Caster on 2 inch square tube with end cap?

[mitchard]

So the new single tier stand is here, and i've been researching my options for casters.

Long story short, my wife was working for a fabrication shop. I sent them some random plans I found online for a stand, just wanting a quote. They went ahead an just ordered what they needed, and built the thing at cost of materials ($150... i'm not complaining) before I even knew what was going on. Since I didn't have much time to really give them specifics, I forgot to tell them to leave the bottom of the leg tubes open for casters. They ended up welding it shut with an end cap.

I haven't been able to come up with a decent solution for mounting casters now. Should I just take an angle grinder with a cutting wheel and hack off the ends, then use the expandable post casters? I'm down for any suggestions. Keep in mind, I don't have the tools/resources to weld, so I'm stuck at working with this or just cutting the caps off

 

[flars]

Thread the hole in the cap to bolt on a plate with holes drilled to accept the caster wheels.

 

[Dfitz]

I'd just go with a set of casters like these. http://shop.servicecaster.com/4-Caster-with-Polyurethane-Wheel-p/scc-ts20s414-ppub-381615-m.htm?gclid=Cj0KEQiA-_HDBRD2lomhoufc1JkBEiQA0TVMmmmSbiUFPWWcGCpj2OCt6Hym-Maz9VFeAUqmtXgdbJAaAt7Q8P8HAQ
Drill an adequate hole, Weld a 3/8 nut to the bottom plate and tighten it up with a backing nut. It would have been cleaner to weld the nut to the back side of the plate but who's looking.

 

[day_trippr]

I used 4" locking casters with the expanding rubber mounts, made the whole thing dead simple - and survivable.
I wonder if a single bolt threaded into the cap would survive. Not a lot of meat for the threads there. I'd likely grind off the caps.
Welding on a nut is a good alternative...

Cheers!

 

[FireManDan]

As mentioned by day_tripper, I would also question the integrity of a single stud with the potential weight of the brewing equipment and liquids, not to mention the stand itself. I am currently building a stand that I've named the BrewtusKiller2.0. Stainless is not light. I used 2" stainless for the majority if the framework. I bought 4" casters from Grizzly found here , I used two locking and two swivel non-locking. I used some 1/8" stainless plate and cut out mounting plates with a straight edge, a steady hand and an angle grinder. Figure if you can manage that maybe the shop can weld them on for you. I also added a piece of 18 mil vinyl as a gasket between the stainless and the steel caster plate just to prevent any sort of reaction to the different metals. Just my 2 cents. Good luck with your build, please share other pictures of your set up!!

 

[mitchard]

While welding on a plate would be the easiest fix... its not going to be easy for me to do. As noted in my original post, I don't have the resources to weld it myself.

Cutting off the caps and using the expandable rubber mounts is still the front runner.

 

[mitchard]

I used 4" locking casters with the expanding rubber mounts, made the whole thing dead simple - and survivable.
I wonder if a single bolt threaded into the cap would survive. Not a lot of meat for the threads there. I'd likely grind off the caps.
Welding on a nut is a good alternative...

Cheers!

Mind linking to what you used? Apparently castercity doesn't have anything that will fit the 1.76" ID opening on this tube. It's 2" with .120" walls

 

[day_trippr]

I built my stand using 1.5" 14ga tubing (.083 nom wall thickness) with an ID of 1-5/16", and went with the Model 3A 4" gray poly "total locking" plated casters with the ER25 expanding stems.

For your tubing I'd think the ER21 would work well.
The chart shows it'll work with 1-13/16" ID, or 1.8125.
Put a little lube on it and it'll probably slide right in
A bit more seriously, I believe their dimension is the maximum recommended ID, so I'm betting the ER21 was actually designed for 2" tubing.

http://www.castercity.com/cm3a-stem.htm

You can put that insert on pretty much any stemmed caster that you fancy...

Cheers!

[edit] ps: I actually called Caster City to work out exactly which insert I needed as the numbers they had were inexact matches to what I was working with. The person I spoke with was very helpful and easy to work with.

 

[mitchard]

I did shoot them an email a few days ago, and was told that the ER21 can handle 1.79" to 1.85", so they said it wouldn't work. I'm debating on whether I should order them anyways and see if it works. Being below the low end, i don't know if it's worth it.

 

[day_trippr]

So they're saying the insert is too large - by 30 thousandths of an inch?
I'd take a shot. Worst case you send them back...

Cheers!

 

[mitchard]

If anything, the rubber would probably have a bit of give. Keg lube might do the trick haha

 

[bpaulik]

On the system that I am currently building I used these https://www.mcmaster.com/#square-tube-inserts/=15d662j (Part #: 60945K31) and I am very happy with how they fit the tube (nice and tight, had to hammer them in with a rubber mallet). I used 2 x 2 x .120 tube and these inserts are good for 1000 lbs. each and I used 4" casters that are good for 300 lbs. each that I purchased on ebay with 1/2 inch bolt http://www.ebay.com/itm/Service-Caster-SCC-TSTTL20S414-PPUB-121315-BLUE-4-Total-Lock-Caster-Blue-/302229187372?hash=item465e436b2c:g:2AgAAOSwLnBX5CvF

 

[mitchard]

I ended up doing ER21 casters from CasterCity. Had to do a bit of grinding... and some rubber malleting... but it did the trick. I don't think they'll be coming out haha.

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.