Lumber Cart Caster Wheels Question

[Steve Siwek]

Hello everyone,

I've been doing some digging in the posts, and I'd like to get some confirmation from the experienced woodworkers here before I buy.

I'm close to getting the caster wheels for my lumber cart and I want to make sure I'm getting the proper wheels. I decided to go with 6 wheels; 2 swivel wheels (that lock) in front, 2 swivel wheels (that lock) in the back, and 2 non-swivel wheels in the center. It seems the consensus on wheels in general is 1. bigger is better and 2 polyurethane wheels. This is a lumber cart for my garage so not something for a pro shop setup.

My thought is to go with 6 (4 swivel 2 non-swivel) 4" or 5" polyurethane wheels with 200-300 load capacity per wheel. Is this the correct way to go?

Thanks for the help!
Steve

[Carl Kona]

So with the non swivel wheels in the middle, you don't plan to store this against a wall? I am about to build a storage cart myself and am trying to avoid 6 wheels. I understand the benefit of not having them swivel, but for me I need to pull it away from the wall ( and 6 swivels can make it tough). I don't have the room to pull it along the wall to make the large turning radius required with fixed middle wheels. I guess I can just put the fixed wheels at the back, if I grow into 6 wheels.

These are the wheels I bought
https://www.ebay.com/itm/5-x-2-Swivel-Casters-Polyurethane-Wheel-on-Steel-Brake-1000lb-ea-4-Tool-Box/182432908168

[Jim Becker]

I generally use swiveling double-locking casters for this kind of application...and have them on my own lumber cart. While mine are from Lee Valley (blue polyurethane tires), I noticed that Home Depot sells a similar caster (red polyurethane tires) for a little less money and I plan on trying them. I personally would not put casters in the center and would just add some bracing to the lumber cart to insure no sagging as weight accumulated over time. (and it's a short time... :) )

[Frank Pratt]

I find 6 caster carts to be very awkward to use & they have limited maneuverability. I'd go 4 swivel casters of the appropriate rating.

[Larry Frank]

I love my 3" double locking casters from Woodcraft. I have them on several pieces of equipment for years and they work great.

[Brian Henderson]

I don't know that I'd go with 2 non-swivel casters in the middle, it limits which direction your cart can move. If you really have to do 6 casters, do 2 swivel non-locking in the middle, that way the cart moves in any direction without limitation.

[Peter Christensen]

Think about how much you will load on the cart as a starting point. A hundred board feet of hardwood and 5 sheets of 3/4" MDF will be over 1000 pounds.

Something to consider is that bigger wheels roll over stuff on the floor (cracks, rocks, cords etc.) easier but if you get nice big ones and the footprint of your cart is narrow, and the weight near one side. When the casters swivel under the cart, as when pushing to or from the wall, the cart can tip over in a hurry if the swivelled under wheel stops because it hit something it won't roll over. You won't be able to stop it once it starts going over.

[Greg R Bradley]

"1. bigger is better and 2. polyurethane wheels"
1. YES, 2. NO as in no way!
Polyurethane does NOT work for heavy static loads. It is great for smooth rolling over surfaces with a bump here and there and the ability to roll over a chunk of something but when you let it sit for a long period in one spot with a big load it will fail when you go to move it. If your cart will move regularly then it is OK but most carts will sit in one spot for months, even a year and then Poly will fail.

Go to CasterCity.com and go through their excellent info on choosing a wheel material and buy four of their model 9 wheels in Polyolefin for your (mostly) static loads. I figured my cart needed to hold 1600lb and that was for hobby use. I would strongly advise against locking casters unless you need to store it on a floor that isn't flat and stick with 4 casters. All swivel or 2 rigid based upon how you intend to move it.
9PB6x2-S & 9PB6x2-R will do you fine for a big load and get you out for less than $100 shipped.

[Wayne Cannon]

Interesting. I've had that flat-spot problem with rubber wheels, but never with urethane wheels, including some 4" urethane wheels that sat with a heavy load for over a year. I've never seen Polyolefin wheels, but will keep my eyes open -- maybe try some from CasterCity. Nevertheless, I've been quite happy with urethane wheels.

3" wheels don't roll over things (like small wood chips) nearly as well as 4" or 5", but the larger castering wheels also swivel even further back under the load than the smaller wheels, making a narrow cart even more tippy, as Peter mentioned.

[Jerome Stanek]

Check around for a drywall cart much better then spending money on making your own. I picked one up for less than the caster would have cost

[Steve Siwek]

Check around for a drywall cart much better then spending money on making your own. I picked one up for less than the caster would have cost

I've heard that drywall carts make a good lumber cart. I need to do this on a shredded shoe string budget. This is being put together with the existing lumber I have and a little bit on a gift card from a hardware store. Plus, it gives me the practice I need with the router, table saw, etc.

[Steve Siwek]

The consensus seems to be to get rid of the casters in the middle. Which I'll eliminate and just go with 4.

I generally use swiveling double-locking casters for this kind of application...and have them on my own lumber cart. While mine are from Lee Valley (blue polyurethane tires), I noticed that Home Depot sells a similar caster (red polyurethane tires) for a little less money and I plan on trying them. I personally would not put casters in the center and would just add some bracing to the lumber cart to insure no sagging as weight accumulated over time. (and it's a short time... :) )

The cart is 6' x 32". I built a frame from 2x4s with 2 supports running through the middle (pic below) on which the floor of the cart will be placed on. Based on what Jim said regarding support of the base, will I need to reinforce the middle of the frame now that I've eliminated the middle casters? Thanks!

