Best idea I've seen for a mobile base after looking at a ton of these videos. And perfect camera work showing all of the necessary steps. Thanks for this!
I just finished this design for a custom table saw stand I built and it worked perfectly. I had the casters and the hinges and used scrap wood. It cost me nothing but my time. Excellent design. Thank you so much. Immaculate shop, btw.
This vidio is 3 years old, you must have watched an hour before me spockis51, but I'm not surprised people are finding it very useful and informative. Glad you made your own successful version, I've saved the vidio for when I build my work benches. Thanks for sharing Selandry1 5'⭐s
These designs are at the top of my list. Best I've seen so far and doesn't require expensive hardware. I'll be coming back here again soon to get several of my heavy tools up on mobile bases.
Brilliant! I'm not done with my router table, but this is definitely getting added. Thank you! FYI- The link goes to a commercial, but I found several caster videos on Carl Holmgren's channel.
This is Great! Especially your french cleat latch. I used your ideas combined with other UA-cam videos to make a mobile base for my table saw that sits on its leveled feet when down. It cost me nothing with all salvaged materials. This is fantastic. Thanks!
Great solution !!! And it looks like you could perform operations in your woodshop :) It has got to be one of the cleanest looking woodshops I have ever seen ;)
Mike van Wieringen Funny. I am actually a medical doctor. Thanks for the nice comment about my shop. It's my favorite room in the house and I make it look nice so my wife and kids will come out there too while I'm working.
When I first saw your video I thought of Carl, I discovered his videos back he first produced them I have not seen any of his video in a couple of years. Your video revealed one question that I had, but not put a lot of thought into. And that was how to determine the lift height and where to mount the hinges vertically to achieve the lift height. I have built several lifts that used Carl’s idea of the single handle like on his tool box. 😁🛫
Your base is the slickest design I've come across. I copied and reshaped it for use under my table saw, and also scaled it up for use under a large table. Both work really well. I'm so glad to ditch the locking casters. They're a complete pain!
Good Video. I had a few heavy tools with manufactured bases and have found them all to have problems. The best solution is find or design a retractable caster system for each individual tool. I watched the Holmgren about a year ago and since then have been replacing these bases with my own. They're not only better, but cheaper. I really like your idea for the catch that you added. I've got a hook and eye holding two of my bases and am going to replace these with your catch as soon as I find time.
Wow!!! I love it. I have been looking for those castors but now that I have seen them in action I will just buy normal castors and create something like you have!! Love it Thankyou!
Gosh, this is amazing. I’m totally going to make some for my tools. And I agree, the store bought ones are usually more frustrating than anything. Thanks for sharing this video.
So happy that I found your video show me how terrible those rockler wheels dont work. I was just about to buy them online and decided to do just a little more youtubing for diy casters and glad I found yours! Nice job and will be doing the same thing on my benches!
Bravo! Of all the videos i looked at, I like yours the best. I'm almost done using your design for my radial arm saw. So far so good. Thanks for posting this.
Thank you! I recently started volunteering at a theater with set building and I was asked to find a way of making mobile platforms stable, I think this system will work great! Also, I will probably add one to my table saw because I have a big saw and a tiny shop haha.
After watching this vide again you showed the secret to success on how to mount the pivot points and at what height. About 6 years ago I made single lever like Carl made for his tool box. I used a similar design on two of my tables.😁🛫
Vielen Dank für das sehr gut gezeigte und erklärte Video. Das ist die einfachste und wahrscheinlich beste Hebevorrichtung die ich bis jetzt auf UA-cam gesehen habe. Mega nice!!!
Great solution my concern is the amount of storage space under the bench it takes in the UK our home shops are much smaller and we need all the storage space we can get but have to agree it is a better and much cheaper solution than many
Muy buen sistema, lo estoy poniendo en práctica con algunas modificaciones para simplificarlo y que despeje más del suelo. Pero lo que más me cautiva es la pulcritud y limpieza de ese taller, como si fuera una revista de decoración donde no hay ni un pelo fuera de lugar ... ;-)
REALLY GOOD ! A little wax for the squeak and it's perfect! I will end up using this design for my bandsaw because I dont like the generic one that you buy the corners. I like the way you made it, simple and effective. Thank you !
