Re: All about Casters

I always ask my supplier what caster to get for a specific requirement. You can try visiting them in san juan along Pinaglabanan st. Almost corner of N. Domingo, name of store is Y2k/Screworks with tel no.7445752- 7272072 and look for richard the owner. He is knowledgeable about wheels and casters, which takes into consideration the load, design, size and even what wheel material to suggest. He even showed me a caster that is so durable that it made a rail/wheel mark on a marble floor( a no-no for interior use). Hth

Re: All about Casters

I always ask my supplier what caster to get for a specific requirement. You can try visiting them in san juan along Pinaglabanan st. Almost corner of N. Domingo, name of store is Y2k/Screworks with tel no.7445752- 7272072 and look for richard the owner. He is knowledgeable about wheels and casters, which takes into consideration the load, design, size and even what wheel material to suggest. He even showed me a caster that is so durable that it made a rail/wheel mark on a marble floor( a no-no for interior use). Hth

Thanks. I know the store. Will check with Richard when I get chance to pass there.

Re: All about Casters

Looks like some good info here.

Viking (QuickFAB) brand at Ace: No specs/labels at Ace but brand has online info starting here. Here are the prices. Not easy to read, too low res, but this is all they could give:

Creston brand at Ace: Labelled with size, material (PU and TPR), capacity (kg) at Ace but no online info. Anyone have any info on this Creston brand? Is this a house brand of the store?

I noticed many street vendors in Raon, Recto, etc. selling casters of unknown specs, but they could be excused for not knowing. Why hardware stores like To Suy, Y2K, etc., who should know better, do not have better displays is beyond me. Only store I've encountered so far where it appears that there is someone with half a functioning brain responsible for the caster display seems to be Ace. (But only half a brain -- the Creston casters are labelled as to size/material/capacity, the rest are not.)

Any other notable stores? What does Jovanisan have?

I've also tried the Steelex polyurethane casters on Amazon. Price is about same as local. Quality seems slightly higher but not by much. I assume everything is made in China?

Re: All about Casters

@ Guad . Thanks for chiming in.

Frankly speaking I'm overwhelmed with the variety and choices of caster sold not because of anything but the lack of knowledge on my part. Partially because of the non availability of confirmed specs. It seems like the buyer is the one responsible to find out what these casters can do and thus gives another variable in - Pricing. How do we know if the prices offered are at least reasonable for the products and quality we are buying.

I purchased a few low cost casters in Jovanissan almost blindly. Taking the looks of the casters as a basis for what these are.

Would appreciate more input and hopefully put an end to this by knowing exactly everything possibly can about casters.

Maybe someone more knowledgeable can explain caster designs and build. For my part I'll do some research as well. Hopefully include US made Caster products tool.

If it helps I'm hunting for good quality casters to be used on Tool Boxes, Welding Carts and probably a Welding Table but am not limiting it for this purpose alone.

Re: All about Casters

I was able to get a Foot master caster, used but in a very good condition. I'm planning to use it for my workbench that Im planning to build. It says that it can carry 750kg per caster or 1.5tons (recommended) on all 4 casters. It is very well built the body is made of solid aluminum, the plate is made of metal and the wheel is made of hard plastic. check the link for more info (this is what i have, everything is the same except for the color) http://www.footmastercasters.com/caster_leveling_top_plate_GD-100F.html

Re: All about Casters

Now that's what I call a Caster. Real nice with leveling capability.

Link bookmarked. Thanks

Re: All about Casters

Sir JayL, i bought a few casters based on what i read from owwm. Key word was "mobile base" and casters. (What's good for big bandsaws, big (i.e. cabinet) table saws, 12 inch jointers etc.- in the 500 to 2,000 pound range. The 14" powermatic bandsaw WIP of mine is a "mere" 350 pounds.)

And the ticket to mobilize those dinosaurs was polyurethane wrapped, cast iron casters. (Only pure cast iron caster has higher ratings but i think the floor will be battered.) The bigger the diameter, the easier it rolls so 4" to 5" is often used. (My tool chest has 4" casters FWIW.) Often, the design is two fixed casters on one side and two swiveling casters on the opposite side (again, that's how my toolbox was setup.)

I was looking at those japanese prestar trolleys (4.5K for a 150kilo rated.) They only use plastic wheeled, rubber wrapped casters, but what interested me was that the four casters are rated at 75kg each, and there are 4 of those in the 150kg rated. -- i guess one should over design it by at least that amount.

4" diameter casters X 2" wide, poly on cast iron, should be in the 450-600 peso range each (please take note if the inside of the plate-stem junction's also welded.) The ratings on the korean and taiwanese casters in binondo jive with what's listed on this webiste: http://www.castercity.com/cmg15.htm

Re: All about Casters

Thanks for the feedback Owyn.

Does it need to be riding on bearings at the center?

I reckon the swivel ones will have bearings at the top too.

Re: All about Casters

^Turns out they axle doesn't ride on deep groove ball bearings like what's used on routers, DPs, etc. I don't know what they're called, but it has so much more bearing surface, and what's important was that the weight ratings of a 4"x2" poly on iron matches with couple of u.s. websites. ..Yes sir the swivel ones have ball bearings riding on the plate. Swivels can only carry lesser weight than fixed ones.

Are the casters for the re-purposed metal cabinet?

There are casters in lys, there's also one in tomas mapua that specializes in caster and trolleys (I don't recommend there, expensive and the casters weren't fully welded.) Next time, i think i'll just buy at the store near ROK's electronics (the road that's across avenida but cuts through Raon.) Or at LYS.

owyn<--- still kicking myself for not buying japanese industrial surplus when they were available, didn't know they're that expensive!

Re: All about Casters

Are the casters for the re-purposed metal cabinet?

Yes on this. The metal cabinet is very very heavy even without the drawers.

I have not started work on it yet but I reckon building a movable base first will be a really good move.

Re: All about Casters

May seem heavy when you try to lift it due to its bulk and no good handholds, but for all we know metal cabinet + contents could be well within the capacity of four 100 kg (220 lb) casters, without having to go to the monster casters.

Anyone know actual/ typical weight range of empty metal cabinets? Or rule of thumb for estimating? Or weight per unit surface area of metal typically used?

Re: All about Casters

Guad. The metal file box is L 28 1/2 x W 19 1/2 x H 52 1/2 inches. The sheet metal used was 1/16".

I would love to get an estimate of the weight for better choice of caster load capacity requirements.

Re: All about Casters

First cut estimate could be based just on surface area...

Assuming volume density is of steel is 7.8 g/cu.cm, area density of 1/16" sheet would be about 12.4 kg/sq.m.

Area of a box is 2(LW + WH + LH), counting all six sides.

For the dimensions mentioned, the area is about 4 sq.m. Therefore, the weight is about (12.4)(4) ~ 49 kg ... which sounds about right or at least not too far off.

This estimate does not include the drawers, which could be estimated in the same way, since they are like boxes (with five sides only).

If you could weigh the carcass or at least the drawers on a scale, that would give some idea of the accuracy of this estimation method.

Re: All about Casters

Casters at one of the larger Ace, slightly more than a year ago. I think the selection and prices are still pretty much the same. No progress in labelling. The Viking (QuickFAB) casters are still unlabelled, even though the specs are readily available.

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