Looking for good quality locking casters for a new workbench.

[Max Neu]

I am planning for a new workbench in my shop to replace my old one.It will be approximately 36" x 80",all drawers facing from both directions (basically 18" deep drawer bases back to back),they will all be full of various tools.I need to make it mobile because it sits in front of an overhead door,and needs to be moved when material shows up.I have not had much luck over the years with locking casters,probably because I have never bought good ones,I usually just bought them from local hardware stores.The locking mechanisms alway's gave me fits after a while.Hopefully I can get some recommendations on some quality casters,I dont mind spending the extra cash on them if it makes my life easier.I am even open to the idea of not using locking casters,but using non locking casters,if there is another way to keep it in place when I dont want it to move,but could easily be made mobile again?Also,what would be an appropriate size,6"? Any input would be appreciated.

[Scott Rychnovsky]

I have been looking into good quality casters for a mobile base on a jointer. I have not purchased the parts yet, but I was intrigued by this model. If people have any experience with them I would like to hear about it. If I had to move something every day it might be a bit irritating, but if I only pulled it out once a week it or less frequently might be fine.

http://www.greatlakescaster.com/foot_master___leveling_caster___gd_60f___550_lbs__ _top_plate-GD-60F.php?cat=262

There is also a smaller, less expensive model for about $15 each.

Scott

[Max Neu]

Scott,
thanks for the tip,I just did a little research on them,and it looks like the "foot master" by Great Lakes with the top plate (not the stem mount),would be a good option.Do you know if they swivel?

[johnny means]

I have the Great Lakes style casters on my 1000# bandsaw. They make great feet, stout and stable. They don't, however, roll that easily and are fairly hard to lift. My larger benches get moved with a pallet jack.

[James Hansen]

Check out Grainger, they have about every caster on planet earth.

[Cary Falk]

I have had the best luck with the Woodcraft ones.

[Mark Blatter]

Here is one similar to what I put on my router table.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/image/jpeg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAkGBxQTEhQUExQWFRQVFBgXGBQXGBUYGxgZFhgaFxkYGh cZHCggHholHhQXIjEhJSkrLi4uFx8zODUsNyktLisBCgoKDg0O GhAQGy0kICUsLCwsLSwsLCwsLCwsLCwsLCwtLCwsLCwsLCwsLC wsLSwsLCwsLCwsLCwsLCwvLCwsMP/AABEIAOEA4QMBIgACEQEDEQH/xAAcAAEAAgIDAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQYEBwECAwj/xABDEAABAwEFBAcECAQEBwAAAAABAAIDEQQFEiExBkFRYRMiMn GBkaEHQlKxFCMzYnKSosGC0eHwY4PCwxY0U3PS0/H/xAAaAQEAAwEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIEAwUG/8QAKhEBAAICAQMCBQQDAAAAAAAAAAECAxEhBDFBBRIiUXGBsTJ h0fATQ5H/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AN4oiICIiAiIgIiICIiAiIgIiICIiAiIgIoC/L 6GaKIYaOqXuL2gtGdKB5Dc6HMncVFTbSTufhibUUHWw1Fc6/WNBZl3 SC6IoPZm XWjpWvDcUTg0lpNHVFa0OeRqKjIkGmhU4gIiICIiAiIgIiICIi AiIgIiICIiAiIgIiICIiAiIgIiwb6txhiLw3EQQAO80r/RBXdqi8WmAjpaGoGERU0rQYs3adk8zuCqTAfp0tQcRiqdGPoHa uFcDW56jPduXpbbwnmmZI EvHxCCTs07NCG5VqcQcTp4xLfpBtWLoCyMtIDXhkba116z9ct XzV6uN9zK4ezDt2gUbQBgGGMgav985nXRX9aYueW1QSvfGH1Ou FwcDnlVzyGuH4MQzy0W0tmrxfPAHyNDJAS1wGlRQ1GZoCCDTcq 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They are dual locking so the swivel and roll are both locked. I bought mine at HD and paid $9 each for 3" ones. At work we have used a different brand that are a better quality so I know others carry them as well. There are also other sizes available.

[Eric Shapin]

Why not try retractable casters, such as per below link? FWIW, they are on my workbench, and I am completely satisfied with them.

http://www.rockler.com/workbench-caster-kit-4-pack

[Max Neu]

Eric,
That looks like a really good solution!It looks like they would be easy to replace if one goes bad,it would prevent the hassle of having to empty out the whole bench and laying it on it's back to replce a caster.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Another option: Eliminate the need for locking casters all together.

There is a thread from somewhere back in time that shows how a member did this for moving a machine. I'll try to explain it without photos.

Put straight casters on one end. On the other end, no casters at all - just table legs. Prolly want levelling feet on those. Get a pair of good ones from McMaster Carr, etc.

So - the bench is sitting there on two good casters, and on two legs. Not gonna move. Very stable.

