Castors for kitchen work table

[Fred Page]

I have a client who, having provided a design for a kitchen work table on castors, has also supplied the castors. These are of very good quality but are fixed by four corner screws. Yes, you've guessed the problem - screws into end grain, and dangerously near the edges of the legs! The legs are in 3 by 3 inch ash and the screws only half an inch from the edges.
I think that this is asking for trouble. Would friends on this forum agree and what alternatives are available? Should I insist that the client provides centre pillar type castors and would these be strong enough for a heavy work table? I wondered whether screw thread inserts might be an alternative (thinking these might be okay in end grain?) but cannot find a UK supplier. Any suggestions very welcome.
Fred

 

[Anonymous]

I have used nut inserts successfully in end grain (Screwfix) but I suspect you don't have enough room to drill for them? Could you drill smaller holes and fill with dowel, glued in, for the screws to go into?

 

[Adam]

I have a client who, having provided a design for a kitchen work table on castors, has also supplied the castors. These are of very good quality but are fixed by four corner screws. Yes, you've guessed the problem - screws into end grain, and dangerously near the edges of the legs! The legs are in 3 by 3 inch ash and the screws only half an inch from the edges.
I think that this is asking for trouble. Would friends on this forum agree and what alternatives are available? Should I insist that the client provides centre pillar type castors and would these be strong enough for a heavy work table? I wondered whether screw thread inserts might be an alternative (thinking these might be okay in end grain?) but cannot find a UK supplier. Any suggestions very welcome.
Fred

Could you screw them to a plate, using machine screws, and in the centre of the plate, but a couple of really chuny screws up into the leg (i.e. much mroe central)?

adam

 

[CYC]

The legs are in 3 by 3 inch ash and the screws only half an inch from the edges.

Half an inch (12mm) from the edge sounds like enough to me using a long screw in a piloted hole, you could screw at a light angle toward the center of the leg. There are 4 screws per castor right? A kitchen worktable means no one will be sitting on it.
I am no professional, this is my humble opinion.

 

[Fred Page]

The legs are in 3 by 3 inch ash and the screws only half an inch from the edges.

Half an inch (12mm) from the edge sounds like enough to me using a long screw in a piloted hole, you could screw at a light angle toward the center of the leg. There are 4 screws per castor right? A kitchen worktable means no one will be sitting on it.
I am no professional, this is my humble opinion.

Thanks, I will try out your suggestion as soon as I have a few spare inches of table leg. I'm not too happy about screws at an angle but the idea may well work. Otherwise I propose inserting suitable dowels at right angles to the screws - their end grain will of course show but this could be regarded as a design feature! Thanks again for your reply.
Fred.