1. I owe you a big thank you for the inspiration I got from your dust collection video. Really great ideas. Thanks. 2. This is more timely ingenuity! But with the cabinet I want to place under my bench, I’ll have limited space for the castor platform to rise up. Could I shorten that distance perhaps by narrowing the width of the castor platform from 8” to perhaps 4” or less?
Yes. If you watch my latest video workshop tour you will see that the workbench base has been remade out of walnut and much narrower and works great. Thanks for the nice comment.
Nice design and video. I too tried the "workbench" casters and, for anyone with a bench or tool giving them consideration, regard the following facts. When you raise or lower the casters, you are doing it one wheel (OUT OF FOUR) at a time. If your bench/tool weighs 300 lbs, you are putting half the weight on only one caster, the first one you attempt to raise or lower. The "workbench" casters are often rated at 110 lbs and cannot handle 150 lbs. I bent the first caster, with half the weight of my 300 lb bench, so I was asked to try another set. The same thing happened. Mine came from WC and it took me several phone calls reminding them to issue a refund. PITA! If you have a lightweight assembly table, or a bench under 150 lbs, you may be happy with them. Or just do what Selandry1 did, and build something that works better.
Amigo eu não entendo seu idioma, Entretanto sua didática é tão boa, que acompanhando seu passo a passo, consigo montar. Parabéns!!!, pela iniciativa de compartilhar seus conhecimentos.
As a farmer, I'm more accustomed to fixing things with a welder. I like your design for raise-able casters, but I'd sure rather weld the latching mechanism.
As always, very nice work. Clean, simple design and appearance. I have built three mobile bases so far, all of the type used on your workbench, where the caster support members are attached to the sides by hinges, and operated by two intersecting levers. I am intrigued now about the retractable casters under the planer/sander stand. The caster support members appear to be hinged both on the sides and in the middle. I have watched this video and ALL of the Carl Holmgren videos repeatedly, as well as many others. Aside from the table saw, his casters are NOT attached to the sides, but move in and out beneath cleats. Hoping for a bit more detail to clarify this issue. Thanks.
Yes the assembly for the sander table are hinged together in the middle and not attached to the sander at all on the sides. If you were to lift up the sander table the caster hinge assembly would fall out. There are square posts in each corner of the table that the caster hinge assembly rests on and the weight of the table acts as a spring to retract the casters when not engaged.
Ronald Defenbaugh if you lift it up the casters re-engage in the down position so it would be like chasing your tail. Lift one side to disengage and the other side engages.
Great video, thanks for sharing! Do you have any idea how to save more space for that lifting mechanism? I would like to use as much space as possible for drawers to keep tools accesible and organized. Unfortunateli I have very small space and I would like to keep my workbench mobile so I can bring it with me to garage and inside the house when not in use.
Nice base idea but... I love the organization and cleanliness of your shop! Is that terrazzo on the floor? Looks to be a small shop maybe 16x20-ish?? That's the dimensions of mine. Just getting organized so I picked up some nice ideas
Thanks, it's about 15x25 and the floor is industrial epoxy over cement. Glad you got some ideas. Check out my newest video on my out feed table if you want to manage plywood in you shop. It is my favorite feature of my shop.
I’m not a very prolific UA-camr. I just post ideas in my shop I think will help other people. For the past year my shop has been on honey do mode. I’m just glad people still find some of my content helpful. Since posting this video I did remake it in walnut to make it match the bench😀. The redone project can be seen in my shop tour video.
Paul Flynn Thanks and yes. It's a high grade industrial epoxy and has held up well after doing the proper prep work with a diamond grinder. Can't vouch for the box store kits that sell for much less.
Far and away a better lifting/lowering option than the Rockler casters. The downside is how much vertical space it requires. I am meditating on a design for a universal, low profile lift that can be moved to the tool. Might just be as simple as Matthias' cam lever + furniture dolly design but with custom dollies.
