Work Bench Retractible Wheels

[larry4406]

I will be building some benches soon. Tube steel frame and legs, fire door as work surface. I want the benches mobile, but sturdy on 4 legs vs locked caster wheels. Saw this sytem on a commercial bench from England. Any other options/systems?

 

[Jaguar Fan]

I saw a home-made system that you could make. 4 fixed posts at each corner. Separate from those fixed posts are swing-down posts with wheels. Normally, these are in the "up" position parallel to the floor/counter top. When you want to move the bench, you swing them down & with the wheels they are a half inch longer than the fixed posts. You lift up a bit on one of the short sides of the work surface so the legs-with-wheels can lock down in place. Then you do the same thing on the other side. Then all four corners are on wheels.

 

[Jack Olsen]

There are a few different ways you can do it. I think the first consideration is how often you want to engage the casters. If you're moving it every day, you'll want a different approach than if you're moving it once every three months.

 

[skeletonizer]

I too am interested in this. I want a heavy duty all steel bench with a vise that can be easily moved but is rock solid when you need it.

I was thinking of just using a floor jack to move it but I want it about 6' long.

 

[jmschristiansen]

I used to build benches like this. Fixed casters on one end, directly mounted to the corner posts. On the other end, posts that extend to the floor. A cross-member with swivel casters (to allow turning the bench when rolling) mounted on a piece connected to a pedal. When I step on the pedal, it shifts a cam, forcing the casters down, lifting the bench legs about 1/2" off the floor, and allowing it to be moved.

When the bench is positioned, kick the pedal up, the legs return to the floor, and it is completely stable.

I built about 10 of these over the course of a year.

The nicest one I built had a 6 ft x 3 ft, 1/2" steel plate top, with a large wilton vice. It was completely stable, but easy to move over a concrete floor.

 

[bmwpower]

I'd like to incorporate something like this into a steel "heavy duty work" table with casters. With heavy duty leveling feet on all sides, you could make it perfectly flat and take the weight off of the casters while banging on stuff.

 

[lilredex]

Like Jack O. says, if you only move it once in a while, no need to be too sophisticated. Mine is about 8FT and has 4" CI wheels (from an old jack) on one end, straight legs on the other. Solid as a rock. A cross member between the straight legs lets the floor jack in there and do the maneuvering, usually to move it out and sweep up the mess hiding underneath it.

 

[mustangmccance]

I built my semi mobile workbench similar to jmschristiansens plan. I have 2 fixed casters on the back and the front 2 swivel down on a hinged 2x4. the 2x4 locks into place by gravity so the more weight you put on it the more stable it becomes. I also have some bolt locks I can slide into place but honestly I have never needed to. the bench moves very easily when I need it to but it is not intended to be moved a lot. just mostly because I wasn't sure where I wanted it initially and now to clean behind it.

 

[sstruckguy]

It really does come back to why/how often you are moving the bench(s). When I move mine (rarely) I use a floor jack and some vintage wooden base creepers. Works better than any hard mounted system I know of. (because its not an addition to my bench )

 

[larry4406]

I want it to be very mobile - pull it outside, grind, buff, weld, etc, pull it back in the garage when done. Don't want to fool with jacks, turn screws, etc. No wood.

 

[lilredex]

Don't discount the simplicity of my set up. You put the jack in and go no screwing around. That is a crossmember hiding behind that plywood tool board. If anyone looks for the easy solution it is me, and this is it in my opinion.

 

[lilredex]

I too am interested in this. I want a heavy duty all steel bench with a vise that can be easily moved but is rock solid when you need it.

I was thinking of just using a floor jack to move it but I want it about 6' long.

Pics above were cropped, but there is a woodworking vise (shop made) on that end also........you can just see the handle. This bench is basically made from bed rails (tacked together to form a square) and is very solid.........no rocking or bending. Has that cabinet in the (straight leg) end, which gives it additional stability but still rolls out easily, no need for a big gorilla yet!

 

[jake00]

mount one of these to each leg
http://www.trailerandtruckparts.com...l-Jack-with-Wheel-1000-lb-Capacity_p_130.html

 

[mustangmccance]

I saw an idea in a magazine recently, if I can find it later I will try to get a picture but the basic idea was that all of the owners tools, like lathes, table saws etc. were built on a frame with 2 wheels on the back. in front was essentially a hitch. basically just a tab of steel with a hole in it. then he had a hand truck. a 2 wheeled dolly with a pin that would engage the hole in the machine, when you tilt the hand truck down it lifted the front off the ground and you have a center steer situation where all the mechanical advantage of lifting the bench is made by the lever arm of the hand truck. when you want it to sit for a while you hang the hand truck out of the way. this same device was used for several different machines. very heavy looking machines btw. I think this is a great idea for frequently moved machines. I will try to find a picture.