Then, you use a couple small wheels/casters, and build a gizmo that looks like the tongue of your Red Flyer wagon - long handle - that has the 2 casters at the end. Just above the casters/floor level, you have a cross-bar. You slip the gizmo under the lower stretcher between the fixed feet, lever down, and the cross-bar lifts the feet off the floor. Pull it around to where it needs to go.

On occasion, I use basically the same concept for industrial equipment - conveyor belts, smaller machines that are in use sometimes, and in storage other times.
> The difference is that I don't design in the gizmo.
> Instead, there is a plate with two swivel casters.
> The plate is hinged to a cross bar between the legs at the fixed end..
> There is a small hydraulic jack between that plate and another bar.
> Raising the jack pushes down on the plate, lowering the casters, and raising that end of the conveyor/machine off the floor. Drag it around to where it needs to go.
> Same idea as the foot pedal that comes with, say, a TS mobile base. But with a few thousands pounds at play, the jack is used instead of your foot.
> Also - 8" min dia ball-bearing casters, usually 10". Couldn't move this stuff with 3" diam

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Max,

I put these on my version of Norm's Deluxe Router Station. I put a pair of locking non-swivel at one end and a pair of locking swivel at the other. I can always get to 3 of them to lock them. It's very stable!
http (http://www.grizzly.com/products/4-Heavy-Duty-Swivel-Caster-w-Brake/G8176)http://www.grizzly.com/products/4-Heavy-Duty-Fixed-Caster-w-Brake/G8168 , ://www.grizzly.com/products/4-Heavy-Duty-Swivel-Caster-w-Brake/G8176

[Charles Coolidge]

I went on a caster craze for a few months tried lots of different ones. You can spend a LOT of money on them or a little and by and large you get what you pay for. But the Grizzly casters Ken recommends above its hard to beat that price for an aluminum hub urethane caster with that weight rating and bearings. As for the locking mechanisms DITTO they are a pain. I would look at McMaster for foot operated brakes, its kind of like a leveling pad that raises up and down, I'd just put regular swivel casters on the bench and a couple of these foot operated things to raise up the bench onto solid pads. Thing is when I was looking at them you needed to use fairly big casters and I didn't want to go larger than 3" wheels.

[Jim Matthews]

and build a gizmo that looks like the tongue of your Red Flyer wagon - long handle - that has the 2 casters at the end. Just above the casters/floor level, you have a cross-bar. You slip the gizmo under the lower stretcher between the fixed feet, lever down, and the cross-bar lifts the feet off the floor. Pull it around to where it needs to go.

http://www.rockler.com/lt14-lt16-3000-series-bandsaw-mobility-kit?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_content=pla&utm_campaign=PL&gclid=CJfPpKz2770CFWxp7Aod5VgAOw

Mobility kits use the same principle.

If you do it often, casters all around will be easier.
If it's an infrequent thing, this method should be more stable (and easier to install).

[Jerome Stanek]

we use a lot of casters in the trade show industry and get them from Harbor Freight

[Larry Frank]

I have been using the double locking 3" casters from Woodcraft for a long time and they have worked great. I try to catch them on sale.

[Tim Janssen]

This is how I move my bench.

It's an old thread from another forum, but the bench and lift are still working fine.
The beauty is that the bench rests on its own legs when you are not moving it.
Cheers!

Tim

22:55 My apologies, I wasn't aware of that rule

[Jason Hanko]

Ill throw in a pitch for SES casters. Decent price, and Ive heard people say theyre comparable to the Great Lakes/Woodcraft ones. Can't speak to that myself, as all of my stuff is on SES.

[Ron May]

Honestly, I don't think you can go wrong with the Rockler workbench caster kit. I installed a set on my 72" x 24" bench a couple weeks ago... they're great. It's amazing how easy it is to move a 200+ lb. bench around.

[Andy Pratt]

I used to only buy certain brands from known suppliers but recently started trying out semi-generic ebay casters. I always buy 2-4x the load needed for a task so that is a caveat up front. As long as I buy swivel lock, urethane tire, ball bearing casters I honestly haven't seen much variance in the brands. If you buy a super premium brand/model you might get a grease fitting for the ball bearing area, that's all the difference I've ever seen. As long as you stick to premium specs (swivel lock, urethane tire, ball bearing etc) it seems like you won't get a bad grade of caster from my experience.

The best casters I have ever used are the woodcraft line with the red wheels. They are only a tiny bit smoother than ebay casters at half the price though, so I just get the ebay ones for shop tools.

[Doug Hobkirk]

I'm another Grizzly caster guy - 4" or 5" (I don't remember which), all 4 swivel, all 4 lock. I cannot remember them causing me any regrets.
But I am very impressed by the Great Lakes ones - they seem like they would be better if you only occasionally move your bench (like me)
And the Rockler lever is interesting.
But if you want rock solid footing, use casters and design their location so they will accommodate a block of wood that is slightly taller than the casters. Build a long lever that you can easily use to raise one end of your bench. Raise one end of the bench and slide the blocks in. Repeat. Obviously you can make the blocks so they custom fit into dados, have whatever bottom surface you want (rubber?), etc.

This would mean you could use cheaper casters that don't lock.


