# Caster advice, please



## sikrap (Mar 15, 2009)

Well, I'm finally getting started on building stuff to outfit the new shop. My first priorities are a bench, router table and drill press stand. I'll be putting casters on and have a two questions. First, where is the best place to buy them? I've found that Hartville Tools has the lowest price, but it will still cost about $40 per set if I use two locking and two fixed. That leads to the second question. Is that the proper configuration or should I use two locking and two swivel? Thanks!!


----------



## North40 (Oct 17, 2007)

I use two fixed and two locking swivels on just about everything. If you use two locking swivels and two swivels, your machine will still move quite a bit as the swivels will still turn even when the wheels are locked. There are some higher end casters that lock the wheel and the swivel, but I've found that it's hard to guide a tool where you want it to go with four swivels - they tend to wander around.

Grizzly has decent prices on casters, but I haven't compared them to Hartville.


----------



## russv (Sep 21, 2009)

Dave,
I work for Payson casters in Il. So what I know about casters is extensive. First, as to the caster configuration. you hace several choices. go to http://www.paysoncasters.com/mounting.htm and you can see some of these caster configs. I use the 4 swivel config mostly because of the ease of direction I can go. sometimes this is not practical when you want to control direction. If you are going to put casters on multi items, buy 3 or 4 sets (swivels and rigids) and try it with all swivels and then try some with 2 of each. if you want you can put the rigids in the center side to side one swivel on each end to get good turning. this allows turning on a dime like a material cart in a home center. make sure all casters are the same height to avoid the teetering and all casters always touch the floor. you ask me questions and i will answer your questions.

where to buy, go to http://www.castershop.com . $20-25$ for a set (4) of medium duty casters and the heavy duty are very cheap compared to most places. I use these caster in my shop and they work great. if you need help determining which size and wheel type, let me know and i will explain the advatages of each type for you.

if you need a specialtype for something special, I can help you get them though Payson. Send me a private PM to discuss this.

russv


----------



## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

All wheels on my carts move in all directions

fixed wheels really suck!!!!!

any one who disagrees…...............hasnt spent enough time pushing and pulling a cart around


----------



## ADKAmateur (Nov 2, 2009)

I have casters on a lot of my shop furniture (clamp rack, two work tables, and a storage cabinet). I agree with Roman - after learning the hard way with the storage cabinet that has two fixed and two swivel, I went with all swivel on the rest. I also use locking casters on all corners - don't know if it matters, but it seems to lock my assembly table down quite nicely - as if it wasn't on casters. The casters I now use exclusively are the red, higher quality 3" or 4" casters. These roll so much easier than the black or gray casters.


----------



## RetiredCoastie (Sep 7, 2009)

That depends on the weight of the item on the casters. We have engine stands that did have casters on all 4 corners and once the mass starts moving its hard to steer. My tool box wouldn't be managable with all casters.

russv! Do urethane wheels hold up or do you prefer hard rubber wheels?


----------



## russv (Sep 21, 2009)

retired…,
i prefer poly wheel. they are less likely to get a flat spot and roll easier.

ADKA…,
the bigger the wheel, the easier it rolls. the wider the wheel, the more weight it will carry. this is a generalization, but a good rule of thumb. as to locking, you can get a wheel lock or a total lock whick locks both the swivel and the wheel. again, what you are using them are might determine which to use. wheel lock only is cheaper and most of the time good enough.

i like using 4" or 6" wheel, depending on size and weight of the cabinet. locks on all wheel is better because i usually only lock 2 wheels but sometimes that's all you can get to easily.

russv


----------



## russv (Sep 21, 2009)

one more thought. on ocassions, you can put just 2 wheels on one end and handles on the other end and move it like a wheel barrow. this is alot cheaper than 4 casters and stays in place pretty much.

if you look at my homepage at my tablesaw, i used 4 swivels and put a lever on the casters to lift them up and down. this lets me move it easily and i can drop it down on levelers to level it. i used 4 total locking casters on my workbench it does ok, but i think i am going to change that to lifting caster and levelers.

russv


----------



## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

I modified my lunch box planer stand for two casters in front. I just tip it toward me and roll it around. But, be careful with other tools. I built a stand for a thickness sander, put on two wheels and handles. Built the base just wide and deep enough for the sander (first mistake), and didn't bolt down the sander (2nd mistake). 
First time I picked it up to move it, the sander fell off!! 
I learned from that! 
Gene


----------



## russv (Sep 21, 2009)

wow, we both learned from your mistakes, thanks for going first. lol
hope it didn't fall on your toes. 
I never thought of your wheel placement, i like that idea.

russv


----------



## sikrap (Mar 15, 2009)

Thanks everyone!! I will be using two locking swivel and two fixed. I have decided to go with the ones from Hartville because they are the least expensive and they are 100% guaranteed. I will be using 3 inch for the drill press stand and router table,but 4 inch for the workbench. Thanks again.


