Caster Quality Differences

[Pappy]

There have been several discussions on the use of different brands/quality of casters. Thought I would post what I had happen during the bar project I just finished.

I needed a quick, easy way to move the cabinet around the work deck after it was assembled. Digging around, I found a pair of HF 2" swivels and several HF fixed casters. I mounted the swivels to one piece of ply and a pair of fixed to another one and set the ends of the bar cabinet on them. This allowed me to move the bar around with steering on one end.



The total weight was probably around 150# (about 40# per caster) so I thought the casters would handle it. One of the swivels made a liar out of me.



My solution was to use the rusty 35+ year old Darnell casters salvaged from an old office chair. These are basic casters with hard rubber wheels and no axle bearings. I had to do a temp repair on one with a broken wheel, but they proved more than up to the task!



The rest of the HF casters are going in the trash and the Darnells are going back to the company for proper repair under the lifetime warranty!

Note: New Darnell-Rose casters are warranted for 3 years.

[cgallery]

So if they replace your old D-R casters w/ new ones, will the new ones continue the lifetime warranty?

[MikeMcCoy]

That was a timely post. I'm in the process of building a new sanding station and had some of those 2" casters that I was going to use. I've found the casters from Hartville to be about as good as it gets.

[cabinetman]

My experience with casters is that they have to be mounted in a way to fully support them in the rolling position. It looks like you just mounted the casters to a strip of plywood and then placed it under the cabinet. If casters have a chance to get out of kilter the strain on the axel housing will fail under weight and stress. If you mount them to the cabinet, or mount all four to a grid of 2x4's or a piece of 3/4" ply, their survival rate is increased. Then again, some are destined for an early death no mater what.

[Pappy]

So if they replace your old D-R casters w/ new ones, will the new ones continue the lifetime warranty?

The metal parts of the casters won't be replaced, just cleaned up. The only thing Joe is going to replace with new are the wheels. Don't know yet if they will stay the same type or if he is going to switch them for bearing types.

C-Man, the weight of the bar was enough to keep the plywood flat. Don't think that had anything to do with the failure in this case.

[LinuxRandal]

Pappy,

Were those the casters you moved your new shop in place on? LOL


What's the status on that project?

[Pappy]

Still stacked in the yard waiting for the $$$ to pour the slab.

[cobob]

I've been getting most of my casters off ebay but the price has gone way up & the shipping is obscene. I noticed the casters at grizzly seem hefty & inexpensive & rated way over the ones in Lowe's. I haven't bought any yet though. Any experience or opinions.

[Pappy]

The only casters I have used from Grizzly are the red poly wheels. Drawback is that they don't come smaller than 3".

[stormdog74]

Any opinions on these:

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/...o?itemid=38944

There is a coupon coming up soon on them:

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/html...a_cpnsave.html

[Pappy]

never had a need for casters that big. My only concern would be the relatively small mount bracket and swivel bearings. Likely to bind up when turning under a heavy load.

[Stytooner]

Any opinions on these:

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/...o?itemid=38944

There is a coupon coming up soon on them:

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/html...a_cpnsave.html

I don't have experience with those, but I thought the "Knobby tread for better traction" part was pretty funny. I could see how having knobbies on your sneakers would give better traction, but on a non powered castor?

[LinuxRandal]

I don't have experience with those, but I thought the "Knobby tread for better traction" part was pretty funny. I could see how having knobbies on your sneakers would give better traction, but on a non powered castor?

I've always seen the knobby ones referred to as an outdoor caster. For when you drag something through mud, concrete, etc.

[Garasaki]

I dunno, the knobbies on the front wheel of my KTM give it pretty good traction, and it's a non-powered wheel.



(didn't actually need said traction in that particular picture...)

I used the 4 pack of casters from Rockler ($38 for the pack) for my mobile base. I've been really impressed with them. While the base isn't complete yet, they are doing a good job of holding up my bt3k plus the base, which I very nearly can't lift by myself (probably near the 100 lb mark), yet it is very easy to push around, even one handed. Been impressed with the locking action too.

[Stormbringer]

Jeez, and here I was admiring the quality of the four swivels I came across while demolishing the basement. I dunno, these four-inchers are rated at 330lbs and seem pretty rugged (much more than the picture makes them out to be). And here's the rigid (non-swivel).

Has anybody put these to the test?

Thanks,
Greg