Caster size 2.5 or 5

[Tom Godley]

I am making a few tables for the shop -- a low assembly table (clamping table) and a higher one that will double as an out-feed table.

For those that use the larger casters 5" on projects - how well do they work?

Some one told me that the bigger wheels 5" will wobble more?? -- I can not see why this would be.

I have been looking over a lot of of plans for different designs -- most just use the 2.5 size but a few show larger wheels. My feeling is that they would work better.

I would like any recommendations -- and maybe locations to purchase! I went over to HF last moth and noticed that they sell a lot of different sizes -- any of them any good?

Thanks

[Steve Kohn]

I have been building most of my own mobile bases. It seems like the manufactured ones only come with 2.5 wheels (or less). I started out using 3 inch from the Borg and have now gone exclusively with 4 or 5 inch double locking swivel casters with the poly tire. I buy them all from Grizzly.

[Robert Reece]

I use all 5" casters. After fighting with the small cheap things, I just bought a whole bunch of the urethane casters from Woodcraft. I build a cabinet and put my drum sander up on them and they roll nicely even with the cabinet loaded (see attached).

Also, I build a 3'x3' dolly to help my friend move a 900lb safe. It was moveable, but it didn't roll as nicely as my sander.

In both cases I used two fixed casters and two moveable casters. It takes some getting used to the fixed casters and I think I would use 4 moveable ones if I had it to do again.

[Joe Jensen]

I needed leveling casters (Zambus or Great Lakes Caster) but I was of the "larger is always better" line of thinking and they have small wheels. I ended up ordering Zambus and WOW, they roll so easy. My 650lb jointer rolls down the slope of the garage floor (2" in 16 ft) by itself if I don't lock two of the casters. If I lock just one, it pivots and swings down. I have them now on a Laguna LT16HD bandsaw (like 500lbs) a PM Dual drum sander (750lbs), and the jointer and all roll so well it's crazy. BUT, I did fill the expansion joints so my floor is level. If I hadn't, I don't know if the small wheels would have rolled over them.

[keith ouellette]

I just built some mobil bases. I built one for my drum sander and used the cheapest 4 pack 1 5/8 swivle castors. it rolls ok.

I used 2 in castors with bearings and it roles around better.

I used 1 1/2 in. swivel caster ( the extra cheap 4 pack) on two drill presses and they are a little hard to role.

As far as the swivel goes make sure the swivel has bearings. it is the lack of bearings keeping the wheel from turning straight that makes it harder to role.
To a point i find a big wheel roles a little easier than a smaller one but you are not planning to shove these bases out of the way so they role by themselves.

To easy of a role might not be a good thing. The shorter wheels have a lower center of gravity (why I used 1 1/2 on the presses) so they are more stable.

look for quality small swivel casters. Does the axle have a metal or a hard bushing? Do the swivels have bearings (a must) or a nylon ring (not good)? If the wheel doesn't swivel to be straight when you push it it will drag in place of role.

[Rob Diz]

I get all of my casters from Great Lakes, and have yet to be dissapointed. I have them on my lumber/sheet cart, a few tools:rolleyes: and on a kitchen island I am making.

For each application I called and told them what I was getting the casters for, the floor type, anticipated load and talked through some preferences (e.g. type of lock, look etc). They have nailed every caster and are much less expensive than the BORG. Just my .02. I'm a satisfied customer. Other places have much more narrow choices.

[Tom Godley]

Thanks


I have also ordered from Great Lakes - for my bandsaw.

Maybe I will give them a call

[sullivan mcgriff]

I find the bigger the better, a 2" will get hung up on the smallest chip of wood or dirt when you have something heavy on it and the bigger ones are a lot easier to roll.

[glenn bradley]

Your surface will determine this to some extent. The Zambus style casters are cool but small in diameter. I find 3 and 4 inch poly casters to work well in my gara . . . er, shop. I would expect 5" quality casters to do as well or better; if the casters are of questionable quality, I could see bigger being more unstable than small. The 2-1/2" hard rubber casters I replaced would catch on small debris and skid but 3" seems to be the magic threshold-radius for me. No science here, 3" just happened to be the next size I tried. No real improvement by going to 4" but, they are fine too. YMMV.

[Chris Padilla]

For easy of movement, typically larger wheels work better. Some may not like the height addition, however.

Some of the smaller casters can be stopped dead in their tracks by a simple extension cord laying on the floor. This can be very bad if you don't see it and have got your stuff moving good--DAMHIKT!! :) Some of the smaller ones can also get stuck in the expansion joints of your concrete pad.

[Jules Dominguez]

I've had better luck with the larger diameters, and I absolutely would not use the two-straight+two-swivel caster combination. That only works if you have unlimited space to maneuver. I'd go with all swivels, make two of them the locking type, and I'd put indelible marker or paint on one end of each lock lever so I could easily tell which end to press to lock or unlock the caster.

[John Sanford]

Go big or go home!! There are only two downsides to larger casters. They'll decrease the amount of space you have available for storage on your assembly tables. And they cost more.

Upsides? Much better weight capacity, and much better rolling. I'm all about 5" casters.

[Frank Stolten]

I use 3" casters and they work perfectly on some heavy tables I've built. I especially like the ones Woodcraft sells. They move easily under a heavy load and lock very securely with no wobble of any kind. I like them better than Grizzly or Hartville which I've also tried. They go on sale periodically so watch the Woodcraft monthly sale flier. They come in 3", 4" and 5" sizes.

[Tony Scolaro]

I'm with Jules use all swivels. Some claim it make control hard. Not true in my case. With 2 and 2 you have to parrallel park it. The heavier the easier to control too. Also go with quality too soft and they go slightly flat under the weight. I use urethane. Rockler has them often on sale, never cheap, but the way to go. Good luck Tony

[glenn bradley]

I'm with Jules use all swivels. Some claim it make control hard. Not true in my case. With 2 and 2 you have to parrallel park it. The heavier the easier to control too. Also go with quality too soft and they go slightly flat under the weight. I use urethane. Rockler has them often on sale, never cheap, but the way to go. Good luck Tony

I'll kick in on all swivels; I have some with all and some 2 and 2. The all swivel are more maneuverable but you have to muscle them around so really heavy items don't do so well for me. The 2 fixed items steer easier but you better have room to drive them around. I have both situations and use all swivel or 2 and 2 casters as appropriate for the item being moved.

[Tom Godley]

I called Great Lakes and they had 5" 200 pound limit full locking swivel casters in the clearance area -- final cost was $71.00 w/shipping for eight !!

[Jim Becker]

The 4" grey rubber, dual locking casters I get from Lee Valley don't have any slop in them at all, Tom. And they roll very well, even on a rough surface...like our kitchen with the brick floor. (Those same casters I use in the shop are on our mobile kitchen island)