# Play in Locking Swivel Casters



## plunger (Jun 21, 2013)

Hi! I hope to get your advice on some casters I want to install on some shop cabinets. This would be my first attempt at shop mobility.

I want to put a full set of locking polyurethane swivel casters on a router table build. After looking at the 3" variety at my local Lowe's Waxman 3" & Home Depot Everbilt 3", they appear to be the exact same item, just different names. I don't have a nearby Woodcraft, etc.; Harbor Freight didn't have any dual locking casters.

When I engaged the Waxman/Everbilt caster wheel brake, it has a few pins that lock the swivel position, too. However, there was still a decent bit of play in the swivel, which I was concerned about.

Is this play normal and/or would this only create a negligible problem? I was expecting the swivel to fully lock in place as the wheel does.


Wondering if I'm just being cheap going for the <$10 options. I know there's more expensive ones available, but I'd have to order them sight unseen over the Internet. I'd like to build more rolling cabinets so if this works out for me I'm going to be buying a lot more, hence the desire for lowest price. Want to standardize on technology to be the most efficient.


----------



## schnewj (Nov 18, 2013)

plunger said:


> Hi! I hope to get your advice on some casters I want to install on some shop cabinets. This would be my first attempt at shop mobility.
> 
> I want to put a full set of locking polyurethane swivel casters on a router table build. After looking at the 3" variety at my local Lowe's Waxman 3" & Home Depot Everbilt 3", they appear to be the exact same item, just different names. I don't have a nearby Woodcraft, etc.; Harbor Freight didn't have any dual locking casters.
> 
> ...


Steve, 

This may be a case of "you get what you pay for". I gather, that, what you are saying, is that, when the swivel is locked there is still some play. Correct?

If this is the case then it is the cheaply made, big box, casters. There are several good quality dual locking caster on the market, that have positive lock-up when engaged. 

They are not that much more expensive then what you paid for the ones that you now have. The down side is since you are not close to a source and that would entail shipping costs on top of the price. Sometimes you can find free shipping and no sales tax. 

The real questions are; can you live with the "slop" or is it totally unacceptable, and have you looked around locally for a source of better quality casters? Don't limit yourself to Big Box and HF.


----------



## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

I used locking casters from Northern Tools on my router table/workbench, Steve, and they have worked well with no noticeable play in the swivel. The price was right also at just under $7 each. Here's the link: Northern Industrial Tools Light-Duty Swivel Caster with Dual Brake — 3in. Wheel, 130-Lb. Capacity | Up to 299 Lbs.| Northern Tool + Equipment


----------



## plunger (Jun 21, 2013)

I would be OK with the slop in the router table as long as it doesn't affect routing operations. I'm not sure what effect it would have if the four wheels are able to rock a few degrees each.

For my storage cabinets I think I'll be fine with the slight movement, so perhaps it makes sense to use different hardware for them.


----------



## plunger (Jun 21, 2013)

Gaffboat said:


> I used locking casters from Northern Tools on my router table/workbench, Steve, and they have worked well with no noticeable play in the swivel. The price was right also at just under $7 each. Here's the link: Northern Industrial Tools Light-Duty Swivel Caster with Dual Brake — 3in. Wheel, 130-Lb. Capacity | Up to 299 Lbs.| Northern Tool + Equipment


I _do_ happen to have a Northern Tool nearby so that will be my next stop into town. Forgot about them!

Do the rubber wheels make much of a difference? I've heard about some wheels getting a flat edge when stationary for long, versus a more stable polyurethane-based wheel.


----------



## hankh (Jun 25, 2013)

FWIW, Another source of play can be between the "tire" and the hub. This past week I built a stand for a table top jointer/planer and put it on locking casters. The lock is ok, but play within the casters makes them unacceptable. It might be less of an issue with a router table. My router table has cheaper casters that are OK and I added a door stop for added stability.


----------



## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

Don't forget the overall height of the table or cabinet. Three inches could make it to high. You might consider this mobile base from Harbor Freight. I have three of them and like them. HF will ship to your home for $6.99 and they always have coupons to help lower the price.

Search results for: 'mobile base'


----------



## plunger (Jun 21, 2013)

@Gaffboat

So I checked out the Northern Tool locking caster #26995 in store, and the swivel still slightly moves when you lock down the wheel. Maybe less than the other ones, but I really can't be sure without them to compare at the same time. The Northern Tool caster has 3 locking pins, and I remember the Everbilt/Waxey have only 2.

It's comforting to know any play in the casters doesn't apparently affect your operation of the RT, though.


@hankh

Definitely hear what you're saying there. The play I'm seeing on these casters is when holding the metal wheel shroud and the installation plate while twisting them. I haven't been holding the wheel itself.


