shop press on wheels

[boat2230]

I am setting up my shop and want to have everything able to be mobile, band saw, table saw, drill press and parts cleaner. So I purchased some 5 inch casters for my forty ton Press. It will be used for normal automotive hobbyist type car related and the occasional straightening of an anchor, what can I say they slip sometimes. Has anyone else done this? The plan is to use a pice of steel spanning side to side to mount the wheels due to the size of wheel mounting flange and bolt this to bsase of press frame. Anybody have some pics of there's or advise for or against. Just new to the the game and having second thoughts.

 

[Rlfd213]

My 20 ton press is on wheels. Works fine for me.

 

[cvairwerks]

You need to arrange the casters so that base dimensions are as deep as the press is wide due to them being very top heavy. Adding 5 inch casters makes it even moreso. You don’t want to be in the path if it tips.

As an aside, my 50 and 60 ton presses weigh well over a thousand pounds each and the fixed crowns are almost 2/3rds of that weight.

 

[Craftfab]

My HF 20 ton is on four wheels. Use it mostly with a SWAG brake.

 

[All]

Is hydraulic force from the ram, anchored at the head, transferred from the ram to the object being pressed - to the bed plate - to the bed plate pins - to the towers - to the castors - on the way to the floor for final resistance? Or is the force constrained between the head and the bed plate? If the former, can the casters withstand the weight of the press and the applied force of the ram traveling down the described load path?

One can get casters that lock in both swivel and roll, which might guard against tipping if all four casters were clock 45 degrees from center prior to lock down, provided that all four casters swivel and the attachment base is reasonably square. I've thought about moving my 50T gypsy press (read: cut the rating in half), but the top heaviness and risk of tip over in transit isn't very motivating.

 

[Volcrew]

I bought casters at Lowes and mounted them on the HF 20T press. No stability issues.

View media item 89309

 

[gatlibs]

My 20 ton Sunex (made in U.S.A.) came with holes in the feet. I bought Faultless casters (made in U.S.A.). I wish that I spent the extra few bucks for casters with brakes.

Be sure to make the casters at least at the outer four points of the current feet. If you link to your press, then we can see the feet to gauge your options. If you don't/can't drill your current feet, then I'd consider u-bolting angle iron a bit longer than current feet to current feet. You can safely drill holes into that for the casters and increase your base to prevent falling. Since it will be mobile the increase in size at the base probably won't be much of an issue in your garage.

The pressure generated should transfer to the steel around the pins supporting the horizontal bracket. Once the steel around the hole doesn't yield the force should be contained. The force at the feet is mass * gravity. You can test that by wheeling your press into the yard. It won't sink more when it is pressing than it sank from standing there.

 

[rsanter]

My 30 ton is on wheels
No issues, works great
If your floor is smooth I would go smaller wheels. Mine is in 2” wheels and works fine

 

[fastbike02]

my hf 20 ton is on casters and has been for the last 4 years, never gave me an issue

 

[matt_i]

Bolt it to a pallet (or wooden frame that resembles a pallet from the side) and move it with a pallet jack.

 

[astroracer]

Here is mine. The "cart" was built from left over engine stand parts. The lower shelf stores all of the press plates, bending dies, the Swag bender and a flat top bender I built. No issues when using or moving it around.

Mark

 

[Ign]

My 50T is on wheels. Really only makes sense unless you already store it in the middle of the shop so there's not a wall obstructing loading long work

If height and COG are concerns just raise the casters, not a hard concept. Look to retail rolling clothes racks or IV stands for similar

 

[cmandp]

Is hydraulic force from the ram, anchored at the head, transferred from the ram to the object being pressed - to the bed plate - to the bed plate pins - to the towers - to the castors - on the way to the floor for final resistance? Or is the force constrained between the head and the bed plate? If the former, can the casters withstand the weight of the press and the applied force of the ram traveling down the described load path?

One can get casters that lock in both swivel and roll, which might guard against tipping if all four casters were clock 45 degrees from center prior to lock down, provided that all four casters swivel and the attachment base is reasonably square. I've thought about moving my 50T gypsy press (read: cut the rating in half), but the top heaviness and risk of tip over in transit isn't very motivating.

The pressing force from the ram is held by the upper beam, uprights, bed, and bed pins. Basically it just puts the uprights in tension between where the upper beam connects and the pins supporting the bed.

The castors only have to bear the weight of the press/work piece and force you are applying to the jack handle.

 

[sz0k30]

My HF on casters

 

[boat2230]

Thanks for all the great feed back!! here is a link to press

https://www.northerntool.com/images/product/2000x2000/145/1459100_2000x2000.jpg

press weighs 430lbs was thinking that safety margin with added items would be working load 900-1000 and can't find any 2 inch wheels in that range that support it. 3.5 in has a few options, Grainger had some 275lbs a wheel total lock feature but pricey. would just simple wheel only lock work? 800 lbs max might be more realistic for total weight.

 

[astroracer]

Check here:
https://www.surpluscenter.com/Casters/Plate-Casters/

 

[gatlibs]

Thanks for all the great feed back!! here is a link to press

https://www.northerntool.com/images/product/2000x2000/145/1459100_2000x2000.jpg

press weighs 430lbs was thinking that safety margin with added items would be working load 900-1000 and can't find any 2 inch wheels in that range that support it. 3.5 in has a few options, Grainger had some 275lbs a wheel total lock feature but pricey. would just simple wheel only lock work? 800 lbs max might be more realistic for total weight.

The feet of your press looks almost exactly like mine. The only difference is that the Sunex came predrilled with holes at the corners for a threaded caster. I bought these, but stupidly a version without the brake. It is 130 lbs. x 4 = 520 lbs. 520 lbs - 430 lbs (shipping weight) = 90 lbs.

If you are wanting to ensure that you have no issue by overconstructing, then I encourage you to follow the suggestion above about a wooden support on a flat dolly that is all bolted together. That thin connecting piece between the feet is too thin for me and flexes.

https://faultlesscaster.com/casters...ng-type[Threaded Stem]&sort=p.price&order=ASC

http://www.fairbankscasters.com/dollies.html