Customer Reviews

HTC HRS-2158 3 Leg Scroll Saw Stand Mobile Base

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I read one review that complained about shipping problems with Amazon. I understand the frustration but that has nothing to do with the quality or usefulness of this stand.
I purchased a DeWalt DW788 about a year ago. My shop is small so when I use this saw I have to move it. I considered several solutions and this was one of them. When Amazon ran free 2 day shipping I sprang for the stand. It arrived in short order. Everything I needed was there,. Assembly was a snap although the instructions appeared to be universal and for no stand that looked like this one. The basic stamd is one piece and when I opened the parts packet and looked at the choices, I had the stand rolling in about 3 minutes. Pretty much a no brainer. The stand is heavy duty and seems to be very sturdy when the saw is on it. I had some concern about the triangular shape not being stable but The worry was for nothing. The stand is a heavy duty unit with adequate size wheels and rolls easily. The working end of the saw is the 2 legged end so everything is very stable. I can now easily move my saw out of the way and I am extremely pleased. It was a good decision for me and so far has worked well. Wish I had bought it sooner.

I've had the base for almost a month and I have moved the saw with it several times.

OVERVIEW:

Pro:
* sturdy, well made.
* minimal raising of the saw (2 cm).
* easy to spot operating levers.
* the two wheel locks seem to work well.
* appears to be a good powder coat finish (time will tell!).

Con:
* foot mounting options are poor for this product.
* large (5 cm) nut on caster can be a problem to assemble.
* missing assembly instructions - my fault ???

Heads up:
* Due to minimal floor clearance, very rough surfaces could be an issue.
* I would recommend securing the saw stand to the base for added stability.

Recommend to a friend?
* yes.


THE DETAILS AS I SEE THEM:

* The base is well made of a heavy gauge steel. The powder coat finish seems very good. We will see over time. The wheels are good.
If there were assembly instructions, I somehow missed them. This meant that assembling the wheel brakes required a little bit of thought and experimentation. Anyway, they work just fine.

* The operating levers (that you press with your toe) are all bright orange making them easy to spot out of the corner of your eye - a nice little feature.

* Securing the caster out at the apex of the base is a bit of a challenge since there is about a 5 cm 'nut' on the caster and I did not have a sufficiently large wrench. I vice-griped it - NOT the way I like to do it, but its OK.

* There is not a lot of clearance between the bottom of the base and the ground. Essentially, this is good (the saw height is only increased by about 2 cm by the base. However, I am currently moving the saw over some concrete 'finished' by a rank amateur and over a bad bump onto properly finished concrete. The apex of the base often hangs up. If you have a smooth floor (I'll fix mine soon), the base is great. I'm just warning you that you may have troubles with a rough surface.

* There is also a retractable foot, I guess I'll call it. The unit itself is nice. You can easily flip it up and down with your toe. However, the way it mounts to the bottom of this particular (triangular) base is an issue. HTC must use this foot on many of their bases since the mounting bracket is kind of universal - it clips onto the bottom of a side rail. Due to the way this triangular base is made, you cannot (easily) mount the foot where I would like to, out at the apex of the triangle. There is a fairly large plate of steel at the apex of the triangle to support the back leg of the saw. This plate keeps you from mounting the foot anywhere near the apex. The best you can do places the foot about 30 cm from the apex and WAY OFF TO ONE SIDE. I intend to modify the mount so as to move the foot to the apex (and thereby, centered).
If there is any easy way to make this modification, I have yet to see it. I'm usually pretty good at that sort of thing - but, occasionally I miss the obvious. Essentially, I want to mount at an END, something designed to be mounted at a SIDE.
The best workaround I have come up with is to order a second foot and mount it across from the existing foot. This would increase the side-to-side stability, currently a concern, but gives me a four point base rather than a simple three point base (and an increased cost & hassle). Until I address my floor issue, leveling four points on a rough surface will be a pain!
I did not find the foot as a separate item on HTC's web site ([...]), but it seems like a responsive company, just email them & ask.
Fortunately, the simple and secure locks on the other two wheels makes this foot issue a minor one.

