caster on workbench
- Thread starter PoorOwner
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Bondo
Well-known member
Ayuh,... I've got a couple of heavy steel work benches that were carts from an ole defunct foundry 'round here,...
I just keep a short piece of chain handy, aka: always with the bench,...
When I want it to stay put, I just fling the chain 'round a caster on the floor,...
That'll stop that wheel from movin' anywhere,...
Usually stoppin one wheel is enough, if not, grab another length of chain or rope, 'n flip it 'round another wheel on the floor,...
I just keep a short piece of chain handy, aka: always with the bench,...
When I want it to stay put, I just fling the chain 'round a caster on the floor,...
That'll stop that wheel from movin' anywhere,...
Usually stoppin one wheel is enough, if not, grab another length of chain or rope, 'n flip it 'round another wheel on the floor,...
djjsr
Well-known member
There are locking casters available. They lock the wheel from rolling and also lock the pivot from turning. They're not cheap. I have one bench with normal 4" casters and anchor it to a wall with turnbuckle hooks/eyes.
ilovevocs
Well-known member
In my last garage I had everything on wheels. My new garage is smaller and I decided that for the frequency things are moved the casters are better in theory for me than in application.
I have vise on a bench grinder pedestal. It's light enough that it is easy to move and in the three different areas I use it I have red head drop in anchors to bolt it down.
I have vise on a bench grinder pedestal. It's light enough that it is easy to move and in the three different areas I use it I have red head drop in anchors to bolt it down.
kerrynzl
Well-known member
Do what I did on a heavy jig I made [that needs to be moved occasionally]
I used casters to move it, and adjustable machinery feet beside them.
The machinery feet were adjusted to level with 3/4 plywood spacers under them to keep the casters just off the ground.
When I need to move it, I jack it up [it is heavy] and pull the spacers out so the casters touch the ground.
Works great and is stable when I need it to be.
I am thinking deployable wheels also,
2 bottle jacks will lower each pair of beam with caster onto the floor.
Maybe just a 4x4 wood post on vertical pins
If the post is flipped 90 degrees maybe it can act as stablizer as well.
EdT
Well-known member
I really like the idea of stuff on wheels where it makes sense. In my experience, while good for a lot of things, wheels on benches do not work out if you want to do any heavy work or, for example, cut off something with a hack saw. One of the benches I have now is on locking casters with rotational locks as well and it's just too wobbly to do heavy work. I have concluded that the best solution is "retractable" landing gear or legs. I am currently leaning toward fixed casters and retractable machinery feet as suggested above. Whatever the mechanism, I feel that the legs of the bench need to be on the floor when it's being used, not the wheels.
kerrynzl
Well-known member
I'm moving my jig this afternoon , Ill post up some photos.
The majority of the time it sits on the machinery feet on plywood spacers, and for about 10 minutes I remove the spacers so the jig can be moved.
When I put the jig back in the same position it doesn't need to be re-levelled [even though I have this option ]
Keep it simple if it get some abuse!!
amac70
Well-known member
I have everything on casters and wouldn't change it. my welding table weights over 600lbs. it doesn't wobble or move unless you put some real grunt behind it. i have never actually locked the caster on it. I have a very small garage 25 x 15 and need to be able to move stuff out of the way.
kerrynzl
Well-known member
Wrenchinfool
Well-known member
I have two pieces of angle iron welded to a straight piece with shrink tube over angle iron, wedges on either side of wheel.. Made it out extra odds and ends I am Gonna try the chain idea
Fxsb103
Well-known member
I am interested in making landing gear as well. I've seen a bunch of the bottle jack style on each end that plant the casters on the floor and lift the table. But I have pneumatic tires and want to lift the table up off the tires like a crane does while in use. Any ideas?
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Do this...spend some money and buy the best casters you can afford. These are about 40 bucks at amazon...they each hold 800 lbs and lock down tight. I beat the hell out of stuff on my tables and they don't move at all. I did the whole cheap caster routine...and then got to these type...steel core, lube fittings, non flattening material that doesn't get flat spots even after a year and over a ton of weight on them...you won't regret the investment. Also buy the biggest diameter you can..as that makes rolling easier.
Do this...spend some money and buy the best casters you can afford. These are about 40 bucks at amazon...they each hold 800 lbs and lock down tight. I beat the hell out of stuff on my tables and they don't move at all. I did the whole cheap caster routine...and then got to these type...steel core, lube fittings, non flattening material that doesn't get flat spots even after a year and over a ton of weight on them...you won't regret the investment. Also buy the biggest diameter you can..as that makes rolling easier.
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Fxsb103
Well-known member
I special ordered american swivel and brake lock casters for my push around cart. My large cart has tractor tires for outside. It's this big cart I need the outriggers for.
