Castor wheels for the mill

Discussion on all milling machines vertical & horizontal, including but not limited to Bridgeports, Hardinge, South Bend, Clausing, Van Norman, including imports.

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liveaboard
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Re: Castor wheels for the mill

Post by liveaboard »

I love the hovercraft idea, but the small area, high weight, and my low power compressor make it too unlikely to work.

I pondering lock pins but no elegant solution has come to mind yet.
If I have to crawl around on the floor behind the machine to lock and unlock the castors it will take the fun out.
Inspector
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Re: Castor wheels for the mill

Post by Inspector »

Leave the castors unlocked and instead use 4 heavy threaded rods with feet just inside/outside the castor spin circle that you wind down to level and take the load from the wheels. Wheels can't take a set and get a flat spot in them. That annoying roll thump, roll thump, roll thump. ;)

Pete
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rmac
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Re: Castor wheels for the mill

Post by rmac »

liveaboard wrote: Tue Sep 28, 2021 2:38 am Regarding the strength of the floor, it's a shipping container and was made for pallet jacks and so on. If it breaks, I'll fix it afterwards.
I guess you have a way to pick the mill back up if a wheel gets stuck in the hole it just punched in the floor???

-- Russell Mac
Russ Hanscom
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Re: Castor wheels for the mill

Post by Russ Hanscom »

Shipping container floors are solid; think fork lifts, pallet jacks, and very heavy items. Not going to punch through.

Air pallets are a good tool, I have used them to move 50,000# items. Watch out for floor drains!!
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liveaboard
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Re: Castor wheels for the mill

Post by liveaboard »

The wheels will be retractable.
The point of locking 2 castors is to aid in steering when moving the machine.
shootnride
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Re: Castor wheels for the mill

Post by shootnride »

I built a mobile base for my vertical bandsaw with pretty much the same concerns as yours with your mill. I ultimately decided to use only two swivel casters and two fixed with jacking screws to lift the machine off of the floor for stability. I also built it to keep the machine as close to the floor as possible. My saw only weighs a little over 1000 pounds, but I went overkill on the casters mostly for ease with rolling. If I remember correctly, each caster is rated for about 1000 pounds. So far it seems to work well. Photo attached may give you some ideas.
Ted
download/file.php?mode=view&id=86187&si ... 7f531724a8

Well, for some reason I'm having problems with inserting a photo this morning. Can't seem to get the photo rotated.
Attachments
IMG_20201030_140159864_HDR.jpg
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liveaboard
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Re: Castor wheels for the mill

Post by liveaboard »

I didn't find castors I liked for a price I liked, so I made some.

Could be overkill...
I found some thick plastic pipe for tires, and some steel rod for wheels, but the plastic was too big so I made the rod bigger.

tapered bearings for the swivel thrust.
The swivel bearings slip in, and the aluminum spacers with the slits are cut oversize so they act as retainers in the bore.


I haven't figured out the lift mechanism yet, my first idea won't work.
castor wheel 1.jpg
castor wheel 2.jpg
castor tires.jpg
castor parts 1.jpg
castor parts 2.jpg
Inspector
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Re: Castor wheels for the mill

Post by Inspector »

I'm impressed with the efforts you go to to get what you want.
I do have another mobile base suggestion since the hovercraft are staying in the Channel. SawStop make a tablesaw mobile base that is light years beyond anything others are doing. I think a version, beefier where needed and adjusted to size would be perfect. It uses a hydraulic jack to lift the machine cradle about an inch or so in the wheeled frame to move. When in position release the jack and the machine settles nicely to the floor. I'll link a seller's site with a few pictures you can look at and another with the manual for the base that has illustrations that you should be able to work with.

https://www.grizzly.com/products/sawsto ... ase/t30474

https://manualzz.com/doc/8362450/sawsto ... ructions-®

Pete
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liveaboard
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Re: Castor wheels for the mill

Post by liveaboard »

That's the sort of idea I've been working on; levers and links so all the castors lower together.
The geometry is a bit tricky though.
And with 5x the weight of your average tablesaw, torsion bars are difficult. I might still go there but I'm worried about torque twist creating a 1.3 ton bounce.
I hadn't thought of a hydraulic jack though, and I think I have a neat little one leftover from other work.

Anyway, I now finally have the castors made so the next part can begin; but unfortunately the rear main seal for my car came from Holland much faster than expected, so I have to stop fooling around and reassemble the vehicle.
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Bill Shields
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Re: Castor wheels for the mill

Post by Bill Shields »

Ever think about lifting the way they do with a modern racing car...except with hydraulics instead of air?

3 hyd cylinders connected to a hand pump (or three) with a good sized reservoir could get you far enough up...
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
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liveaboard
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Re: Castor wheels for the mill

Post by liveaboard »

That would only work if the pressure (weight) on each cylinder is equal, otherwise you need separate hydraulic circuits.
All far too expensive in any case.
but thanks for the thought.
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Bill Shields
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Re: Castor wheels for the mill

Post by Bill Shields »

Is why three pumps...just a thought..
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
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