* To assure stability of the overall unit I strongly recommend that you:
1) make sure the saw is securely bolted to its stand (3 bolts).
2) bolt the stand to the mobile base:
> Mark & drill three 1/2" holes in the base plates corresponding to the three holes in the bottoms of the stand legs (assuming the DeWALT saw stand).
> Secure with 3 short 1/2" bolts with the bolt head below and a lock washer and nut on top (remember, there's not a lot of clearance under there).
> If drilling 1/2" holes in metal is an issue, use the largest hole you can drill, an appropriate bolt and a fender washer (a large diameter washer) between the lock washer and the 1/2" stand hole.

* Get out there and saw something fancy! For what you spent on saw + light + stand + base, it better be good and you can't blame the tools!

I received the base quickly and all the parts were included.

I own many different mobile bases for my tools and this one is build well compared to the others. The metal base is welded together so all you have to do is bolt on the solid rubber wheels and place the stand on it. It is easy to move and has 3 different locking points to keep it from moving when you want to use it. The Dewalt stand into it nicely. The only possible negative is that the levels that lock the wheels in thick molded plastic. I would recommend this base to anyone that uses the Dewalt scroll saw.

No issues putting together the stand. I love the way it moves. Much nicer than some of the other mobile stands I have.

I can now move my Dewalt scroll saw w/o having to carry it.

Very happy with the fit and finish. Very well made product.

Only problem I had was waiting so long to buy it. Saw the price increase twice before I finally moved it to my cart.

The stand is well-made and easy to assemble. The instructions have to be digested first and you need to be alert during assembly, but the final product is exactly what I wanted. The Dewalt scroll saw fits it perfectly and now that it's easier to move, I'll use it more - which is the whole point!

Because my shop is so small, I have to move the saw outside in order to use it. DeWalt says their scroll saw should be bolted down, for obvious reasons (it's tippy). So I was a bit concerned about mounting it even higher, and on wheels. But it's too heavy to move easily, and other reviews were generally positive, so I decided to buy the stand. No problems with delivery, and the assembly instructions, while somewhat confusing, weren't too hard to decipher. The saw is even less stable now, but I've moved it without problem several times. You just have to be careful. Children and dogs and this saw on a movable stand do not mix, even if it's unplugged and inoperative. When I have a larger shop, I will design some kind of bracket to keep the stand firmly attached to a wall when it's not in use.

I received the base today (2 day delivery) from Amazon. I wanted it before the new scroll saw arrived. I read all the reviews, and figured that there might be some problems. None were encountered. Went together in about 45 min. I read John Toews review and agree with most of it. The instructions can be a bit confusing, but read through them because they are generic and not specific for the HRS 2158. Followed them from Standard Duty instructions, then T style, then the "Floor Lock" installation. It is to just keep the mobile wheel from moving when the front wheels are locked in place. It should be adjusted to just touch the floor, not lift the base frame. I placed it near the apex of the frame near the mobile wheel. This will be great in that all my machines are on wheels due to space limitations. It will make it easier to move to a working location, and not drag it as I did my old Dremal.

The assembly instructions were useless but once I figured out how to put it together (which wasn't all that hard)I am very pleased with how easy it is to move my saw now.

I originally ordered this product on January 22, 2006. After three notices that this product would be delayed from the manufacturer I finally received notice that it had been shipped and would arrive on or about May 5, nearly four months after placing the order.

When the package finally arrived, surprise, surprise the order was incomplete. I received the platform only, none of the hardware, wheels, etc. I am now waiting for Amazon to contact HTC to get me the rest of the materials.

As an aside, when Amazon informs you of a delay on an item you are given the option to approve the delay or cancel the order. Before opting to cancel I decided to check with another major tool supplier to see how fast they could get the item.

The other supplier told me that they are discontinuing their "association" with HTC because of their poor customer service which includes shipping and completing orders. So I decided rather than start over again I would let this order take its course. Shame on me.