----------



## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

I've had pretty good luck with Steelex. Amazon has a pretty good selection in the $10-12 range. Just make sure they are listed as "double locking" or similar wording. I also like the plate mounted,, stem mounts seem kinda iffy to me.
Good Luck


----------



## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

plunger said:


> @Gaffboat
> 
> So I checked out the Northern Tool locking caster #26995 in store, and the swivel still slightly moves when you lock down the wheel. Maybe less than the other ones, but I really can't be sure without them to compare at the same time. The Northern Tool caster has 3 locking pins, and I remember the Everbilt/Waxey have only 2.
> 
> It's comforting to know any play in the casters doesn't apparently affect your operation of the RT, though.


I wonder if you're noticing the play because there is no weight pressing down on the casters? Just a thought that perhaps the weight of the work table actually helps keep the locked caster from moving. In any case, I haven't noticed any play in my setup.


----------



## RÖENTGEEP (Feb 18, 2014)

jschaben said:


> I've had pretty good luck with Steelex. Amazon has a pretty good selection in the $10-12 range. Just make sure they are listed* as "double locking" or similar wording.* I also like the plate mounted,, stem mounts seem kinda iffy to me.
> Good Luck


I have read about those wheels here in some thread, that I dont remember, but seems that they locks "perfect" IDK.


----------



## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Oliver-- No play with yours?

My big conplaint with casters is that I always get a bit of side to side in the caster swivel itself. Even my diesel tool boxes at the shop are like that and they have "weight."

Just physics right? If I put wheels on a piece of equipment and I want it stable, then I put feet on the caster side, then lower the casters just to move it. That way it sets on the fixed wheels and two feet when normal and two fixed/two casters when moving.

Just for myself now-- my panel saw has lowerable fixed wheels and a jacobs bar. Everything else moves great with a pallet jack.

Of course at the shop I work at, I just use his forklift. Everything that is not being used for a while (including their table saw) goes on pallets and I put up into his pallet racks.


----------



## BIGROMO (Mar 16, 2015)

I bought some Kreg locking casters and was very pleased with them. They are quite heavy duty too and can take a much higher load, though you may not need it. I made a custom stand for a 15" heavy duty planer that probably weighs 400 or 500 lbs. I was pleased that they came with nice flange nuts to mount them and as I recall they locked firmly in position without play-but I don't have my table where I am at til October to double check. I think they were around 52.00 for the set. I know Rockler sells them, and I think they were on Amazon too, I believe Grizzly has, so shop around if interested to get the best price with shipping. I bought another set for a router table I have yet to make and figure if I ever need some heavy casters I can steal those and replace with some of the lighter duty ones mentioned here, but for the difference if it's close to what it cost when I bought them, I would go with the kregs for that table too. Highest quality, and they have a 1/2 " threaded mounting and it comes with the nuts so nothing more to hunt down. First class.

So consider those in your quest too.


----------



## plunger (Jun 21, 2013)

BIGROMO said:


> I bought some Kreg locking casters and was very pleased with them. They are quite heavy duty too and can take a much higher load, though you may not need it. I made a custom stand for a 15" heavy duty planer that probably weighs 400 or 500 lbs. I was pleased that they came with nice flange nuts to mount them and as I recall they locked firmly in position without play-but I don't have my table where I am at til October to double check. I think they were around 52.00 for the set. I know Rockler sells them, and I think they were on Amazon too, I believe Grizzly has, so shop around if interested to get the best price with shipping. I bought another set for a router table I have yet to make and figure if I ever need some heavy casters I can steal those and replace with some of the lighter duty ones mentioned here, but for the difference if it's close to what it cost when I bought them, I would go with the kregs for that table too. Highest quality, and they have a 1/2 " threaded mounting and it comes with the nuts so nothing more to hunt down. First class.
> 
> So consider those in your quest too.



I had considered the Kreg casters, but wasn't sure how to attach them using the bolts. My cabinets have plywood bases.

Also, from pictures of the Kreg casters it looks like the actual lock is about as high as the top of the mounting flange. Would it hit a plywood base as it spins around? I'm wondering if there's enough clearance to spin around when unlocked. For leg-based installations there's no clearance issues.


----------



## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Like I was hinting at, what most people think about when you think about a mobile kit for equipment is casters that come down when you need to move and riase up so that the equipment sits on it's own feet when you are through using it. This was type of casters was discussed here about a year ago:








Workbench Caster Kit 4 Pack - Bench Castor Wheels - Amazon.com








http://www.amazon.com/WoodRiver-141...se_s_cp_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=03KNYHKM6TRAD52ABQ4E
(Various versions of these that work the same, as Rockler, Wood River and Woodtek...)

What I've learned since then is that for Information Technology (computer server racks), there's another, more elegant, easier to use version of this that is about the same price... and is a lot higher capacity (2200 lb capacity).








https://www.cdw.com/shop/products/T...lling-Caster-Kit-2200lb-Capacity/1619482.aspx


----------



## john60 (Aug 30, 2014)

I have used the 3 inch harbor Freight casters with wheel lock only. For my planer stand I used two fixed and two locking. Locking on infeed end. With both locked I have not had an issue

For my radial arm saw I have four wheel lock swivels. When I lock the two front one I have not had any issue


----------