----------



## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

I sometimes visit my old bosses shop and shoot the $!it with the guys. The shop is about 10,000 sq ft and has carts and dollies galore. The only carts that never get used are the ones with 2 fixed wheels.

I remember a cart in a shop with inexpensive guarenteed wheels on it. With couple hundred pounds of expensive product on top the cart wheel hit a small wood chip and stopped suddenly while all the expensive parts continued on their way…...........52 pick up and lots of money down the drain.

I think its worth every dime spent on a castor that turns over extension cords, wood chips etc. The smaller the shop, the easierit is to move carts when ALL the wheels turn. Kinda like parrallell parking a car….....sometimes the car just wont fit into the opening cause two wheels are fixed.


----------



## jimc (Mar 6, 2008)

Nice discussion of casters. I've been thinking of adding casters to my drill press table and this helps. One things that was not mentioned - I believe the weight rating for casters is for each, right? In other words, if you have 4 200 lb rated casters, the total rated load is 800 lbs?

Jim


----------



## russv (Sep 21, 2009)

jim c,
that is correct, the rating is not the failure point either. the cart won't crash at 801 lbs. the rating is a guide line for best capacity to and still work well. you can put a 1000 lbs on it but it will only roll around like crap and wear out sooner.

russv


----------



## DaneJ (Aug 13, 2009)

I prefer 4 swivel casters with double lock. I have some tool rollers with 2 fixed wheels and 2 casters and spend more time and effort going back and forth across the floor to get it in the right place in the shop(I think the official term is the "tool cha-cha-cha"). 4" poly casters roll well and a wood shaving will not jam it.

I wished I could find a double lock that the lock lever is in a fixed location on the base(top) not on the trailing side of the caster, anybody?


----------



## russv (Sep 21, 2009)

dane, 
physically impossible. to make contact to the tread to lock down the brake pad needs to stay in alignment with the wheel tread. if the wheel swivel, that will be in any direction you are going

dave, 
I don't get it. the casters on www.castershop.com are $4-$5 cheaper each than Hartville when you compare same size and capacity.

russv


----------



## DaneJ (Aug 13, 2009)

Id swear I have seen casters that have the lock lever in the same place, and I just rememberd where I have seen it… the lock/brake is a ring that comes down on the wheel… on scaffolding.


----------



## RetiredCoastie (Sep 7, 2009)

Roman you do make a good point about using 4 casters on mobile stands and carts in a small shop as it does make it easier to position objects when moving them in tight quarters.


----------



## sikrap (Mar 15, 2009)

Russv, as far as I could tell, the casters at castershop only lock the wheel from turning, not swiveling. Several people have suggested that the stands will be more stable by locking the wheel and the swivel. If I'mwrong, please let me know.


----------



## Rabbet (Oct 19, 2009)

Grizzly has casters.
-Rabbet


----------



## russv (Sep 21, 2009)

it may or may not make a difference. I will say that if the casters are under the cart, the total lock brake is higher up on the caster and harder to lock and unlock. the "wheel only" lock sets lower on the caster and is more accessible to lock and unlock underneath. Be sure the casters are at the edge of the carcarcase and there is no apron to interfere with clearance. I find that total lock brake can be a pain to access the lock mechanism.

russv


----------



## sikrap (Mar 15, 2009)

Thanks!! Casters will be at the outer corners, so accessing the mechanism shouldn't be a problem.


----------



## Belg1960 (Jan 3, 2010)

Russ/guys, I bought at different times two styles of casters one was the 141051 3" swivel and wheel lock ones from woodcraft (got them at 30% off) and had bought for a project 4 swivel non locking but my problem is that they are not exactly the same height.
I have two carts to build one for a chopsaw and the other for an assembly table, 2 questions to overcome the difference in height (3/8") is it acceptable to add a spacer of 3/8 plywood material . Any other suggestions would be appreciated as well.
Is it smart to use the captured t-nut inserts to mount the four hole plate so the bottom shelf stays flat and not have a bolt sticking up thru? Thanks Pat


----------