I was just thinking about the landing gear idea when I rebuild my bench. I'm thinking of using those cheap car scissor jacks, one on each end. No hydraulic fluid, no seals to go bad, no pumping. If the legs are at least 2x4 width the jack would be contained in the legs, so no wasted space. Drill a hole big enough for the rod to slide through in the front. I wouldn't use one on a car, but fine for a bench. I'll try to sketch up something for a visual.
kerrynzl
Well-known member
Try using a caravan stabiliser jack which has a fixed pivot [basically 1/2 a scissor jack]
myredracer
Well-known member
My table saw has these retractable casters. I recently made a plywood surface to cover the saw so now I have a rolling work surface. The ball casters on these are more like for inside a house and I replaced them with some decent "wheel" style ones. Seems to me with the locking casters, they can still wiggle a little bit.
There are many other retracting ones out there google "retractable casters" and check out the images.
There are many other retracting ones out there google "retractable casters" and check out the images.
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Fxsb103
Well-known member
I stole this photo of the welding table from another forum. I've based my devise from this table. Also attached see my latest CAD of my toold cart. The green are electric trailer jacks.also no hydrolic mess or hand pumping. Will have to lift my 500 lbs tool cart while in the stones. Eventually I will add two outriggers to each side similar to those found on a backhoe. $75 a piece though
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I took a little time to play with my workbench landing gear idea. I just tossed this together with some scrap wood as proof of concept really fast, so don't pay attention to the craftsman please!
Basically I just added an extra support for the jack to push against. Then notched a 2x4 so it could slide up and down on the leg, and put some casters on the bottom.
I found I had two identical scissor jacks. They don't need to stay in place though. I put a couple holes (for bolts or dowls) to hold the wheels in the lowered position (bench up)
It worKS really well. Jack easily pushes the bench up, put in the pins, and it rolls just like the wheels were mounted to it.
I'm going to clean it up a bit, and build beefier bench legs, but hey, if it works it works. Bench is 2x4 base with 2in thick, 36x80in solid door top. Didn't even empty the top of the bench.
Basically I just added an extra support for the jack to push against. Then notched a 2x4 so it could slide up and down on the leg, and put some casters on the bottom.
I found I had two identical scissor jacks. They don't need to stay in place though. I put a couple holes (for bolts or dowls) to hold the wheels in the lowered position (bench up)
It worKS really well. Jack easily pushes the bench up, put in the pins, and it rolls just like the wheels were mounted to it.
I'm going to clean it up a bit, and build beefier bench legs, but hey, if it works it works. Bench is 2x4 base with 2in thick, 36x80in solid door top. Didn't even empty the top of the bench.
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This ^^^^^^^^^^^ building "landing gear" is a joke. Sure its ok if moved rarely, and wanting to design something.....
but good, FULL LOCKING casters, you will enjoy the move. All these crazy contraptions to secure these tables are interesting but not necessary.
The simplest way is most likely going to be the most expensive way (high quality casters). Otherwise you can use cheaper casters if you use a method that allows a "landing gear" type setup. Check out some used faultless casters on ebay. As mentioned by tarbellb you want full locking casters that not only lock the wheel, but also the swivel.
saceone
Well-known member
buy a damn forklift
dv8customs
Well-known member
I have small bottle jacks on both ends of my table that lift it up onto the wheels when I need to move it. Takes only a couple of pumps and its ready to roll. It sits on adjustable feet to allow me to accommodate any dips in the floor. Just last week I put a small ATV wench in the receiver mount on my table and used it to drag a 55 Ford into the shop. Table never budged.
Farmall450
Well-known member
Better yet have a lever that you stick a cheater bar in forcing the wheels down, and the base up. We have a several thousand pound cart at school and this works flawlessly. (it has benders and such mounted on it).
I'm fully aware there are better ways of doing this, but they also cost a lot more. This was about free. For occasional moving and limited cost it works just fine, and its stable when up on the wheels.
I think everyone realizes there are very nice casters and/or feet that snap down into place, but people don't want to pay more for wheels than they spent on their bench.
As much as I love the awesome builds on this board, we don't all have the resources to build or buy exactly what we want. I don't like my HF drill press, but its better than not having one until I can get what I want. Some of us make do with what we've got.
I was just putting an idea out there that works. If you don't like it, don't build it.
I think everyone realizes there are very nice casters and/or feet that snap down into place, but people don't want to pay more for wheels than they spent on their bench.
As much as I love the awesome builds on this board, we don't all have the resources to build or buy exactly what we want. I don't like my HF drill press, but its better than not having one until I can get what I want. Some of us make do with what we've got.
I was just putting an idea out there that works. If you don't like it, don't build it.
Hey I hear ya. We all love trick stuff, except maybe Sberry.
But as Sberry also stated, the first and most important thing is to actually build something. Thats why most of us are here.
Keep the builds, pictures, comments, ideas, even the trolling coming.