Get your bearings before using benchtop tools

To make it easier to move my benchtop tools out of the way but still lock them in place during use, I came up with a method that uses transfer bearings, like those shown above. One bearing in each corner of a plywood platform makes it easy to roll the tool around the benchtop; they drop into dimples in my bench to secure the tool during use.

I started by drilling a 1" hole in each corner of a platform sized at least a couple of inches larger than the tool base. The platform then serves as a template to rout the dimples  using a 1"-O.D. guide bushing and a 5/16"-radius core-box bit. I fitted the bushing in each platform hole and plunged to create a dimple about 3/16" deep.

The bearing housing diameter is slightly less than 1" so I secured them in each platform with epoxy. Placing the assembly with the casters engaged in the dimples on the benchtop, I let the epoxy set before mounting the tool to the platform. 

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