Wheels for standalone (sharpening) cabinet

[Matt Putnam]

I'm designing a simple (~26" wide, 4 drawers) cabinet for my sharpening station. I was given a 1 3/4" thick butcher block top that will be the surface. I'll keep my grinder on the top at all times and use water stones, etc. on the top when needed.

My question is around the wheels. I originally planned to build a recessed kick and mount the cabinet to the kick and wall. But now I'm leaning towards wheels for the base. I don't foresee a need to move the cabinet for sharpening but given it's a standalone cabinet (it'll be between my workbench and my sink) the ability to move it may prove useful.

So two questions:
1. Anyone think it's a non-starter to put it on wheels? I'm slightly concerned about it having some movement - even with locked wheels. But even with that I'm still leaning toward using wheels.
2. What type of wheels? I'd like to keep it affordable but don't know if there are good/recommended wheel types, material, size, etc. that would be a good application.

Thanks in advance for advice and comments.

[Prashun Patel]

My grinder is on a rolling cabinet. No issues with that. I do like stationary for my stones. I would invest in locking casters.

I have a second water stone station that is on a pull out sliding shelf. The movement is annoying but not a showstopper. I use my body to brace the shelf as I sharpen. You could use your foot. That would annoy me if I had to do this on my everyday primary station.

[Matt Putnam]

Thanks, Prashun.

I have in mind the ability to put a couple screws through back of cabinet into my (1/2" OSB) shop walls if needed - to get the cabinet more stationary. They'd be simple enough to remove if needed.
And I am indeed thinking of locking casters. I'm just hoping it won't be upwards of $60 for 4 (based on a very cursory search on the net). I'm hoping someone here can recommend a good type/size caster. And the wheel material.

[David Bassett]

I've never tried it, but remember someone (somewhere) suggesting designing the base for a pallet jack for"movable", rather than "mobile", bases. Still seems like a good idea to me. (How much is a pallet jack versus a set of high quality locking casters? Anything else you want movable? :) )

[Bill Dufour]

harbor freight probably has the best in store caster selection. Often cheaper to buy a "moving dolly" from them instead of four casters.
Bill

[Nathan Callender]

Casters would be fine if they locked. I would put two fixed casters on the back and two locking swivel casters on the front. Or, if you don't want to spend the money, put the cart on wooden skids. If you don't move it often, it shouldn't be a problem pushing it around every now and then.

[Bill Dufour]

Casters would be fine if they locked. I would put two fixed casters on the back and two locking swivel casters on the front. Or, if you don't want to spend the money, put the cart on wooden skids. If you don't move it often, it shouldn't be a problem pushing it around every now and then.

Beat me to it. I would use two 4x4's front to back

[David Bassett]

harbor freight probably has the best in store caster selection. Often cheaper to buy a "moving dolly" from them instead of four casters.
Bill

I use HF casters all the time (because I'm cheap), but I haven't seen any solid enough I'd want them on a sharpening bench. The back & forth grinding on the stones and wobble, rock, & wiggle in the legs isn't a good combination.

[David M Peters]

I agree with Dave's assessment. I have my lathe sharpening station (https://tracezero.net/2017/06/25/lathe-sharpening-and-tool-cart/) on a cart and the while its inherent instability is fine for that purpose I wouldn't want to do normal stone-based sharpening on it.


I use HF casters all the time (because I'm cheap), but I haven't seen any solid enough I'd want them on a sharpening bench. The back & forth grinding on the stones and wobble, rock, & wiggle in the legs isn't a good combination.

[Prashun Patel]

Another option is to make the right front and right rear legs stationary and put wheels - not swivel casters on the left side. You would then have a wheel barrow so to speak. This would provide enough stability front and back yet have mobility.

[David Bassett]

I've never tried it, but remember someone (somewhere) suggesting designing the base for a pallet jack for"movable", rather than "mobile", bases. Still seems like a good idea to me. (How much is a pallet jack versus a set of high quality locking casters? Anything else you want movable? :) )

Just noticed a thread in a different sub-forum that might be relevant: Pallet Jacks (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?257927-Pallet-jacks).

[Jim Becker]

I use the higher quality double-locking wheel setups from Lee Valley on things like this...also used them on my Kitchen Island. I've used both the 3" and 4" versions. They work well, roll smoothly and absolutely lock down.

[Lane Hardy]

Check out Carl Holmgren on YouTube has made retractable casters for his tools, I have made several projects that used this concept and works very well for me.

[Matt Putnam]

Thanks for the info, folks. I think I've arrived at not putting casters on the cabinet. I went to HD yesterday and fondled some (apparent decent quality) locking casters. I believe the locking mechanism would work well but I confirmed there's some rock on the pivoting axle. When locked, the wheel wouldn't roll or rotate, but the bearing seats have enough space that I could rock the mounting plate while holding the wheel portion stable. If I had something really heavy on them I'd think it'd be OK but I'll have a relatively light object on them. Ultimately, I foresee the rocking motion involved in sharpening causing the whole cabinet to rock (albeit slightly) on the bearings. A higher-end wheel (those Lee Valley ones look good) may be the winning ticket but at $80 I don't think it's worth it for my purposes.
In the end, I don't foresee having a need to move the cabinet at all - much less on a regular basis. My (moderate) compromise will be to mount the kick to the cabinet bottom (as opposed to wall/floor) and secure the cabinet to the wall for stability. If the need to move it arises, I should be able to remove a few screws and move the whole thing.

Again, thanks for helping me navigate the decision. You're all good enablers (on my tendency to over-engineer). :)

[Tim Bueler]

How about a mobile machine base? I have one like this https://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-Mobile-Power-Tools-HTC-2000/dp/B00002262M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1506264031&sr=8-1&keywords=htc2000 on a shop machine or two, my wife's big, industrial sewing machine and a drying rack I use for cabinet doors/drawer fronts. Very stable but still mobile and reasonably prices IMO.

[Todd Hyman]

Home Depot sells 3, 4, & 5” locking casters. I’ve used them on several mobile carts and had no issues.

[Jim Becker]

Home Depot sells 3, 4, & 5” locking casters. I’ve used them on several mobile carts and had no issues.

What I haven't found at HD is double-locking (locks both roll and swivel) which I do prefer on things that truly need to remain stationary, but perhaps I missed them.

[Peter Aeschliman]

Ditto on what Jim said. You want double-locking casters, which I've never seen at Home Depot. But even then, they seem to move a little bit. I found some at Woodcraft. They're nice, but they still wiggle a little (enough that it would drive me nuts for hand sharpening).

I really like the idea of the "wheel barrow" approach that Prashun mentioned. Put two non-swivel casters on one side of the cabinet, set just barely above the floor level and cantilevered off the back of the cabinet, so that you can lean the cabinet back a few degrees to get it resting on the wheels. That way the cabinet is always solidly resting on the floor when in use.

But even then, with a 24" x 24" base cabinet with a grinder on top, I think you'll find it a bit tippy for this use. So KISS would dictate that your plan to screw it to the osb wall is probably best, especially if you don't plan to move it often.