Wobbly Workbench

[Marc Prudhomme]

I need some advice on sturdying up my workbench.I have 3" double locking swivel casters mounted on the workbench and I dont like the wobble.My workbench is 3 laminated mdf sheets so it has some weight.Is there a way to sturdy up the bench without having to remove the wheels?I like the mobility because my shop is not that big.
Another question I have is that it would be nice to double my workbench as an outfeed table for my tablesaw.I need to raise it 1 1/2 inches.Is there an easy way to sturdy up my bench and raise it up another 1 1/2.???
Marc

[Ron Dunn]

What type of castors are they, Marc? I've found that there are good locking castors, and GREAT locking castors ... with about a four-fold difference in price between them. Talk to an industrial supplier, and they might be able to recommend something better.

A stop gap measure I've used is to turn one locking castor at right-angles to the other before locking them.

[Marc Prudhomme]

They are from e-bay.They are not the best but I am not convincied that better ones would be better.

[Joe Chritz]

Some kind of caster that is not resting on the floor when the bench is in position would be better. That way the bench is sitting on the legs until you need to move it. Other than that you will probably have to kick in some dough and pick up industrial quality locking casters.

They can be painfully expensive.

Joe

[glenn bradley]

Here's the real answer: http://www.zambus.com/ or, Randy did a comparison on a coule favorites here: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=75281&highlight=Hartville+caster

[Marc Prudhomme]

where is the pricing and how do you order them?
Here's the real answer: http://www.zambus.com/ or, Randy did a comparison on a coule favorites here: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=75281&highlight=Hartville+caster

[Steven DeMars]

If you do not move it often, I would engineer/build four square cup like devices. Make yourself a simple lever type 'jack" and store it under the bench. When you need to move the bench, lift it up on one end & place your new little ""cups" & lower. Repeat at other end. Did this for a very heavy work bench @ a former employer's shop. It helps if you design a recess in the base of the cup that will keep the caster from rotating.

This allows you to add height and makes for a VERY stable bench.:)

[Anthony Whitesell]

Is it wobbling around or moving/shifting? I just built a router table and it tends to shift in place. I figure it is due to the design of the casters. Because the pivot point is off center in reference to the cointact point of the wheel on the ground. This allows the castor stem to spin around in circles and, consequently, the router table shifts from time to time. I think I should have coughed up the dough and just mounted in on the 3-point mobile base like every thing else is mounted on in my shop.

[keith ouellette]

I don't know how your table is built but I have an idea that will solve the wobble and alow you to raise it to be an out feed table.

Make legs to raise it off the floor. I have had great success this way. Take something like a piece of 2x4. Drill a 1/2" hole through it. Mortise a 1/2" nut in place on top and bottom. Hold them in place with epoxy being careful not to get any on the threads. I use 1/2" threaded rod with a nut fastened (I weld) to the top but if you can find bolts with threads all the way up thats even better.
A drill with a 1/2" socket raises and lowers the table in no time.

I would have to see your bench to tell you how to attach them but it does work very well, its not expensive and makes for easy leveling of the table. Mine is very, very stable.

[Joe Petersen]

I know how to raise it the inch and a half. Laminate 2 more sheets of 3/4" MDF to the top.

To sturdy it you could make a simple device to lower it off the casters like Norm did on NYW. It could make use of the casters you currently have.