 

[skeletonizer]

Some great ideas here. This board rocks.

 

[57210]

I saw an idea in a magazine recently, if I can find it later I will try to get a picture but the basic idea was that all of the owners tools, like lathes, table saws etc. were built on a frame with 2 wheels on the back. in front was essentially a hitch. basically just a tab of steel with a hole in it. then he had a hand truck. a 2 wheeled dolly with a pin that would engage the hole in the machine, when you tilt the hand truck down it lifted the front off the ground and you have a center steer situation where all the mechanical advantage of lifting the bench is made by the lever arm of the hand truck. when you want it to sit for a while you hang the hand truck out of the way. this same device was used for several different machines. very heavy looking machines btw. I think this is a great idea for frequently moved machines. I will try to find a picture.

I was going to suggest the same thing. I saved a picture of the dolly somewhere, but naturally I can't find it right now.

 

[Torque1st]

More pictures would be good. Especially from all of you that have made your own setup. You know where to shoot the pics to get those details that make things work.

I have used a few locking caster setups myself and they really weren't satisfactory. I have seen a pallet jack used to move equipment also.

 

[57210]

I found the picture.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary57210/4654669125/" title="Tool dolly by gary57210, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4044/4654669125_ff8abee349.jpg" width="381" height="500" alt="Tool dolly" /></a>

 

[mustangmccance]

I found the picture.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gary57210/4654669125/" title="Tool dolly by gary57210, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4044/4654669125_ff8abee349.jpg" width="381" height="500" alt="Tool dolly" /></a>

yes that is exactly the picture i was looking for obviously the same setup could be made out of metal. i guess it was just a one wheel dolly.

 

[lilredex]

A garage close to me used to wheel out a tire rack using that type of setup and was what prompted my design. I chose to go the "jack" route because it will do the job better and is always right there........that is where it gets stored. Having to look around for that special truck could be another PITA and means having another piece hanging around getting in the way. Just seemed simplier to use what was already there and go the route I did, for me anyway.

 

[Buckled]

It's ahrd to see in the pic, but you can see near the end where Nrom is standing that the wheels drop down and lock in place when the end of the table is lifted a few inches. When you want the legs to drop back onto the ground you pull the rope you can see on the near end of the pic and the blocks pull out. You'll understand what I'm talking about when you see the pic on the link.

http://www.newyankee.com/getproduct.php?0207

 

[Torque1st]

Nice collection of clamps there. Of course his advertisers probably gave him 2-4 of each type they make. I saw the episode where he built the table. Very interesting design.

 

[gdf_77]

I work I have a toolbox that weighs around 800#'s. It has 2 rigid and 2 swivel casters that have a 1200# rating. The 2 Swivel casters have a dual locking brake that not only locks the wheels but also the swivel. I use a large swivel vise that is mounted above the swivel casters for almost everything. I have found that with both of the csters locked that the tool box will not move at all. I am currently overseas and will be home shortly for some R&R. I will post some pics when I get back. I hope that this helps.

 

[e-tek]

I too am interested in this. I want a heavy duty all steel bench with a vise that can be easily moved but is rock solid when you need it.

I was thinking of just using a floor jack to move it but I want it about 6' long.

I have one that's just like that = LOVE IT! Not sure if I can find a photo of the entire thing - but I bought it woithout casrers and installed them by running 2x4's between the metal legs, then screwing the casters to those. Rock solid, big vise, use it for all my metal shaping work and tearing down ******'s. etc.

 

[Torque1st]

That vise can't be any good! It says CANADIAN on it. They are supposed to say CHINA...

 

[jhaag]

This website reviews several systems for moving machinery. http://www.popularwoodworking.com/article/Best-selling/

John

 

[m.james]

Nice. I bet it wouldn't be to hard to recreate.

 

[V-10 Killer]

I don't know if it'd be strong enough for this particular application, but what about a slightly different approach? We use these a lot at work, they're a retractable leg/brake.

http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT?PMPXNO=6555575&PMT4NO=100143598
The casters stay in affixed (non retractable) position. When you want to lock the mobile platform down, just step on the pad. To release it, just kick it with your toe. The rubber pads make for pretty good traction barring anything like oil or piles of sand/dust under it.
The one I linked is kind of pricy, but there are other models/strengths out there.