Great design. A question about the workbench, does it rock when planing or chiseling? Looks to be top heavy. It's really similar to what I want to build.
If you look closely at the shelf underneath the workbench there is a slab of Stone counter top that weighs about 100 pounds. It helps keep the bench stable. Before I added that hundred pounds of stone it did move around on me when I was trying to plane boards. Now it has enough mass that it doesn't move. A good workbench should be heavy enough to not move when flat planing boards.
No spring needed. The design allows for back and down movement due to the fulcrum of the design which allowins pressure on the front or back to pivot the latch. Hope this helps. I was hoping the computer 3D drawing would explain that.
Awesome clean design and I think I'm suffering from workshop envy. I have a workbench that weighs about 350lbs do you think this type of design will work?
Yes maple top on the bench with walnut everywhere else. The cabinets are Birdseye maple and walnut. Since making the video I have re-done the bench base in walnut to match.
Another fan of Carl Holmgren here, and i must say your latch design is the cleanest I've seen. Many thanks for sharing it!
The design of the latching mechanism is what sets this assembly apart from others. Great idea!
Best idea I've seen for a mobile base after looking at a ton of these videos. And perfect camera work showing all of the necessary steps. Thanks for this!
Thanks! I'm sure you saw Carl Holmgrens video. If not check it out. There is a link in my description.
I just finished this design for a custom table saw stand I built and it worked perfectly. I had the casters and the hinges and used scrap wood. It cost me nothing but my time. Excellent design. Thank you so much. Immaculate shop, btw.
This vidio is 3 years old, you must have watched an hour before me spockis51, but I'm not surprised people are finding it very useful and informative. Glad you made your own successful version, I've saved the vidio for when I build my work benches. Thanks for sharing Selandry1 5'⭐s
Thanks guys. Three years later and I still love it. Glad it helped!
These designs are at the top of my list. Best I've seen so far and doesn't require expensive hardware. I'll be coming back here again soon to get several of my heavy tools up on mobile bases.
Brilliant! I'm not done with my router table, but this is definitely getting added. Thank you!
FYI- The link goes to a commercial, but I found several caster videos on Carl Holmgren's channel.
Douglas Shaver check out my other video on how I made the router table mobile base. ThAnks for the info on the link. I will change it.
This is Great! Especially your french cleat latch. I used your ideas combined with other UA-cam videos to make a mobile base for my table saw that sits on its leveled feet when down. It cost me nothing with all salvaged materials. This is fantastic. Thanks!
what he said! thanks
Thanks mate - NOW that’s what I was looking for! NICE! Best design I have seen after a heavy trawl across the net!
Glad I can help!
Ice, especially the martini at the end certainly think about adopting this design on my workbench.
Best mobile tool caster system I have seen thus far! Thanks for sharing!
I have not watched a great deal of these but thanks for coming up with something easy. Kudos to you.
Great solution !!! And it looks like you could perform operations in your woodshop :) It has got to be one of the cleanest looking woodshops I have ever seen ;)
Mike van Wieringen
Funny. I am actually a medical doctor. Thanks for the nice comment about my shop. It's my favorite room in the house and I make it look nice so my wife and kids will come out there too while I'm working.
When I first saw your video I thought of Carl, I discovered his videos back he first produced them I have not seen any of his video in a couple of years. Your video revealed one question that I had, but not put a lot of thought into. And that was how to determine the lift height and where to mount the hinges vertically to achieve the lift height. I have built several lifts that used Carl’s idea of the single handle like on his tool box. 😁🛫
Carl made a new video a couple of weeks ago, it was great to see him after being absent so long. I was afraid we had lost him.
Your base is the slickest design I've come across. I copied and reshaped it for use under my table saw, and also scaled it up for use under a large table. Both work really well. I'm so glad to ditch the locking casters. They're a complete pain!
so much better than the commercial stuff... once again, very inspiring video!
Looking at building my own workbench. Even if I don't, this is a must-have add on. Great job!
