77 - Sliding Door Shop Cabinet, страница 22

Things to Consider

mobile is whether to buy a universal base that you can size to fit just about any tool. Or do you buy a dedicated base — one thafs been designed to handle a specific tool?

Universal Base - As its name implies, a universal base is designed to be adjustable. This way, you can size it to lit a wide range of different tools. In most cases, this involves bolting together adjustable rails or bars so that the base of the tool fits inside the perimeter of the frame.

Dedicated Base - The other option is to buy a mobile base thafs designed for a specific tool. Instead of adjustable rails, the rails are sized to fit the tool and then welded together. For more on dedicated bases, see the box on the opposite page.

Regardless of the type of base you choose, making your shop mobile is one of the simplest ways to "add" valuable working space, improve the overall efficiency of your shop, and just make working in the shop more enjoyable.

Put your shop on wheels to gain space, efficiency, and flexibility

Wouldn't it be great if you could change the location or position of your shop tools in minutes to suit the task at hand? Or rearrange your tools to accommodate a new purchase? Maybe you just need to "shove" things out of the way a bit to make a little extra room for assembling a large project or cutting a sheet of plywood down to size.

Wishful thinking? Not really. With a wide range of mobile bases available from a number of manufacturers, putting wheels under just about any tool, workbench, or work-surface is easy. This way, you can change your shop any time you want without any problems.

But with so many mobile bases available, what things should you consider when buying one? What do you really need? And whafs really important? In the box at left, you can see the things you should consider before settling on a mobile base.

What Type of Base? - One of the first considerations when going

1.Does a universal base suit my needs, or should I purchase a dedicated base that's designed for my specific tool?

2. If the mobile base can be adjusted, how easy is it to make a change?

3. What are the minimum and maximum sizes the base can be adjusted to?

4. Is the base stable when moving the tool, and more importantly, is it stable once ifs locked in place and you're working at the tool?

5. Does the base lock in place by foot-actuated levers or hand-operated knobs? How many? When locked, does it rest on wheels or pads?

6. How much assembly is required to put the mobile base together?

7. What's the maximum tool weight the mobile base will support?

8. Will the base handle extension tables or is there an accessory available to handle it?

9. How much will I have to spend?

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ShopNotes No. 77