Using Castors to help improve workshop space - video

[Stone Message]

Hi Everyone

I am building a completely new mobile bench which I will report in due course - in fact it will be in two videos as one will be about the overall design and the second will concentrate on the top which will make full use of the Parf Dogs.

Anyway, I was asked by someone to do a piece on workshop mobility and made this short video to give people a flavour of what I have done.

I focus on the industrial castors for the new bench as I needed to be able to go up to at least 400 kgs overall (made up of the kit kept in the drawers, the kit in the systainer area and the stuff that might get piled on top during a big planning session). I now buy my castors from a specialist supplier (Coldene) as I have had so many disappointments with the (relatively) cheap one bought from DIY stores.

To give an idea of scale the bench top is a bit bigger in both directions than my MFT3.



I hope you like the music !

Peter

 

[ajones]

Peter

Its no good,just admit you need a walking frame to get about the workshop [poke] [big grin]

 

[Davej]

Peter

Its no good,just admit you need a walking frame to get about the workshop [poke] [big grin]

+1 ,  Mr P seems to have a lot of zimmer frames disguised as tools  [tongue]

 

[Stone Message]

Well guys you are not far wrong. Four weeks ago I could not walk due to a chronic back injury and I spent some time on morphine. I know that it will not improve as the years go on and so anything that I can do in the workshop now will serve me well in the future.

Peter

 

[jonny round boy]

Peter,

Nice video! I too have realised it's well worth spending money on decent castors. The cheap ones always cause problems!

Just a point about one of the comments on the youtube site - you mention the combined weight rating of the castors. I was told by the technical dept of a castor manufacturer (can't remember which, it was a long time ago!) that the total rating for a set of four castors is only three times the individual rating, not four.

So, for example, if you have four castors rated at 150kg, then the combined maximum weight rating would be 450kg, not 600kg. This is because in theory, especially when moving, the weight is only ever being fully supported by 3 of the wheels at any one time.

What difference this makes in practice is of course up for debate - for my application I stuck with the ones I'd originally chosen. On a relatively flat floor I can't see it being a problem, though I did once have a wheel collapse on a fully loaded cart when I tried wheeling it across a fairly uneven Yorkshire stone flagged courtyard!

Jonathan

 

[Stone Message]

Hi Jonathan

That is an interesting point about the capacity of a set of four castors - it makes sense and will give a sensible margin for error. I have a patch of workshop floor, right where I normally talk to camera, where the floor is uneven. Everywhere else is perfect.

These new castors are quite amazing...I have been in the workshop all day doing more work on the bench and using the bench with an odd piece of MDF on top as a temporary work surface. When I needed to set up a shot I no longer had to move the camera, the wireless mic receiver, power supplies etc and just spin the new bench around. It runs so freely that I nearly demolished the tripod (with video camera)! I am still agonising over the design of 20mm holes for the top as I want to create something which will help my jig work. There will be some 96mm centre spacing but I suspect I may use other dimensions. I am going to ensure that there are no holes on the route that the saw makes when on the guide rail against the Parf Dogs.

Peter

 

[Stephen B]

Anyone for dancing.!  [big grin]

Has given me some further ideas as I think of my workshop and it's current state! [sad]

Trust your back gets better. I have some back problems from time to time, so I can certainly sympathise with you Peter. Fortunately a family member is a Physiotherapist.  [smile]

 

[Stone Message]

Anyone for dancing.!  [big grin]

Has given me some further ideas as I think of my workshop and it's current state! [sad]

Trust your back gets better. I have some back problems from time to time, so I can certainly sympathise with you Peter. Fortunately a family member is a Physiotherapist.  [smile]

Thanks Stephen. My back is fine as long as I don't do stupid things (like moving sheets of MDF !).

Cheers.

Peter

 

[JeromeM]

I'm with you on the caster front. My workbench has them and here are a couple of projects I got done this summer
The band saw has space for 36 bins under it and a draw for blades

[attachthumb=1]

The tool box has space for 4 double width SYS 1 format boxes with the bottom ones on 350mm full extension slides so they can open on the trolley.
[attachthumb=2]