935 floor base

install pics

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very nice work! You can always borrow my pallet jack since we are so close - save you 35$ an hour.
 
Thanks for the nice offer.

I'm slowly getting it dialed in when time allows. Very different than my prior RF-45 style mill. Things aren't where they used to be LOL! so having to reprogram my brain a bit. Oh well, it will come. Seems like a very smooth machine thus far
 
Though this is an older thread, so much thought has gone into this. I just sat my Bridgeport on two 4x4s running front to back. I can easily run a pallet jack in from the front, just what you need, and the mill, all 2200 pounds, moves easily. The extra 3.5” height is really valuable for taller folks.
 
I like this much more than the leveling feet. More solid. Nothing to sway in response to vibration, or me sneezing:) I made leveling rods and the vibration was a fail for me, so I only lift them up high enough to keep one full flat edge in contact with the ground. At some point when my motivation is sufficient, I'll buy or make a solid base and perhaps consider the 4x4 approach. Simple rocks. I will note too I added 120# of lead to the base and got an observable improvement in surface finish. I'll add more when that elusive motivation locates me:)
 
davidpbest said:
Here is what I did with my PM935 that arrived last week. I wanted it up on leveling feet and to increase the height of the machine off the floor just enough that my pallet jack forks would clear going under the mill from the side (forks are 21" wide, 3.5" tall, the cutout is 24", but I needed another 1.5 inches of height for them to clear).

I started with two pieces of 1/4" thick 3x4 angle, 26" long, clipped off the 3" side corners at 45-degrees, flap-disc'd off the mill scale and radiused the corners and eased all the edges.

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I ordered 3" diameter leveling feet from McMaster 6111K247 - could have gotten away with the 2" high versions instead of the 4" versions I ordered. These feet are 3/4-10 thread, come with a locknut, but no washers or other nuts (which I ordered separately).

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I decided to use 5/8" AllThread to attach the angle plates to the mill through the holes in the base of the PM935, and set the leveling feet outside the base of the machine to improve stability. 10" long all thread into tapped 5/8 holes (which are 417mm apart CL-to-CL), the leveling feet were placed 60mm in from the end of the angle brackets:

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After drilling and tapping, I primed and painted the angle brackets:

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After two coats, and installation on the PM935, this is what the finished platform looks like. The 5/8 AllThread fits the 3/4" holes in the machine base just fine. I will probably end up trimming off the tops of those once everything else is settled.

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Since the floor here is 1.25" T&G commercial decking plywood on stringers, my plan is to drill out 4" diameter holes in the floor and put in 4" diameter solid aluminum round bar stand-offs that will go down to the concrete floor below, turned to match the height of the floor. I'll post on that once finished. And it's also time to re-paint the floor, obviously.

Hope this helps.
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Hello David,

I know this is a very old post, but I have a couple of questions. Did you drill and tap for the 5/8" all-thread in the angle iron? Was 1/4" thickness enough to hold the all thread secure or did you add a jam nut there? Also, I am assuming you only engaged that thread the 1/4" thickness of the angle iron as to not protrude and interfere with your pallet jack, is that correct? I am about to move my PM935 around the shop and wanted to do this mod and maybe use a pallet jack. I just get worried about its stability on a pallet jack from the side as it is so top-heavy. I would appreciate any feedback. Thanks. Salah
 
szenieh said:
I know this is a very old post, but I have a couple of questions. Did you drill and tap for the 5/8" all-thread in the angle iron?
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No, I used opposing jamb nuts on either side of the hole in the angle to hold the all-thread. My pallet jack is 21” wide (narrow version since all my Europenn woodworking machines require that width) and it enters from the side of the mill into the cutout reliefs in the casting, not from the front. That said, I see no reason why you couldn’t thread the ¼” thick angle instead. That connection with the all-thread is simply to hold the angle iron to the base of the mill and thus the threads are not taking a lot of shear load. I have not encountered stability issues with the mill on the pallet jack. Hope this helps.

David
 
davidpbest said:
No, I used opposing jamb nuts on either side of the hole in the angle to hold the all-thread. My pallet jack is 21” wide (narrow version since all my Europenn woodworking machines require that width) and it enters from the side of the mill into the cutout reliefs in the casting, not from the front. That said, I see no reason why you couldn’t thread the ¼” thick angle instead. That connection with the all-thread is simply to hold the angle iron to the base of the mill and thus the threads are not taking a lot of shear load. I have not encountered stability issues with the mill on the pallet jack. Hope this helps.

David
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Thank you David for the quick and clear response. I will see if I can rent a narrow (21" wide) pallet jack here. Your insight and help is much appreciated as always.

Salah
P.S. I just saw a photo on your Flickr account of the PM935 with the pallet jack. A fellow (friend) was wheeling it into your shop.
 
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