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Making a workbench, have purchased the rockler workbench caster set as everything in the garage has to be mobile. This set lifts the bench for rolling around and then can set it back on the legs. I seem to remember at some point a suggestion that for better leverage they should be mounted higher or lower than the instructions say. Can anybody that uses this set provide some insight on that or anything else that might be helpful? thanks
woodrot
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Maybe you saw the mounting suggestion in the reviews on the Rockler website. Some of the reviewers mounted the casters higher and some mounted them lower. Here are a couple of the reviews.
"These are exactly what I needed for the new 72"x36" workbench I built. I'm not sure how much it weighs, but the top is 2 1/4" thick hard maple, and the legs are 4"x4" and rails are 2"x4" oak. The casters are easy to use to lift it up, and they glide smoothly around the garage floor, even over the concrete seams. I think it is more difficult to lower the bench than to raise it. I usually wear tennis shoes, and lifting with the top of my foot hurts a little bit. If the bench is empty, then I just lift up slightly on each corner to take most of the weight of the caster and it is much easier. I can even lift the whole corner up and the caster will fall into the raised position so when I set it down it is on the wheel. Like many other reviewers, I raised my casters up so the bench is only about 1/4 inch off the ground instead of 3/4 inch."
"Not as easy as some have said, or as shown on their video. I followed the directions and was unable to get the leverage I needed. With all four casters in position I still had to lift each corner of my 250lb. in order to easily lock and unlock the wheels. Be careful, the screws are of poor quality and can easily strip out even after pre-drilling the holes. To obtain better leverage, I suggest raising the casters at least ¼ to ½ inches, depending upon your clearance needs. I am seriously considering bolting a steel bar/pipe to the lift mechanism, so I can push down in the center of the bar and lower both end wheels at the same time."
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Lynden, thank you for finding those comments, that is indeed the information I was looking for. I thought I had read them here but must have checked the Rockler site at some point. Thanks again
woodrot.
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I've had them for a few years now, and mounted them pretty much according to directions. They clear the floor when up by maybe 1/2 inch, though I have never really measured that. They do work very well, and I have not had a problem with leverage, going up or down. I'm about 150 lbs, and the bench probably goes 200 lbs with stuff on it, and yet it knows I'm the boss around here (in my garage, anyway).
