Workbench Customisations: Fitting the Castors
Posted 17 August 2018
This is an episode in a free series. Want to watch it? It is free to do so, you just need to log into the site, and you can enjoy this video and many other videos we think you will love.
Fitting castors to your bench makes it much easier to move your bench around the shop with minimal effort. Paul shows how he fixed his in place.
This looks good. I hope the next video is how to make the drawer for the workbench. I’ve been really looking forward to that one. Thanks.
So strange to see Paul using power tools. 😀
You could certainly use hand drills and a wrench to do the job, if that’s how you want to spend your time. I might do so just to experiment with how well a socket would work with a brace…
Mechanics call a socket on a brace a “speed wrench” and have been using them about as long as sockets have been around. They work well on wood with pre-tapped holes, but the going’s a little rough when driving a lag bolt though virgin wood. BTW, J actually prefer using a brace over an electric drill to drive screws, especially in soft wood. You have more control and are less likely to strip the head (or the hole).
I fitted castors this year to a bench based on your designs. The DuBois R17000 castors cost about £50 and were well worth it.
Which make / model of castors are shown in the video?
They’re certainly similar to those I’ve seen in several catalogs… I was wondering whether Paul would use these or a homebrew solution. I was also wondering if he’d express any opinion on the plates which let a single set of castors be moved between multiple benches; slightly more hassle but it does save a bit of money.
(I’m never sure whether they are castors or casters. That may be a UK/US question.)
Is the USA, Rockler has a set of casters that I use:
Rockler Workbench Caster Kit 4 Pack
Item #: 43501
You can also get a mounting plate set for them. That way, you only need one set of casters and plate sets for each heavy tool.
I’ve found that by placing the casters on the inside of the legs you still have good access but hides them a bit and gets rid of the trip hazard.
Just as Paul posts this video I see that these castors are on backorder (3 weeks) from my usual supplier. What a surprise 🤓
When available they will be the finishing touch to my bench.
I’ve used the POWERTEC casters on Amazon successfully. So, that’s another source in the US.
Yes, I have also used the Powertec casters successfully. Not sure about sourcing through Amazon, as I purchased mine directly from the Powertec website (Powertecproducts, items 17000 or 17001).
Really glad to see Paul provide this video. It would have saved me hours and hours of internet searching way-back-when. I didn’t know these caster kits existed and was looking for how-to-make custom lever designs, etc.
Even after I bought the kit I was still anxious about how well it would work and didn’t install for months. Am glad I finally did, as it has been incredibly useful providing a whole new world of flexibility, and am glad that Paul is suggesting this approach.
I love the videos Paul and Co.! I never have commented on your videos but would love to request that you do a video on how you sharpen your router bit. The saw sharpening video was a game changer! Thanks for all your hard work.
I haven’t seen an video of Paul sharpening a router, but he blogged about it previously. https://paulsellers.com/2017/01/sharpening-router-cutters-hand-simple-works-best/ This bit and the links therein should keep you covered until a video is released.
Hi Grant, glad you enjoy the videos. A video on sharpening the router is certainly on our to-do list. Also worth checking out our new guide on Common Woodworking: https://commonwoodworking.com/sharpening-a-router-plane/ Thanks, Phil
Great video, thank you Paul! Could you or anyone on the comments advise the brand of these casters? I like the way the levers fold completely up against the leg and out-of-the-way. All the other casters I’ve seen don’t have that feature (including the brands named in the comments).
Thanks
Paul got his castors form Axminster, and they are the same ones that he has been using on his other bench for several years.
Thank you Philip?
There you go mate
https://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-workbench-castors-507151
NikonD80, you Rock!
D
These are rated at 485#!! The best I could find in the US is 420 which didn’t quite make it. I can certainly wait until they are back in stock.
Thanks again to both Phillip and Nikon D80
That is 420# per castor or 1280# for the workbench. Should be fine unless you have a bunch of tools/machines stacked on it.
I wonder if you put a small block behind the lever to leave a gap at the top so that your foot can ‘grab’ it – then you wouldn’t need to bend down to move the levers initially by hand. I guess they wouldn’t fold away flush then…
Screw a plank of wood to both levers and you can lift the one end at once rather than having to do each leg.