Mobile Tool Base

The quickest, easiest and cheapest DIY mobile tool base you can make for your small workshop.

My custom made mobile tool base with a flip top table. I thought it was a clever move to attach a set of castors on a hinge so that I could move it around.

Turns out it is not a new idea for small workshops. Purely by chance I saw an example on Pinterest, so I decided to research it further.

A home made mobility kit is fine for the average hobby woodworker. If you have really heavy industrial woodworking machines, it would be better to buy a purpose made mobile tool base.

Mobile Tool BaseThe mobile tool base shown in the resting position
mobile tool baseShown in the mobile position.

How The Mobile Tool Base Works

The parts marked A & B are hinged. To engage the casters, part A folds down to wedge the two parts B into a horizontal position, thus lifting the base onto the castors. Should I mention that we would have to lift one end of the bench to do this, then again on the other side.

To disengage the casters, we would have to flip part A back up again.

I have looped a piece of string to engage and disengage the wooden block Part A.

I modelled this in SketchUp on my existing workbench plans.

mobile tool baseShowing the castors in stationary position.

Here it is in real life, so to speak. I have turned the workbench upside down to show the castors.

Detail of the mobile tool base workbenchClose up detail of part of the mobile tool base.

A close up photo of part of the mechanism showing the hinge and the castor. I had to make sure there was enough clearance for the castor to swivel, so it is mounted past the hinge point. 

You may notice the odd hole in the wood I used, that's because it has been used before. Some may call it scrap wood, to me it is precious.

Chamfer these edges for clearance.

The way this works is that it the parts rely on gravity when I lift the workbench, so there needs to be a gap as the two parts swing into the mobile position.

When the two parts holding the castors are level, there needs to be a shallow V share where they meet in the middle.

Once again, the photo is showing the workbench upside down.

More Projects For Your Workshop

More Mobile Tool Base Ideas

Mobile tool base ideas on Pinterest.

Flip Top Table

I also made this flip top table on retractable casters.

Mounted a scroll saw in one side, and a disc sander on the other side.

A 3D SketchUp model of the flip top table that I made.

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