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Using wheeled trailer jack on a heavy fabrication table?

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MrBreeze

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Looking for ideas as to how to make a stationary steel fabrication table (36" x 72" top, with 3 1/2" square legs and 3/8" steel top) easier to move around in the garage, but leaving it on it's 4 legs when in use. I don't want to mount casters permanently on the ends of the legs (even with caster locks, there is more movement than I'd like - particularly when using the vice that will be mounted on one corner)

Was considering some type of retractable wheel/caster - something cost effective and simple. A wheeled trailer tongue jack on each corner perhaps?


Cost about $25 each, so for $100 isn't "cheap" but it also is pretty straight forward and easier than manhandling the table around.

This is not the table, but it is similar:


Thoughts? Opinions? Other suggestions?
Thanks,
 
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Carves

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MrBreeze said:
Cost about $25 each, so for $100 isn't "cheap" but it also is pretty straight forward and easier than manhandling the table around.
Click to expand...


$ 25.00 ... :rolleyes:

The $50 to $200+ each, price tag ... down here, is the only thing stopping me using them for a variety of projects - such as a work benches, low loading garden cart, chicken coops and stuff.


... all our cheap ones have space wasting, top handles .. :sad:
 
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rslaback

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How smooth is our floor? Do you have a good size air compressor? It isn't super difficult to make pucks that plug into your air compressor and make the table hover like a hovercraft.
 
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MrBreeze

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rslaback said:
How smooth is our floor? Do you have a good size air compressor? It isn't super difficult to make pucks that plug into your air compressor and make the table hover like a hovercraft.
Click to expand...

Floor is smooth, so this would make for a good solution, however, I don't want to be tied to a compressor line as I have to keep things as "portable" as possible since this most likely won't be the last house/garage I'm in.

I'm wondering if others who have their fab tables on locking casters find that it stays in place enough to be stable? Alternatively, anyone who has fabricated a caster system that can be levered down in place when needed to move?
 
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dcmus

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Have seen a lift system with caster and bottle jacks on each end for portability which would solve your problem. I'm sure someone can point you to that build.
 
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HMCFab9

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Easiest option (if you already have a floor jack) would be to jack one end up with it & have feet on the other end that slide easily, or some kind of wheels that touch the floor when you jack up the other end.
 
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MrBreeze

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HMCFab9 said:
Easiest option (if you already have a floor jack) would be to jack one end up with it & have feet on the other end that slide easily, or some kind of wheels that touch the floor when you jack up the other end.
Click to expand...

Agree. Thought about getting or making a couple low wheel dollies (used to move cars around) to put under one end while using a floor jack for the other end - might be the short-term solution.
 
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Wanna Ride

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Cut that crank handle off and weld a nut on it... then grab your impact wrench and zip-zip. Fast and easy.
 
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mdbeck1

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There are lots of options. Look at YouTube for mobile woodworking platforms. They have several different styles that could be adapted for steel.
 
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Chuck...

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Superior Wi
I was having the same issue when building my welding bench. I wanted to be able to move the table around easy and have it be solid when I needed it to be. This is what I came up with I have been calling it landing gear. It works really well. I have a 2 ton bottle jack on each side and it pumps the wheels down easy.
[URL=http://s1027.photobucket.com/user/roadmaster_1996/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20150311_123635_zpsbhgywv71.jpg
 
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koditten

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HF has those on sale for $20. You would only need 3 if you had the correct mounting situation. They would have plenty of capacity. In addition, to remove them, all that holds them on is a big snap ring. Easy to remove and no knee knocker when you have the table in a semi permanent position.
 
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tatra

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They do make ones that are pinned and can be completely removed . Nice thing is now the wheels can be used on other pieces if need be and stored out of the way so as not to create shin and knee hazards.
 
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MrBreeze

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Chuck... said:
I was having the same issue when building my welding bench. I wanted to be able to move the table around easy and have it be solid when I needed it to be. This is what I came up with I have been calling it landing gear. It works really well. I have a 2 ton bottle jack on each side and it pumps the wheels down easy.
Click to expand...

Chuck,
Nice idea. I particularly like how you are able to make the table stick to the ceiling. :lol:
 
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MrBreeze

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koditten said:
HF has those on sale for $20. You would only need 3 if you had the correct mounting situation. They would have plenty of capacity. In addition, to remove them, all that holds them on is a big snap ring. Easy to remove and no knee knocker when you have the table in a semi permanent position.
Click to expand...

tatra said:
They do make ones that are pinned and can be completely removed . Nice thing is now the wheels can be used on other pieces if need be and stored out of the way so as not to create shin and knee hazards.
Click to expand...

