Looks HD to me.:thumbsup: bill


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## mikeintexas (Oct 25, 2011)

woodnthings said:


> http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=21257&filter=mobile%20base%20casters
> Looks HD to me.:thumbsup: bill


 
BILL! You rock! :sorcerer: If I can't find something I like better, I'm buying that one. While screw down feet at all FOUR corners (not just two like Griz/HTC) are what I really want, four locking casters is a very close second. It will fit the saw too; the G0690's base is 20"x20". 

This pic sorta says it all. This base vs. typical base:










Thanks again; I've looked at about 50 diff webpages so far, but not THAT one.


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## NickSaw76 (Nov 10, 2011)

My father uses Shopfox bases on his 20" Grizzly Planer and Grizzly 10" TS. Though they work I honestly don't like them. It's true...the threads strip out very easy. If you do get a Shopfox base make sure to start the bolts by hand and then only "snug" the bolts. Do not try to crank them down because they will strip fast. Another thing I don't like are the leveling adjusters. The small plastic knobs really dig into your fingers when making adjustments.

On a side note, congrats on deciding on the G0690. I read about all the problems and hassles you went through with your other TS from Lowes. Though you never got to use the other saw you should notice a huge difference in quality/heavy-dutyness between that and the Grizzly. Looking forward to hearing your comments about the saw once you receive it.


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## mikeintexas (Oct 25, 2011)

Thanks, NickSaw76. I am definitely one to crank down on bolts and screws; especially if they are structural in nature and keep something heavy from collapsing on me. If the threaded holes can't accept a manly-torque-down, then the manuf should specify a ft/lb torque rating for the bolts. I own a torque wrench and I ain't afraid to use it. LOL!

The G0690 is honestly more saw than I need. But I feel a certain sense of entitlement after the fiasco I just went through and really don't want to roll the dice anymore. I.E. buying sight unseen from a middle man. This will be a once in a lifetime buy; I'll be passing this saw down to my son someday, so I want it to be a good one so it lasts. Having a base that lasts too, is part of the equation. I really don't see myself being able to afford a dedicated shop (need the garage for a garage, too!), so everything must be mobile for the foreseeable future.

Ah, it's beautiful, no?


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## mikeintexas (Oct 25, 2011)

Done. I doubt I'd have found anything better for less than twice the price and this thing should last a lifetime. At the sale price of $150 and 39 reviews (all glowing) it was too good to pass up. It's on the way to me...along with a few other doodads. Darn you, Rockler, and your really awesome website! /shakes fist


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## NickSaw76 (Nov 10, 2011)

mikeintexas said:


> Thanks, NickSaw76. I am definitely one to crank down on bolts and screws; especially if they are structural in nature and keep something heavy from collapsing on me. If the threaded holes can't accept a manly-torque-down, then the manuf should specify a ft/lb torque rating for the bolts. I own a torque wrench and I ain't afraid to use it. LOL!
> 
> The G0690 is honestly more saw than I need. But I feel a certain sense of entitlement after the fiasco I just went through and really don't want to roll the dice anymore. I.E. buying sight unseen from a middle man. This will be a once in a lifetime buy; I'll be passing this saw down to my son someday, so I want it to be a good one so it lasts. Having a base that lasts too, is part of the equation. I really don't see myself being able to afford a dedicated shop (need the garage for a garage, too!), so everything must be mobile for the foreseeable future.
> 
> Ah, it's beautiful, no?


I personally found Grizzly's instruction manuals to be very good...straight forward and detailed. I don't remember if Grizzly gives out torque specs or not. I like making sure things are tight as well. Although a friend of mine takes things to extreme...he extends breaker bars with pipes to tighten down lugnuts. He says "dont want her commin' off" lol I'd say just use your best judgment in terms of tightening things down on the new saw.

However, one suggestion if I may for when you go to assemble your new G0690 TS. Though it may be tempting, do not crank down on the small bolts that secure the front rectangular iron fence rail to the front angle iron. Two of those particular bolts on my fathers Grizzly broke off while tightening. (seems to be an issue others have had as well from doing a little research). I ended up having to re-thread the holes and replaced the bolts with high-grade steel bolts from my local hardware store. Perhaps Grizzly has since upgraded those particular bolts to a higher-grade steel. I had no issues whatsoever with any of the other hardware. Not trying to make you worry or make you have 2nd thoughts in anyway shape or form about the saw. It truly is a great saw and you will absolutely love it. Just wanted to give you a little heads-up about that to avoid any headaches.


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## mikeintexas (Oct 25, 2011)

Thanks for the heads-up on the fence rail bolts. I will definitely keep that in mind while assembling.


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## RJweb (Feb 25, 2011)

Mike,
Have you set the saw up yet? maybe some pictures, have a happy holiday.


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## joesbucketorust (Dec 13, 2011)

mikeintexas said:


> Maybe I'm expecting too much, but the HTC's look weaker than the Grizzly's. The rails look thin and with all the holes for adjusting the size...it's steel swiss cheese.


My jet cabinetsaw sits on an HTC mobile base - the kind with a square portion to hold the cabinet, a long bar coming off to the right with a T on the end to hold the legs for the extension. It's solid as can be. I built my shop myself and moved the tools in as soon as the roof was on - I had no problem pushing that saw around the shop by myself as I needed to work on finishing the electricity/drywall etc. It's never sagged or broken either. 
There are generic HTC bases made to adjust to fit a bunch of different sizes, and then there are the real HTC bases - made for your particular piece of equipment. It's like buying generic after-market parts made to fit any truck, and buying an OEM part made to fit year/make/model. 
If you've been looking at the generics, then see if they've got one for your particular TS:
http://www.htcproductsinc.com/dmb.php

I also have a generic that I got at an auction - $5 bucks NIB. It's on my router table. No problem with it either, but I'm guessing the router table weighs a lot less than my TS and I haven't moved it nearly as much.