Good luck.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I'm sold on Great Lakes.

Check out this thread for a possible discount:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?154873-Great-Lakes-Casters-Promotional-Code

I used that twice a couple years ago.

[Evan Patton]

Why not try retractable casters, such as per below link? FWIW, they are on my workbench, and I am completely satisfied with them.

http://www.rockler.com/workbench-caster-kit-4-pack
You may want to make sure your bench is not too heavy. These are only rated at 100# each. My bench is closer to 500#, so something like the urethane casters are in order, which is too bad because I really like the retractable part.

The Great Lakes casters look great, especially at $15@. They're rated for 220# (presumably each?), for a total rated capacity of 880#. Unfortunately they won't work for my bench unless I build a bracket because I don't want to raise it any higher. The search continues.

[Erik Christensen]

a couple of questions - is this bench going to be for handtools and how much will it weigh? depending on the answer to those questions you might find a lot of things to choose from or... none at all.

I went through this exact exercise when I built my new hand tool workbench a year ago. I have locking casters on my origional bench and they work just fine; but that bench is built for power tools so the locking casters do not need to withstand the forces of things like hand planes. Plus it only weighs maybe 4-500#

My new hand tool bench weighs > 1,200# loaded and I spent considerable time looking at every kind of locking/mobile caster setup I could find on the internet. Nothing met the requirements of large load capacity along with zero movement when locked. I ended up getting casters rated at 900# each and building a foot operated mechanism to engage them when desired. After a year of use they have worked as intended no matter how much crap is in/on the bench when I want to move it. 287800

[Stew Hagerty]

I happen to have one of the long "Rockler All Terrain Mobile Bases" that I just stopped using due to my workshop remodel. My bench is now doing double duty as an outfeed table to maximize space and it was too high on the base.

But, this base was great for a workbench. My bench probably weighs between 400 & 500 lbs and I could move it around with one finger, or lock it and leave it.

If you, or anyone else, is close to Ft Wayne, IN I'd be happy make you a great deal on it.

I have Set "B" with the long extensions

http://www.rockler.com/rockler-all-terrain-mobile-base-holds-up-to-800-lbs-mobile-base-with-stretcher-package-offer

[Evan Patton]

a couple of questions - is this bench going to be for handtools and how much will it weigh? depending on the answer to those questions you might find a lot of things to choose from or... none at all.

I went through this exact exercise when I built my new hand tool workbench a year ago. I have locking casters on my origional bench and they work just fine; but that bench is built for power tools so the locking casters do not need to withstand the forces of things like hand planes. Plus it only weighs maybe 4-500#

My new hand tool bench weighs > 1,200# loaded and I spent considerable time looking at every kind of locking/mobile caster setup I could find on the internet. Nothing met the requirements of large load capacity along with zero movement when locked. I ended up getting casters rated at 900# each and building a foot operated mechanism to engage them when desired. After a year of use they have worked as intended no matter how much crap is in/on the bench when I want to move it.

That, Erik, is a doozy of a wheeled bench. Stick a motor on it and you've got a very slow go-kart!:p

[Dave Zellers]

Ill throw in a pitch for SES casters. Decent price, and Ive heard people say theyre comparable to the Great Lakes/Woodcraft ones. Can't speak to that myself, as all of my stuff is on SES.
ditto.

most everything in my shop is on SES casters.

[Rick Lizek]

There is another industry option not mentioned. Look up foot pedal floor lock in Google or Mcmaster or Granger. It's a common method in industry to secure rolling tables for heavy work. You can make up something similar with threaded rod and welded t-handles and a piece of steel angle with a nut welded to it and bolting a couple of these to the side of your rolling bench. Your only limit is your imagination.

[Shane Copps]

Why not try retractable casters, such as per below link? FWIW, they are on my workbench, and I am completely satisfied with them.

http://www.rockler.com/workbench-caster-kit-4-pack

Eric, How do these work????

[Jay Radke]

here here, but on my roubo bench. they have worked well.

[Kent A Bathurst]

http://www.rockler.com/lt14-lt16-3000-series-bandsaw-mobility-kit?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_content=pla&utm_campaign=PL&gclid=CJfPpKz2770CFWxp7Aod5VgAOw

Mobility kits use the same principle.

If you do it often, casters all around will be easier.
If it's an infrequent thing, this method should be more stable (and easier to install).

Yeah - like that. 'Cept home-built v store bought. Good example - thanks, Jim.

Move it where you want it, plunk the straight legs down on the floor, and it ain't gonna go anywhere. Very sturdy.

I am solidly in the "locking casters really don't" camp. When I want something stable, in place, I want it STABLE. Maybe I have not found the best locking caster. One reason for that, I guess, would be that I ain't looking, eh? :p

I am, of course, influenced by the industrial situation where the stuff we move around cannot move around when we set it. Too much at stake, and most likely too rigorous an environment for locking casters.

But - whadda I know? Just offering an observation / opinion. Go with whatever works.

[Pete Janke]

I'm very happy with the Rockler Workbench Casters.288051288050