Hey folks,

I'll try to let the pics do most of the story telling...

Decided to skip the PM stand after getting the idea of using the HF side tool cab from the physics anonymous boys (before they abandoned the PM25 for the bigger mill).
https://www.harborfreight.com/145-in...net-64448.html

drew a base, adaptor plate, and used franco's pm model to mock the bigger picture up:
Attachment 442548

for the base, I bought some 2.5in square tube from metalsdepot.com, cut them up with the 18 dollar blade from HF in my old craftsman mitresaw
https://www.harborfreight.com/7-14-i..._q=metal+blade

Attachment 442550

Attachment 442552

Set up on my professional grade welding table and got my metal glue gun out to make some sparks...

Attachment 442554

Attachment 442556
maybe not too bad for a guy who sits in front of a computer all day...

Attachment 442558

time for a fit check...

Attachment 442560
that'll do pig. (no idea why this pic is previewing sideways, file is portrait)

the feet for the base:
Attachment 442562
spent like 40 doll hairs to get these and really wish I didnt try to go by the numbers... more on that later


Regarding lessons I've learned in just the base operations-

pay attention to where the metal tube seam is if it's a piece that needs to be made holy. putting a hole in a seam turns drill bits into more bits.

drill and tap all holes before welding, using a drill press is butter, and trying to use a hand drill on a big honkin assembly is for the birds.

if intuition tells you to go bigger than the numbers suggest, go bigger. I chose these feet because they were "rated" for 750lbs a piece and I figured my mill wont possibly encroach on those numbers. Now although the mill is mounted and the structure stands just fine, the feet are a questionable point - the floor is wildly unlevel and even the stresses of trying to level the mill have the rubber coming off the bottom of the feet and with them screwed "out" almost all the way in some spots I'm concerned about lateral transients from moving vises and work around on it... if anyone has idea for swapping them out without disassembling everything please speakup!