377256377257

[Jim Becker]

Why not just add a little more 2x under it in the lengthwise, "y" axis...say right down the middle? Notch both the existing front to back supports and a single new support so that they interlock and then use some glue blocks to keep everything together. The center support should insert from the top so it's bearing on the cross rails for maximum benefit. (hopefully the plywood isn't already glued on the frame)

[Greg R Bradley]

A big consideration will be weight limit. If you are limited to buying your casters from a hardware store, you may end up limited by the capacity of the casters. Four "200-300 lb capacity casters" means your limit needs to be 500 lb of lumber. Even that will probably result in wheel failure in ten years after you leave it sitting in one spot for a year and then go to move it. 500 lb of lumber might be OK if you are storing lighter stuff but if you start loading up 5 sheets of plywood you are in trouble. MDF will get you over the limit pretty quick.
If you want a capacity of 1000+ pounds, you are going to need better casters AND more structure in the base. More 2x4 like Jim suggested or even easier is a second sheet on the bottom, making a torsion box. You are going to have to add something on the bottom to mount the casters anyway. 3/8" plywood top and bottom will be a lot stronger than 3/4" on top.

[Steve Siwek]

A big consideration will be weight limit. If you are limited to buying your casters from a hardware store, you may end up limited by the capacity of the casters. Four "200-300 lb capacity casters" means your limit needs to be 500 lb of lumber. Even that will probably result in wheel failure in ten years after you leave it sitting in one spot for a year and then go to move it. 500 lb of lumber might be OK if you are storing lighter stuff but if you start loading up 5 sheets of plywood you are in trouble. MDF will get you over the limit pretty quick.
If you want a capacity of 1000+ pounds, you are going to need better casters AND more structure in the base. More 2x4 like Jim suggested or even easier is a second sheet on the bottom, making a torsion box. You are going to have to add something on the bottom to mount the casters anyway. 3/8" plywood top and bottom will be a lot stronger than 3/4" on top.

As much as I would like to try Jim's method to get the practice, I think adding a sheet of plywood to the bottom will be the quicker option. I go to the 70% off section at Home Depot and now and then I can find a sheet of damaged plywood (that is the end of the board is cracked or something and I just cut off the bad section) that I can make use of. Would 5/8 or 3/4 be too thick to use if that's what I come across?

Thanks for the help!
Steve

[Greg R Bradley]

As much as I would like to try Jim's method to get the practice, I think adding a sheet of plywood to the bottom will be the quicker option. I go to the 70% off section at Home Depot and now and then I can find a sheet of damaged plywood (that is the end of the board is cracked or something and I just cut off the bad section) that I can make use of. Would 5/8 or 3/4 be too thick to use if that's what I come across?

Thanks for the help!
Steve
The thicker the better - it is just that you get a huge increase in strength from having ANY sheet on the bottom. Thicker will mean you will have less issue with attaching the casters well. With thin stock, you can just double up the area behind the casters.

[Jim Becker]

As much as I would like to try Jim's method to get the practice, I think adding a sheet of plywood to the bottom will be the quicker option. I go to the 70% off section at Home Depot and now and then I can find a sheet of damaged plywood (that is the end of the board is cracked or something and I just cut off the bad section) that I can make use of. Would 5/8 or 3/4 be too thick to use if that's what I come across?

Thanks for the help!
Steve
This is a good suggestion...an extra layer of plywood with lots of glue and screws will stiffen things up very much and not require reworking the base.

[Dave Cav]

My source for inexpensive utility casters is to get a Harbor Freight furniture dolly for about seven bucks with a coupon, take the casters off, and recycle the lumber for jigs or utility use. I have done this several times for mobile bases, utility carts and so on. They aren't the greatest casters in the world but they are decent and have solid wheels, and I have had several hundred pounds on my shop carts without problems. There are also a set under my Woodmaster 712 planer/moulder and my scrap bin.

[Dick Strauss]

Check out SES Casters...I think I paid $6-8 for 4" 300# swiveling locking casters not including shipping.

[Jerome Stanek]

I've heard that drywall carts make a good lumber cart. I need to do this on a shredded shoe string budget. This is being put together with the existing lumber I have and a little bit on a gift card from a hardware store. Plus, it gives me the practice I need with the router, table saw, etc.

After you use a drywall cart you will never want to go back to a home made one. They can handle more weight and are easier to move around. When I was remodeling drug stores I had 2 of them that I used all the time and when some of the other crews came on the job they ended up getting them also.

[Steve Siwek]

A big consideration will be weight limit. If you are limited to buying your casters from a hardware store, you may end up limited by the capacity of the casters. Four "200-300 lb capacity casters" means your limit needs to be 500 lb of lumber. Even that will probably result in wheel failure in ten years after you leave it sitting in one spot for a year and then go to move it. 500 lb of lumber might be OK if you are storing lighter stuff but if you start loading up 5 sheets of plywood you are in trouble. MDF will get you over the limit pretty quick.
If you want a capacity of 1000+ pounds, you are going to need better casters AND more structure in the base. More 2x4 like Jim suggested or even easier is a second sheet on the bottom, making a torsion box. You are going to have to add something on the bottom to mount the casters anyway. 3/8" plywood top and bottom will be a lot stronger than 3/4" on top.

Hello, I was able to get a few sheets of 3/4" really cheap. before I attach it to make the torsion box, should I add 2 more 2x4s on then end for when the wheels get attached? or will the plywood be sufficient to support the wheels?

Thanks!