I'll have to watch HF for a sale, or use coupons - The last I saw they were $24.99

I was thinking of putting the jacks on the inside of the legs so as to avoid catching a shin on them. Might be a bit more of a reach to get to the crank handles, but I'm only anticipating having to move the table occasionally. I'd also mount them so I wouldn't have to pivot them 90 degrees as you do when using on a trailer tongue.

While the air lifting idea is a good solution, it's more elaborate and complex than I was thinking.
 
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jwith68

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EC Missouri
MrBreeze said:
Looking for ideas as to how to make a stationary steel fabrication table (36" x 72" top, with 3 1/2" square legs and 3/8" steel top) easier to move around in the garage, but leaving it on it's 4 legs when in use. I don't want to mount casters permanently on the ends of the legs (even with caster locks, there is more movement than I'd like - particularly when using the vice that will be mounted on one corner)

Was considering some type of retractable wheel/caster - something cost effective and simple. A wheeled trailer tongue jack on each corner perhaps?

Cost about $25 each, so for $100 isn't "cheap" but it also is pretty straight forward and easier than manhandling the table around.

This is not the table, but it is similar:


Thoughts? Opinions? Other suggestions?
Thanks,
Click to expand...

If you look closely at your "similar table" photo, I believe it has what you want already on it. Look at these & how they work:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#leveling-casters/=xgrsr9

Unfortunately, they make $25/each trailer jacks look downright cheap by comparison. We have several sets of these on heavy equipment and work tables in our engineering lab, and they are very, very nice. Extremely stable with the leveling feet extended, no comparison to "locked" casters.
 
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kerrynzl

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Carves said:
$ 25.00 ... :rolleyes:

The $50 to $200+ each, price tag ... down here, is the only thing stopping me using them for a variety of projects - such as a work benches, low loading garden cart, chicken coops and stuff.


... all our cheap ones have space wasting, top handles .. :sad:
Click to expand...

Get a side crank BMW jack from the wreckers and add a castor to it.
 
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Harrierguy

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Nov 27, 2014
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Do not use a impact on a trailer jack, won't last long, not designed for it. Use a good
cordless drill, will work fine.
 
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MrBreeze

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jwith68 said:
If you look closely at your "similar table" photo, I believe it has what you want already on it. Look at these & how they work:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#leveling-casters/=xgrsr9

Unfortunately, they make $25/each trailer jacks look downright cheap by comparison. We have several sets of these on heavy equipment and work tables in our engineering lab, and they are very, very nice. Extremely stable with the leveling feet extended, no comparison to "locked" casters.
Click to expand...

I did notice the leveling feet on the pic I used as "similar" - I was more referring to the size/shape of top and leg configuration. The table picture is a very very nice (and expensive) fabrication table, and the Mcmaster leveling feet and casters are a high quality (and expensive) solution. You are right, they are no comparison to trailer jacks or even a typical locking caster.
 
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wssix99

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Chicago, IL
MrBreeze said:
I don't want to mount casters permanently on the ends of the legs (even with caster locks, there is more movement than I'd like - particularly when using the vice that will be mounted on one corner)
Click to expand...

I don't think you should completely discount casters. I have some locking casters on my table and they don't budge at all:
View media item 51214
These are really heavy duty and the four will handle over a ton. (Their cost is on-par with the leveling casters discussed above, but I would expect these would take more force/weight.)
 
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MrBreeze

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wssix99 said:
I don't think you should completely discount casters. I have some locking casters on my table and they don't budge at all:
View media item 51214
These are really heavy duty and the four will handle over a ton. (Their cost is on-par with the leveling casters discussed above, but I would expect these would take more force/weight.)
Click to expand...

Curious, is the table against a wall?
Do you have a vise mounted on your table?
I'd prefer that type of set up, but based on tool chests and cabinets with locking casters, there still can be a bit of movement, so my concern was if cranking on material in the vise, I'd get movement. Sounds like you don't have any issues in that regard?
 
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wssix99

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Yes, it's against the wall in the picture. The casters also raise the table, which is nice for me as I'm vertically elongated.

I don't have a vise but have tinkered with the idea. I think it would be more viable if I cut the table down so I could mount the vice closer to the legs. (That will give me more stability and the table is a little large, as-is, for the room its in.)

I have four locking casters on each leg, which probably helps me. The table also weighs 300-400 lbs, so inertia probably also helps things. (I hurt for a week just flipping the damn thing over to weld the caster plates on.)

I got my casters from Caster City and they were really great. They helped me pick out a wheel material that wouldn't mess up my flake/epoxy floor, would handle the weight, and would also lock well in my application. They even pointed out that welding the casters to the table would distort the bearings and supplied me the matched weld plates. (So I could bolt them on.) Maybe they would return the casters for you if they don't work out? (Then, you'd only be out for the weld plates.)
 
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