I’d like to consider installing leveling casters on the 2 SP-20s and SP-15 I recently purchased.
The casters I’m considering are here
I’d like to know if anyone has tried these, or other solutions for making your presses semi-mobile.
thanks!
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And bear in mind that all the movement of the cylinder comes from your muscles. If there is the slightest false motion from casters rolling or swivelling, it is extra effort you must put into correcting the motion.
The first time I tried a treadle platen the owner had put it on casters. The extra energy needed was unbelieveable.
Our Vandercook literaure lists the basic weight of a SP-20 at 1140 pounds, not 1600. Anything special about this press to add that much extra weight? I too question the value of adding casters–presses need a solid footing.
Thanks Ray.
We used hydraulic dollies to lift and move the presses. They worked great. One SP20 has been on a skid since it was purchased in the 60s. It must have been custom built since the gripper pedal is operational.
Thanks Kyle.
The mini pallet jack sounds like a great idea. The ones I see on Grizzly.com have a limit of 1000lb. The SP20 are over 1600lb. Though it would just be used for repositioning the presses when needed. We have a forklift but this is too large for minor adjustments of a few feet.
I agree with Kyle on the sliding around. The less area you have pressing on the floor the more likely it is to move.
A second problem is attaching them to the press. Those 3″ casters look like they would lift the press more than 4.5″ which seems like a lot. If you are handcranking you’ll make that be a lot more work for yourself if it is too high.
Additionally, I don’t know how you would really attach them. You would seriously need them bolted on and lifting up a Vandercook to drill out holes very accurately would be REALLY difficult. Not sure about these two presses specifically, but what the corner bottoms actually look like may not accommodate the casters very well.
I would find a good spot to put the vandercooks and tend to leave them there. Making them mobile seems counter productive.
I’d recommend against this.
The thrust forwards and backwards from the cylinder when printing is already enough to move a press along a smooth floor. Adding wheels will only give them more reason to creep around your room.
Additionally, casters would add enough height to your press to make them much more awkward to feed, and really difficult to step on the gripper pedal.
Both of those move really easily with a palette jack, and if you’re concerned about bending the lower frame , you could add a layer of plywood with extra support beams or something. Those mini palette jacks are almost enough to fit in a closet, and should definitely be enough to get you around the room when you need.
Good luck.