Retractable castors

Hi All
Been a while since I last posted. Busy on a couple of construction jobs over the year so little workshop time. But at last I have got one project finished and decided to fit some retractable castors. Nothing new I know. I was surprised at the cost to buy so decided to make some from scrap box section. The final result works a treat but buying against making is questionable. There was unite a bit of cutting and machining and the cost in items I bought was £6.50 Wheels E-bay £4.50 and cheap spray paint £2.00 so 10% of cost of buying complete set. The material I used is more substantial than the commercially available. But time to manufacture was longer than anticipated so £68 to buy is probably a cheap price but I guess I still have £61.50 in my pocket I can spend on something else, and I did enjoy making them.
Below is a few photos of the castors in place.
Attachment 38704Scrap box cut to very rough shape for foot lever

Attachment 38708Castor in closed mobile position

Attachment 38709Castor in the lifted position.

many thanks for looking
The Home Engineer

Great set of ankle knockers you've got there.

Hi Rayh
Thank you for the positive comment. I forgot why I stopped posting on here and now I remember!
Don’t worry you won’t be catching your ankles on these as it appears you don’t make anything looking at your posts on this forum.
The Home Engineer

<!-- BEGIN /var/www/html/homemadetools/protected/modules/zeus/views/tool/postUpdate.php -->
Thanks thehomeengineer! We've added your Retractable Casters to our Storage and Organization category,
as well as to your builder page: thehomeengineer's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

<div id="blocks"> <div class="block b1 pngfix"> <div class="bimg"> <div> <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-retractable-casters"> <img src="/uploads/247857/homemade-retractable-casters.jpeg"/> </a> </div> </div> <div class="head pngfix"></div> <div class="left pngfix"></div> <div class="right pngfix"></div> <div class="blockover b1 pngfix"> <div class="title"> <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-retractable-casters">Retractable Casters</a> <span> by <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/builder/thehomeengineer">thehomeengineer</a></span> </div> <div class="tags">tags: <a href='https://www.homemadetools.net/tag/adjustable'>adjustable</a>, <a href='https://www.homemadetools.net/tag/casters'>caster(s)</a> </div> </div> </div> </div>
<!-- END /var/www/html/homemadetools/protected/modules/zeus/views/tool/postUpdate.php -->

Trip hazards as are a legitimate safety concern and should not be ignored, especially by persons with very thin skin.

You make me laugh. I have been an engineer for 37 years and have never seen anyone with any common sense (or with no sense at all and there are a few) walk that close to a piece of machinery and trip up. However moving heavy pieces of kit can be very dangerous if the correct lifting or moving equipment is not installed or used. Thank goodness I don’t have really stupid people visit my workshop, if they did I guess this could be a real issue :lol: My safety footwear protect my feet (and ankles) safety glasses protect my eyes, overalls my clothes and the castors save my back. Also on a daily basis common sense in the workshop saves my life. For my thin skin there is always the first aid kit for a plaster. :hattip:

https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...7-076e7e7464e0
The future for up and coming young engineers. This could be his first day in a modern apprenticeshiphttps://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...3-dc1ca17561c7
https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...1-f29211665efd

I'll leave value of the safety issue up to subsequent readers.

As for the thehomeengineer's PPE, I recommend the addition of an American type football helmet.

thehomeengineer, that's a really simple and sturdy design. As far as Rayh__, he must be one of those beach bums wearing Flip Flops or he'd appreciate your casters more.

Keep up your projects and don't pay attention to all the negative/pessimistic others.

Actually after looking at it and to appease Rayh__, I would place them on the opposite side of the legs (Inboard) so they'd be flush with the sides.

Just a thought...

Hi Reynes1
Thank you for the idea of fitting the casters on the opposite side I will check this out and see how stable the machine is when moving around. I will post the complete machine once I get a chance which is a kindling cutting machine. But I have a tight time scale on my next project which is to build a Blackgates v-twin oscillating engine by March 26th for my son’s 21st birthday present. I started it with him when he was 11 and he never completed it so have decided to get it done for him.
The Home Engineer

thehomeengineer,

First post here, long-time lurker. Could you post pics of the lifting lever? It appears to have a curve that is used to rotate the caster downwards. Do these lock into place via friction alone?

A few final questions: 1) What is the mass of the object that you are lifting? 2) How much force is necessary to push the caster into the engaged mode? Need to rock object to lift? 3) Does it take much force to release the lever from the down position (or do you rock the object backwards to release)?

I have a welding table that I would like to be able to move around and these would appear to be a good solution...

Thanks for any response!