I’ll give this whole video and concept a “Rodgers and Ebert “
Two thumbs Up ! Top shelf my friend
I just found your videos. Great mechanism for locking! Best ive seen. Simple in use brilliant! Thank you for sharing
Good Video. I had a few heavy tools with manufactured bases and have found them all to have problems. The best solution is find or design a retractable caster system for each individual tool. I watched the Holmgren about a year ago and since then have been replacing these bases with my own. They're not only better, but cheaper. I really like your idea for the catch that you added. I've got a hook and eye holding two of my bases and am going to replace these with your catch as soon as I find time.
Wow!!! I love it. I have been looking for those castors but now that I have seen them in action I will just buy normal castors and create something like you have!! Love it Thankyou!
Gosh, this is amazing. I’m totally going to make some for my tools. And I agree, the store bought ones are usually more frustrating than anything. Thanks for sharing this video.
I had those same casters from Rockler and was astonished at how awful they were! Your design is so much smoother!
So happy that I found your video show me how terrible those rockler wheels dont work. I was just about to buy them online and decided to do just a little more youtubing for diy casters and glad I found yours! Nice job and will be doing the same thing on my benches!
Bravo! Of all the videos i looked at, I like yours the best. I'm almost done using your design for my radial arm saw. So far so good. Thanks for posting this.
Excellent idea and terrific presentation, thanks for taking the time to show and explain, much appreciated
So simple but yet brilliant! Why didn’t I think of that! 🤦🏼♂️ Thank you for sharing your idea! 👊
Thank you! I recently started volunteering at a theater with set building and I was asked to find a way of making mobile platforms stable, I think this system will work great!
Also, I will probably add one to my table saw because I have a big saw and a tiny shop haha.
After watching this vide again you showed the secret to success on how to mount the pivot points and at what height. About 6 years ago I made single lever like Carl made for his tool box. I used a similar design on two of my tables.😁🛫
Perfect, just what I was looking for. Locking wheels just don't get the same stability as placing the legs on the floor.
I have collected several retractable casters ideas on UA-cam and built one. I don't like the one i built so I'm going to use your design. Thanks.
I just finished adding your idea to one of my workbenches. Works Perfect, Best idea! Thankyou.
Post a video! Would love to see it.
Best workbench caster design I have found thanks
Great design, simple and affective like all great designs well done
Very good solution! Thanks so much for doing all the hard work and showing the design process!
Great way of bypassing expensive castors. I might simplify the design for my purposes but appreciate the inspiration! Thanks 👍🏼👍🏼
Neat cleat design. Was planning similar castor system for my cupboard. Thanks.
one of the best solutions by far! thank you
Nice design. Need to make a mobile system for my table saw, think I'll copy yours. Thanks
Glad I can help!
Ingenious! I am inspired to make even more home built solutions to common issues like this now. Thanks!
I love these lever systems. I watched a video that gave me several other ideas. I hope to apply it soon to my workbenches. Thanks for sharing.
This is the action I like most. Will build this for my 150+ kgs worktable. Thank you!
Vielen Dank für das sehr gut gezeigte und erklärte Video. Das ist die einfachste und wahrscheinlich beste Hebevorrichtung die ich bis jetzt auf UA-cam gesehen habe. Mega nice!!!
Excellent! Best one I've seen so far (probably best one. Period). This idea is what I'll be using.
Outstanding! Well done and thank-you for sharing. I will copy design for my soon to be mobile workbench.
Great solution my concern is the amount of storage space under the bench it takes in the UK our home shops are much smaller and we need all the storage space we can get but have to agree it is a better and much cheaper solution than many
Excellent video and design. I am going to use your design on my router table.
Check out my router table mobile base design. That’s my favorite.
Nice design, I'm going to use that for the mitre saw bench I'm building.
Awesome, I used it for my workbench and it works wonderfully, can't wait to use it on my other workbenches, thank you
Muy buen sistema, lo estoy poniendo en práctica con algunas modificaciones para simplificarlo y que despeje más del suelo. Pero lo que más me cautiva es la pulcritud y limpieza de ese taller, como si fuera una revista de decoración donde no hay ni un pelo fuera de lugar ... ;-)
REALLY GOOD ! A little wax for the squeak and it's perfect! I will end up using this design for my bandsaw because I dont like the generic one that you buy the corners. I like the way you made it, simple and effective. Thank you !
