This is how I move my MechMate around the shop.


Attachment 954

very nice idea Greg, I was thinking how to get things moving! and there u give us alll ideas !

Regards
Irfan

Thanks Irfan,

I'm not as strong as J.R., :) so had to figure something out.

Outside my shop is dirt and gravel. Haven't tried it there yet, but that's why I went with pneumatic tires.

An idea from trailers:
http://www.china-manufacturer-direct...mount-jack.jpg

Gerald,
Love that idea. Time to buy 4 of those too.

Northern Tool - 16 dollars each. That's cheaper than a real caster.

Sean,

Paid 12 USD/ea (Northern Tool) for my casters. No jack with mine, so probably a better deal with Gerald idea.

Not a big fan of those type "jack stands". Failure point is at the wheels when used on rough ground. Check out any horse/livestock trailer.

P.S. - Looking forward to your pictures of first project. :)

Greg, your casters seem to be made for much more load capacity. What Gerald has posted are mostly for support to the trailer when not hinged.

G' and all..... will these take care of the load of the completed mechmate?
I might just add them to my shopping list!

RGDS
Irfan

Greg,
Funny how the environment we reside in ultimately dictates the machine we are building.
I see your point perfectly about using pneumatic tires for you machine base knowing your location and access to terra firma. I, on the other hand...have a nice concrete floor/driveway/parking lot between all my buildings. Also, I really don't plan on moving it more than once!
Redoing all the square, level and resurface after each move would get old pretty quick :)

Sean

If the wheel is off-center to the load it is carrying (like a castor or that jack leg) it can put quite a twist on the part it is attached to. Would be easier to attach to rectangular tube compared to round tubing.

Another issue with those bolt-on tongue jacks is the sloppy pivot point where it folds up. I have a tablesaw with cheesy casters that has to be dragged rather than rolled since the legs twist from the off-center forces. If the top pivot is sloppy it will give a similar effect regardless of how stiff the frame it is bolted to.

How much weight does each castor need to be rated for? Is it table weight divided by 4 for 4 casters or by 2 to get a margin of safety? The heavy duty castors (300-500kg) are pricey, but the 100kg ones quite reasonable.

It is usually load divided by 2 (if 4 wheels) there may be occasions when moving the machine that the floor is uneven and the machine ends up being supported by only 2 of the wheels - if you feel your floors are smooth enough you can take a chance...

That was quick.
Thanks Alan.
250kg wheels it is (mine's a somewhat overbuilt base - each beam weighs over 100kg)