# Another Mobile Planer Base/Cabinet Build Question



## Tom5151 (Dec 5, 2011)

Hello, 

This is evidently my season for building mobile tool bases. I am currently building a mobile base/cabinet for my benchtop drill press and am planning two more. One for the TS and one for the planer.

My question is about the one for the planer. I have atatched a very crude sketch below to try to show what I will describe here. 

This base will actually be a combo base and cabinet. I want to maximize storage in my small garage shop. The base will be 30 inches wide by 24 inches deep and roughly 24 to 26 inches in height including casters and top. I will use 3/4 hardwood plywood (I have lots of leftover material I want to use up) for the entire cabinet box (i.e. end panels, deck, sub-top and back). It will have two ends which will be dadoed to accept a deck and rabbeted along the top edges to accept a recessed, 3/4 plywood top or "sub-top" (not individual stretchers). The end panels will also be rabbeted along the back edges to accept a 3/4 plywood back. On top of the "sub-top" I plan to fasten a thicker "finished" top made from glued up 1.5 inch stock. I plan to put two drawers in it that pull out on the 30 inch wide side. So they will be wide and deep drawers. The cabinet will have a face frame on the drawer front side. 

My main question is really about the top. The planer is 70 or 80 pounds or so. I am just wondering if the combination of the 3/4 plywood "sub-top" and the 1.5 inch finished top will provide enough ridgidity so that I get little to no flex in the top. Or should I add more substantial framing/support for the top?

By the way, the sketch does NOT show the 1.5 inch thick finished top or the casters. It is simply my rough sketch of the box and face frame

Thanks in advance for your help.
Tom


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Tom, you might like this plan: Portable Planer Stand Woodworking Plan


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## Tom5151 (Dec 5, 2011)

Mike said:


> Tom, you might like this plan: Portable Planer Stand Woodworking Plan


Hi Mike,

Thank you so much for suggesting this is a potential option. I will look to see if there are any key aspects that I can incorporate into the design I am building. My main concern is that my design will incorporate a ridgid enough top so that I don't get any flex or bowing in the top itself.

Tom


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Tom, 3/4" plywood should be all you need to support the planer. There is no reason for it to shift on you. I suggested that plan since I know it works well. My first experience with a planer was on an old Delta 12" my friend owned. It sat on the end of a 2' x 4' bench we built from 2" x 4"s and 3/4" plywood. A 2' x 2' waste bin caught a good amount of the debris. We all live and learn; my Delta TP305 is mounted on a nice mobile stand and only used outside. I have it hooked up to a HF dust collecter and the bag fills up rapidly. I highly recommend using a rubber sleeve with a 90° elbow on the optional dust collection hood to direct the dust to the side. This prevents the 4" hose from sagging in the way.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

A 2 1/4" thick top would hold a planer a lot heavier than you are using. I also only use mine outside. If you are only planing a few boards at a time a vac system might keep up. Any more than that and you will spend all your time emptying the bag/bin. 
By the way, if you are wondring what to do with the shavings, anyone who owns cows or chickens will probably take them as well as some horse owners. They are also better insulation than fibreglass, but are a terrible fire hazard.


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## Tom5151 (Dec 5, 2011)

Thank you for the responses.

I was fairly sure that the 2.25" overall top thickness would hold the planer. My real concern is whether or not there would be any sag or deflection in it over the 30 inch width. From what I am hearing you guys say, I should be good to go.

I actually have a 4 inch dust port on the planer which gets routed to a Delta 2HP dust collection system. It works great but as you have mentioned, it does produce a lot of shavings in a very short period of time. I like the idea of adding the 90 degree elbow. I had not thought about that. We typically line the bottom of the our firepit with the shaving and we also use them to make homemade firestarters. They work great. 

Thanks again gentlemen.


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