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## mikeintexas (Oct 25, 2011)

*And here we are!*

Better late than never, right? :yes: Sorry for the long delay. Between work, family and the holiday things have been a bit hectic. The saw is assembled, but still needs fine tuning. The fence definitely needs tweaking and the riving knife might need adjustment; though it may be just the fence that needs tweaking. I'll reserve my full opinion of the G0690 TS for my review thread, AFTER I get it set up properly. This is my first TS so setup is painstakingly slow for me. I'm new at this and don't have much spare time to begin with. So far, I'm ridiculously happy with it. Only cut a few pieces of 3/4" ply and a 2x4 but it was like passing a hot knife through butter, even with the included 40-tooth blade. :icon_cool:

Here's a few pictures of the saw sitting on the Rockler All-Terrain Base (doofy name, but an awesome product!)



















BTW: That is not my separator. LOL! Well, it will be once I actually make the LID for it. (there's that spare time thing again). Didn't want you guys thinking "Does he really think it will work like that? What an idiot...." LOL!










The mobile base (most of it, anyway)










And a quick pic of my garage that I wish was a lot emptier. If you squint you can make out the yellow Dewalt chop saw against the far wall. Note my hi-tech, space age, advanced workbench. Yeah, the plastic table from WalMart. First thing I'm building is a proper workbench.










The Rockler All-Terrain Mobile Base is worth every penny. I added a review on Rockler's site, but it's not up yet. It is _almost_ perfect out of the box. It needed $8 in parts to be perfect. In short, the 3/4" long, 5mm machine screws the base comes with for assembly are too short. The nuts only thread on about 1/2 way. Not nearly secure enough for my tastes. Also, there were no "hardening" markings on the included hardware (i.e. Grade 5 or Grade 8). The "not rated" thought was reinforced when I cranked down on the stock nuts and the flat washers tore. Not a a reassuring thing. 

For bolts subjected to high shear force, like when they are holding up a 500-pound saw, I would expect "rated" hardware. Or at least hardware that allowed the securing nuts to fully thread on. With these mobile bases, all the weight of the machine is carried by the bolts that hold the frame together. Specifically, the edge of each hole in the "arms" that make up the base, press down on the threads of the bolts. You can envision how substandard hardware could have a catastrophic failure. Best thing that would happen is the machine falls one inch to the ground in the middle of the night when it's not in use. Worse thing is they fail while you're cutting and that 50-pound Oak board kicks back at you or your hands are in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

A quick trip to Lowe's and I bought eight each, Grade 8, 1/4" diameter, 1" long, machine screws/lock washers/flat washers/nuts. Cost me eight bucks total. If you look carefully at the pics you can see copper-colored hardware holding the base together. Those are the Grade 8 bolts I bought.

With the quick and cheap bolt fix, the base is 100% everything I hoped it would be. The steel is thick and the welds well-finished. Wheels are things of beauty. I can roll the saw with one finger and spin it around with two fingers. All four wheels have locks that actually LOCK (what a concept!). When the wheels are locked the saw does not move or rock at all. Very happy with it. Going to buy another one for the Grizzly G0555P bandsaw you see in the pics. It's too heavy to move around by hand and I don't want to scratch it up or risk dropping it by using a handtruck to move it.

Hoping to get the setup on the TS finished this weekend. Yes; I know it's Christmas, but we're not going out of town and are only having minimal company over. I'd like to be making some sawdust by New Year's Day. Here's hoping for some spare time!


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## joesbucketorust (Dec 13, 2011)

Sweet. But something's missing.
Where's the sawdust?


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## mikeintexas (Oct 25, 2011)

joesbucketorust said:


> Sweet. But something's missing.
> Where's the sawdust?


I agree, Sir! I work a 10-hour day and have an hour commute each way on top of it. That plus family at home, plus Thanksgiving/XMas and my spare time is measured in single digit minutes. Hopefully SOON.


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## RJweb (Feb 25, 2011)

Mike,
Congrads on the saw, and have a Happy Holiday. We leave for san antonio in the morning visiting my son for the week, whats the weather like? thx RJ


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## mikeintexas (Oct 25, 2011)

Thanks, RJweb. My "woodshop" has been many, many years in the making. It's great to finally have it coming together. Not much free time now, but come summer there will be an abundance of it. /rubs hands together greedily

AFA XMas weather goes: We're supposed to have a high temp of 56 on XMas day but only partly sunny. Fri/Sat is 60% chance of rain...guess me washing the cars was the rain dance. Hah.


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## jmw-1955 (Feb 7, 2017)

Beautiful saw Mike! and while it been over 5 years I have question about the mobile base. I read one review where a fellow said the front or swivel wheels were about a 1/4" lower that the fixed wheels in the back. I just wondered if you has noticed anything like that? I have a 1946 Walker Turner 10" saw I am in the middle of restoring. There is a 1/2" hole on each foot pad in the corners. I have thought about adding a good quality caster in each corner with a 1/2" threaded stud. I am somewhat concerned about stability though so I am not opposed to the Rockler All Terrain. They are on sale now until 03-08-2017 @ 149.99 each. This is my first question or post here. Thanks, Jim, Council Bluffs, IA


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