# Moving a Table Saw...



## Tacoma (Dec 29, 2010)

I don't know of anything that's harder to move around than a table saw. My 1994 Craftsman 113. with the cast iron extensions is so heavy, it's top heavy and a handtruck is useless in attempting to move it very far. Any ideas on some wheels for this saw? It came with some weak casters, but they were worn out when I got the saw. What a fine saw though...


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## juice3250 (Mar 27, 2014)

Make a mobile base for it. Check out Jay Bates' YouTube channel for a video on how he built one. I have a craftsman from 1978 and that's what I did. It was impossible to move without it. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)




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## PhilBa (Jun 30, 2014)

I have an old Craftsman TS with casters like the ones in the 3rd picture. They are complete crap. I usually wind up lifting one side of the table and dragging it. If I wasn't getting a new TS, I'd chuck them and opt for something like this Jet base. 








Yeah, it's more money but I own the saw for woodworking, not core body strengthening.


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## pweller (Mar 10, 2014)

This one from Harbor Freight is pretty good, and is only $40 (less with the 20% off coupon).
http://www.harborfreight.com/300-lb-capacity-mobile-base-95288.html










Those old Craftsmans have 2 problems. One is that the legs are unsupported for quite a length, so they flex if they are on individual casters. The second problem is that the original casters are pretty junky. I ended up making a shelf that ties all 4 legs together, and then just used the original casters.

Later, I found this HF one and used it on my bandsaw. If I had to do it over again, I'd probably use the HF one on the table saw, as the wheels are a lot better.


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## Toolman2 (Jun 15, 2010)

I did something similar when I had my craftsman TS. Like pweller, I added a bottom shelf, 1 1/2" thick. Then I added larger, locking caster wheels that I got at HF along with a dust collection snap-on bag. It was much easier to move.


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## PhilBa (Jun 30, 2014)

It doesn't look like that HF unit has locking casters. Do you have to bend over and crank up/down the 2 leveling feet? It's probably fine for occasional moving but if I was moving the saw frequently, I'd want some sort of foot lever to lock. 

The Craftsman casters also tended to not swivel very well so the saw would go every direction except the one I actually wanted.


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## pweller (Mar 10, 2014)

PhilBa said:


> It doesn't look like that HF unit has locking casters. Do you have to bend over and crank up/down the 2 leveling feet? It's probably fine for occasional moving but if I was moving the saw frequently, I'd want some sort of foot lever to lock.


Yes, you do have to bend over and turn the leveling feet up/down. I found with my bandsaw that you really don't need to bother with it, as the unit is heavy enough that it isn't necessary. However, on a table saw, I'd want it steady. And, only two of the wheels swivel, so you can't just move the saw in any direction.

Here's the shelf I made for my saw - this also is important in stabilizing the legs. It's just a 1X4 with a dado for a 1/4" plywood bottom. This is using the original C-man casters that came with the saw. They aren't very good, but I don't move this very often.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I installed a table saw on a pallet one time and used a pallet jack to move it around.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

Nice choices from Knotscot.

To the OP
If your not willing to pitch the legs section and build a box with casters. Picture # 4 is my pick. The others look like trip hazards.

Al


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## Tacoma (Dec 29, 2010)

I like the HFT base


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