Keith

I appreciate seeing the different designs of retractable wheels for moving tables and equipment, as they're not only a convenience modification, but are also safety equipment, in my view. I don't know how anyone could call these ankle knockers without seeing what the top of the table or machine looks like... i.e., if the table top has a decent overhang, one would contact the table top with their body before ever knocking an ankle.

The ball mounts that slip into a receiver hitch, you know... those stout, shin-high, immovable metal appendages that protrude from the backside of so many pickups and SUVs... well, they're wonderful teachers for distracted, inattentive students. It only took one brief lesson in my late teens to make an indelible, lifelong impression on my young mind... I've ever since been very respectful of the back-end of vehicles, as I am of the back-ends of horses.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by thehomeengineer

Hi All
Been a while since I last posted. Busy on a couple of construction jobs over the year so little workshop time. But at last I have got one project finished and decided to fit some retractable castors. Nothing new I know. I was surprised at the cost to buy so decided to make some from scrap box section. The final result works a treat but buying against making is questionable. There was unite a bit of cutting and machining and the cost in items I bought was £6.50 Wheels E-bay £4.50 and cheap spray paint £2.00 so 10% of cost of buying complete set. The material I used is more substantial than the commercially available. But time to manufacture was longer than anticipated so £68 to buy is probably a cheap price but I guess I still have £61.50 in my pocket I can spend on something else, and I did enjoy making them.
Below is a few photos of the castors in place.
Attachment 38704Scrap box cut to very rough shape for foot lever

Attachment 38708Castor in closed mobile position

Attachment 38709Castor in the lifted position.

many thanks for looking
The Home Engineer

---

:DAre there any plans how to make these?

Maybe we are not all clumsy.:headshake:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by reynas1

Actually after looking at it and to appease Rayh__, I would place them on the opposite side of the legs (Inboard) so they'd be flush with the sides.

Just a thought...

---

re: thehomeengineer, I like them, you'll recall we've shared details often on good stuff. There are countless items needing casters, but require solid floor contact
in-between, I find so-called 'locking' casters disappointing.

When it comes to safety, as Mike Rowe says, Safety 3rd.
I'd guess just two of us have ~80 years experience without serious injury, proving validity of his statement.
https://www.google.com/search?client...+third+meaning

re: reynas1, inboard is a good idea, except that often raises center of gravity to point of instability.

RE: Toolmaker51

CENTER OF GRAVITY? By the pics, I saw a level hard floor and if that would cause instability then it wasn't to stable from the beginning.

Unless you're gonna be running it like an ambulance stretcher.

Just saying and appreciate your concern.

Besides it would only affect it lengthwise because they'd be the same width.

What I meant was do a 180 degree on the back of the legs, not the inside.

I will draw them up and ask Jon to make them available via HMT

Hi Keith
the wheels are rated at 50kg so depending on the load rating of the wheels you purchase will determine what weight can be moved. There is nothing stopping you making the mechanism larger to take a larger wheel and load capacity. The mechanism operates on a cam and once over centre locks in place. Commercially made retractable caster are available which lift 800lbs priced at £68.00. The ones I made lift very well with little effort to lift the kindling chopping machine and to release you simply place your foot under the lifting lever and lift lever to lower. These are made from 50 x 50 x 5mm box and 40 x 40 x 3mm box and the pivot bolts are M8 high tensile bolts with ny-lock nuts. The commercially made ones look like pressed 16 gauge steel. So larger capacity wheels say 125 kg rated and a larger lever you could easily lift 0.5 tonne with foot operation. hope this helps and has answered your questions
The Home Engineer

Thank you, sir!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by reynas1

RE: Toolmaker51

CENTER OF GRAVITY? By the pics, I saw a level hard floor and if that would cause instability then it wasn't to stable from the beginning.

Unless you're gonna be running it like an ambulance stretcher.

Just saying and appreciate your concern.

---

That's correct, but swivel casters move the axle farther than the mount center-line. So inner placement narrows the footprint in two ways, hence raising CG.

Hi All
Drawings, hopefully have been submitted to HMT and should be free to download. There are four drawings in total, three with the dimensions and a G.A. The design is for 50mm wheels, so drawings will have to be modified to accept heavy bigger duty wheels.
Hope these will be of interest.
The Home Engineer

Please find drawings below for retractable casters.

If there any issues with the drawings please let me know so I can amend. If anyone decides to make a set I would be keen on your views, improvements or modifications. please forward some photos.

Attachment 38816Attachment 38817Attachment 38818Attachment 38819

The Home Engineer

I agree, thanx for the note.