Great design, thanks, I have to modify your design to use it on the side of my very heavy workbench, since I have cabinets in the middle... thanks
Very nice design. I will use your idea a design for a couple tools in my shop. Thanks
Love it! Simple, and works well, great idea and video, thank you for sharing!
Very nice design. Like the French cleat style catch
Finally getting some time back in the shop and have been researching mobile base designs to add space. Best design yet!
Thanks! Check out my hidden mobile base. It’s my favorite mobile base in my workshop. ua-cam.com/video/NAvl3eZOC_4/v-deo.html
Great video. Nice shop and a fellow shop person who enjoys a cocktail lol.
1. I owe you a big thank you for the inspiration I got from your dust collection video. Really great ideas. Thanks.
2. This is more timely ingenuity! But with the cabinet I want to place under my bench, I’ll have limited space for the castor platform to rise up. Could I shorten that distance perhaps by narrowing the width of the castor platform from 8” to perhaps 4” or less?
Yes. If you watch my latest video workshop tour you will see that the workbench base has been remade out of walnut and much narrower and works great. Thanks for the nice comment.
Fantastic idea, and even better, great video production.
Excellent latch idea. Thanks for sharing.
Best which I have seen so far, thanks for sharing.
Excellent explanation! Very clear and easy to understand. Thank you.
Nice design and video. I too tried the "workbench" casters and, for anyone with a bench or tool giving them consideration, regard the following facts. When you raise or lower the casters, you are doing it one wheel (OUT OF FOUR) at a time. If your bench/tool weighs 300 lbs, you are putting half the weight on only one caster, the first one you attempt to raise or lower. The "workbench" casters are often rated at 110 lbs and cannot handle 150 lbs. I bent the first caster, with half the weight of my 300 lb bench, so I was asked to try another set. The same thing happened. Mine came from WC and it took me several phone calls reminding them to issue a refund. PITA! If you have a lightweight assembly table, or a bench under 150 lbs, you may be happy with them. Or just do what Selandry1 did, and build something that works better.
Amigo eu não entendo seu idioma, Entretanto sua didática é tão boa, que acompanhando seu passo a passo, consigo montar. Parabéns!!!, pela iniciativa de compartilhar seus conhecimentos.
Thank you very much, I've been looking for this and this is the easiest to understand how to make and install...
The Martini is a nice touch!
As a farmer, I'm more accustomed to fixing things with a welder. I like your design for raise-able casters, but I'd sure rather weld the latching mechanism.
As always, very nice work. Clean, simple design and appearance. I have built three mobile bases so far, all of the type used on your workbench, where the caster support members are attached to the sides by hinges, and operated by two intersecting levers. I am intrigued now about the retractable casters under the planer/sander stand. The caster support members appear to be hinged both on the sides and in the middle. I have watched this video and ALL of the Carl Holmgren videos repeatedly, as well as many others. Aside from the table saw, his casters are NOT attached to the sides, but move in and out beneath cleats. Hoping for a bit more detail to clarify this issue. Thanks.
Yes the assembly for the sander table are hinged together in the middle and not attached to the sander at all on the sides. If you were to lift up the sander table the caster hinge assembly would fall out. There are square posts in each corner of the table that the caster hinge assembly rests on and the weight of the table acts as a spring to retract the casters when not engaged.
Walnut Workshop Thank-you, that clarifies it.
Would your original casters be easier to operate if the operator lift the bench to relieve some of the downward pressure?
Ronald Defenbaugh if you lift it up the casters re-engage in the down position so it would be like chasing your tail. Lift one side to disengage and the other side engages.
Do you have that design for the "latch" available?
That’s smooth. My question is this a workable solution for a table saw stand that angles outward
Great video, thanks for sharing! Do you have any idea how to save more space for that lifting mechanism? I would like to use as much space as possible for drawers to keep tools accesible and organized. Unfortunateli I have very small space and I would like to keep my workbench mobile so I can bring it with me to garage and inside the house when not in use.
