Vidmar Caster Mounting

[bsf]

Slightly different questions on this topic than previous threads. Considering a ~59” H x ~30” W x ~28” D unit w/ the pallet base. Photo provided below of this style base.



I have available at material expense 3/16” 1/4" steel plate cut to exact footprint of cabinet. Would you mount casters directly to the pallet base “stand-offs”, or use the plate between stand-offs and casters? I have some used casters to choose from, and may be able to find 5” or 6” pairs of fixed and swivels for negligible cost. Alternatively, I can take a 3/16” 1/4" plate w/ welded 5” or 6” casters off another Vidmar and bolt that ready-to-go caster base to the Vidmar I intend to take. All casters appear of sufficient quality for this application.

It is not clear I will ever move this cabinet once in place.

 

[Wamsutta]

I'd get rid of the pallet base standoffs. You don't need them if you're going to mount the casters to the 1/4" steel plate.

I'm assuming you're going to put the bolts all the way through the plate and the bottom panel of the box.

 

[pcmeiners]

My Vidmars base stand offs are built in, non removable. I mounted to the stand off but I needed to drill holes in them and use very large washers to reinforce the stand off strength, as the metal is not very thick. Have 13 cabinet all on casters, all mounted the same way. I would not use large diameter casters, and if you plan on loading these with heavy items watch you caster weight limits. Below are some of my order, each can hold 1000lbs. If you use cheap casters or open more than two drawers at a time, up your life insurance, as your wife will need it .


Apollocaster

6 x​

65513 Caster; Swivel; 3" x 1-13/16"; Glass/ Nylon; Top Plate (3-1/8"x4-1/8"; holes: 2-3/8"x3-3/8"; 5/16" bolt); Zinc; Precision Ball Brng; 1000#; Sure-Lok brake (Shepherd BMS30152TZ-GFN61(KK)SL)​

$134.82​

 

[wkndwarrior29]

All of mine that have casters have them mounted directly to the pallet base, as they would come from the factory. The base also provides some rigidity to the box.

 

[tool_scrounge]

Lista, which is now part of Vidmar in the US, required use Iof “waffle plates” stiffeners for mounting casters to the bottom of their tool boxes. Here is a thread regarding. Around post #24 it give the equivalent plate thickness to match the stiffness of the factory waffle plate..

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...r-lista-and-vidmar-boxes.468036/#post-8844259

 

[mattbal]

(HMMMMM.... My pic isn't attaching...Stand by)

While not a direct answer to your question sharing a different method.

I took angle iron and built/welded cradles for my cabinets to sit it. It provided more surface area to support the base and caster mounting.

I made about 6 of these frames and just used angle iron i already had on hand, so some was probably 1", some 1.5" but all seemed plenty sturdy. It saved me from having to buy tons of hardware, and yet didn't have to weld something permanent to my cabinets. Lastly, since I don't have the welder in my garage I could make these cradles at my shop, weld them and toss them in the trunk of my sedan.

This is the only picture I have handy and this Vidmar/Lista has a cover on front that was designed to prevent items from falling underneath if sitting directly on the floor, its not structural and just thin sheet metal screwed on. You can see the machine screw on the bottom left.

 

[bsf]

(HMMMMM.... My pic isn't attaching...Stand by)

While not a direct answer to your question sharing a different method.

I took angle iron and built/welded cradles for my cabinets to sit it. It provided more surface area to support the base and caster mounting.

I made about 6 of these frames and just used angle iron i already had on hand, so some was probably 1", some 1.5" but all seemed plenty sturdy. It saved me from having to buy tons of hardware, and yet didn't have to weld something permanent to my cabinets. Lastly, since I don't have the welder in my garage I could make these cradles at my shop, weld them and toss them in the trunk of my sedan.

This is the only picture I have handy and this Vidmar/Lista has a cover on front that was designed to prevent items from falling underneath if sitting directly on the floor, its not structural and just thin sheet metal screwed on. You can see the machine screw on the bottom left.

No photo is showing, but I understand everything. Simpler for me to just use an already cut, 1/4" plate base if not mounting casters directly to the standoffs. The cabinet I referenced is missing the cover, but I already found one in the correct, stock color. The standoffs were built into the referenced cabinet and are not bolted on. I likely will not have the cabinet at my residence for many months, as I am tasked with liquidating the shop from which it comes. Disposing of Vidmars is the least of my concerns. Their contents need to be disposed of first.