Lockable castors for home-made machinery bases

[Wouldchuk]

Hello folks,

I need to make wheeled bases for my bandsaw (a Scheppach Basato 3 with the leg stand set), a router table and possibly my radial arm saw - im not sure what weight they are but am looking for any ideas - i was going to go with a simple 18mm ply square with lockable castors.

Any better ideas?

Are there any recommended suppliers of castors - i imagine there must be a supplier of standard hardward as opposed to buying through a tool shop with a mark-up.

Grateful for any views - if you have any more cunning ideas for a base than my simplistic thoughts...

 

[jumps]

http://www.mendipcastors.co.uk/componen ... Itemid,26/

 

[myturn]

Consider this type of setup, where you just tilt the machine to wheel it. I have this arrangement on my planer/thicknesser and it works a treat. It depends how heavy your machines are.

Alternatively, if the machine is heavier, you can retrofit the Record Wheelkit which is very convenient to use. I have this fitted to my bandsaw.

And if the machines are really heavy then I would use the Footmaster Jacking casters as seen HERE

All of these options mean the machine is on a solid stand when in use and not on wheels, locking or otherwise.

 

[Vinny]

i recently"mobilsied" all my machines. after a lot of shopping around i settled on these castors from axminster, they work very well (I went for the braked ones which brake the axial movement as well as the wheel) they're also cheaper than anything else i found and you get volume discount.

 

[OPJ]

Those Axminster ones look identical to ones sold by Toolstation and Screwfix, which I've been quite happily using for several years now. Only thing I would add is that, if you've got an uneven concrete floor, don't use any castors less than 75mm in diameter. In my experience, the 50mm wheels don't like carrying large loads over lumpy floors (particularly when they're dirty!).

Also, you should only need two locking castors for each machine and, therefore, you can save a little bit of money on the other two, which can be just ordinary swivel castors. ;-)

 

[tomasg]

hello heres a link if you want to make a good mobile base
thank bob for this as i just copied his
i just made one and i will reply with dimensions that worked out for me
in the next few days
as the dementons seem to be lost

heres the link to the thread
mobile-base-startrite-502e-big-bandsaw-bad-floor-t46417.html

scroll down misterfish gave me the link

i will try to take a few additional pics thats not in 3 D
and with a ruler there so you should be able to enlarge the pics on the
screen to the same size as the ruler/same thickness of box section
stick a page on the laptop screen and trace lightly with a felt tip pen
it should save you some head scratchin #-o
once again thanks Bob

 

[Wouldchuk]

Tomasg - that is brilliant, thanks - and to misterfish for the original idea. Simple, yet effective. With the bandsaw, its extra height and narrow leg area mean it is possibly more unstable than the lower, wider router and saw so at the least Ill have a go at one for it.

If you are able to provide the dimensions I'd be extremely grateful - they look just the job. Did you use the same castor supplier as misterfish?

Thanks to others for all the links to castors etc.

 

[tomasg]

the casters i used are 75 mm
i think the ones bob used are too
judjing from the dimensions
i got

 

[Pond]

Those Axminster ones look identical to ones sold by Toolstation and Screwfix, which I've been quite happily using for several years now.

They're not. The APTC ones are nylon, the Screwfix ones are rubber (well similar). I would recommend the Screwfix ones, they are a bit dearer but are very good quality for the money. They only sell them in packs of four. lockable or not!

 

[tomasg]

here you go wouldchuck .
1 dimentional pics of this
it might save some head scracthin trying to measure it out from the other pics

you should be able to zoom in and match my ruler up to scale
stick a page on your laptop screen and trace with a felt tip pen

If i was to do it again....
i would make the foot lever a 1/2" longer OR make the bottom of it have more area
twords the foot side

(BTW) The box iron on my levers is a lighter guage and it could cut your boots
when you disengage the lever so youd be as well to run a bead of weld at the end or somethin

last thing is i would make a plastic template instead of a cardboard one
because that box metal throws off your eyes

hope this helps someone
tomas

 

[TheTiddles]

depending on where you are...

I have hospital bed castors that are very, very high specification. Not looking for much for them either if you were to come get them

Aidan

 

[9fingers]

I have dug out some files and created some drawings of my original mobile base wheels which were described here

post196746.html#p196746

These can be found here http://homepage.ntlworld.com/bob.minchi ... ring_feet/

hth

Bob

 

[srp]

Those Axminster ones look identical to ones sold by Toolstation and Screwfix, which I've been quite happily using for several years now.

They're not. The APTC ones are nylon, the Screwfix ones are rubber (well similar). I would recommend the Screwfix ones, they are a bit dearer but are very good quality for the money. They only sell them in packs of four. lockable or not!

Axminster do both rubber and nylon. I've always used Axminster ones as they seem to be much cheaper than Screwfix.

 

[Wouldchuk]

Fantastic - what with the additional photo's and Bob very kindly recreating the designs we all have something to work from here. I doubt I will get a chance to start these for a couple of weeks (oh damn you Six Nations....ahem) but once i make a start i will also stick some pictures up.

Once again, thanks very much to all - particularly Bob for the original work.

 

[9fingers]

I forgot to add in any of my postings about this project about the need for levelling feet although they can be seen in some of the photos.

Adjustable 'elephants feet' are used to control the level of the machine when off the wheels and it is these that give stability to the base and stop it sliding on the floor.

Googling for 'levelling feet' will provide numerous suppliers. Ebay normally have some too.

hth

Bob