Excellent solution and explanation! Thanks!
Nice base idea but... I love the organization and cleanliness of your shop! Is that terrazzo on the floor? Looks to be a small shop maybe 16x20-ish?? That's the dimensions of mine. Just getting organized so I picked up some nice ideas
Thanks, it's about 15x25 and the floor is industrial epoxy over cement. Glad you got some ideas. Check out my newest video on my out feed table if you want to manage plywood in you shop. It is my favorite feature of my shop.
You have to lift the table and release the casters. Just help with the weight
Brilliant ! Nice idea ! Stephan from Belgium
What are those metal clamps that you are dropping down into the holes called? I've never seen that before.
Jason Fischer
They are holdfasts made by gramercy. They are the best. Made of spring steel. I discovered them at a woodworking show a few years back.
Good clean design. Many thanks
I know I am really late to the party. But Thank you. I needed this idea.
I’m not a very prolific UA-camr. I just post ideas in my shop I think will help other people. For the past year my shop has been on honey do mode. I’m just glad people still find some of my content helpful. Since posting this video I did remake it in walnut to make it match the bench😀. The redone project can be seen in my shop tour video.
Can you add some plans
Great video and informative. I'm curious what software you used for the design of the latch?
Nice looking floor, did you do that yourself?
Paul Flynn
Thanks and yes. It's a high grade industrial epoxy and has held up well after doing the proper prep work with a diamond grinder. Can't vouch for the box store kits that sell for much less.
Important to know that you will not tip the shop martini when adjusting the bench!
Indeed my friend.
Far and away a better lifting/lowering option than the Rockler casters. The downside is how much vertical space it requires. I am meditating on a design for a universal, low profile lift that can be moved to the tool. Might just be as simple as Matthias' cam lever + furniture dolly design but with custom dollies.
Hey curious of you do not mind sarin what are the dimensions of you work bench?
I liked your video. Do you have a video installing casters on your router table ? It's very similar to my router table currently without wheels
Very nice, thank you for sharing this great idea. Was that martini on the bench at the end?
A dry Hendricks martini
Great design. A question about the workbench, does it rock when planing or chiseling? Looks to be top heavy. It's really similar to what I want to build.
If you look closely at the shelf underneath the workbench there is a slab of Stone counter top that weighs about 100 pounds. It helps keep the bench stable. Before I added that hundred pounds of stone it did move around on me when I was trying to plane boards. Now it has enough mass that it doesn't move. A good workbench should be heavy enough to not move when flat planing boards.
Thanks for the reply!
Not sure if you will see this but love the design. Do you happen to have build plans for your spindle sander/ planet cart?
Great video, are there any plans available?
It was a little difficult to see but it appears that the latch has a spring mechanism under the foot peddle. What did you use for the spring?
No spring needed. The design allows for back and down movement due to the fulcrum of the design which allowins pressure on the front or back to pivot the latch. Hope this helps. I was hoping the computer 3D drawing would explain that.
Not a spring. Watch it again, pause at 6:30 He cut out another notch on the top to allow the inside portion of the pedal greater travel distance.
think this would work if need 1/2' to 3/4" floor clearance?
Awesome clean design and I think I'm suffering from workshop envy. I have a workbench that weighs about 350lbs do you think this type of design will work?
It will work on a very heavy bench. My bench has a granite slab on the lower shelf so it probably weighs close to 200lbs
Nicely done. And a very nice workshop, workbench, cabinets...is that maple and walnut? If not, then what?
Yes maple top on the bench with walnut everywhere else. The cabinets are Birdseye maple and walnut. Since making the video I have re-done the bench base in walnut to match.
Love the Martini test!
very well thought out fair paly man
Great execution! Thanks!
Awesome. Will this work for lifting workbenches that only weigh less than you, or does the lever multiply the force?
Hope this makes sense - thanks!
Will work for any weight bench.
best one on the net. thankyou!!!
Do you have like a rough plan for these mobile bases?
Or sketches? Have tried drawing them from the video, but I was not too successful🙈
Well done man .