Are casters a good or bad idea?

[ITrek]

I'd like to put casters on my cab, maybe swivels on the front and non-swiveling on the back.  The problem is that I can't find any non-swiveling casters that have a lock on them.  The swiveling kind all seem to have that lock but it just keeps the caster wheel from rolling and doesn't prevent it from swiveling.  I was afraid if I use casters, especially those with swivels, the cab might move around during play.

For those that have casters on their cab, is movement a problem?

[elfman12]

If you cab will be on carpet, I wouldn't worry about it moving. I left my casters about and inch or so of clearance, and that puppy just sinks right down into the carpet and stays put. If you cab has any real weight to it, it should do the same.

I have locking casters on the front, but don't really even have a way to get to them! I COULD cut holes in the "floor" of the interior to get to them, but so far that hasn't been needed.

[Xphile]

I gotta tell ya, I bought casters for a cab I was planning to build (two swivel, 2 non..) and a week later went to an auction, picked up a space harrier cab for $25 that had leg levelers on it..(the high-quality swivel ones, more round on the sides (sorta shaped like cup-shaped carpet protectors you'd buy for a sofa), not the flat bottom cheap ones like on a fridge..and i thought...hmm..if i'm only moving it a short distance, these slide pretty good..and they did! so in the end I took the two non-swivel castors (2" wheels) and mounted them on the back base of the cab, about 3/4" up from the bottom edge of the plywood (with carriage bolts).. now if i tip the cab back past 33 degrees, the wheels touch the floor and I can roll it around with ease, set it where I want it and slide it the few feet i have to to get it in place..

don't have to worry at all about it sliding during gameplay (although most people will tell you that once the castors settle into the carpet it's not goin anywhere anyways..:-)

I think its a personal choice...either way works, just thought I'd throw out another idea...

[SirPoonga]

Exactly what I did!!!  (copy and paste the links)
http://free.hostdepartment.com/SirPoonga/images/y_con6.jpg
http://free.hostdepartment.com/SirPoonga/images/y_cab7.jpg

I have no issues with it moving.

[rampy]

Here's a thought... is the cabinet in an area with stairs (or will be moved to an area with stairs?  Then you'll probably end up using an appliance style dolly anyways to manuever it (or just brute forcing it with 2 guys)

FWIW my Taito cabinet has to straight casters on the back mounted in such a way that they only really come into play if you tip the machine back and then roll it around...

What the others say about it sinking into carpet (asuming carpet area is final resting place of cabinet...) is true...

just a few thoughts $0.02  , etc...

good luck with the cabinet!

rampy

[eightbit]

My Mortal Combat cab has wheels same as rampys. I like this method, when you tip the cab it rolls when it sits on the floor its solid. My smaller rally-x and gorf cabs just have leg levelers, no wheels. The mortal combat one is much bigger but easier to move.

[1UP]

I also use my cab on carpeting.  There are two non-swivel casters in the back, two swivels with locks on the front.  Mounted so the wheels extend 1" from the cab bottom.  If the cab is on a hard floor, 1" is just enough to jam your hand underneath and work the brake.  If your cab is heavy, it shouldn't move that much.  If it moves, try resting the front wheels in some of those rubber caster cups made for rolling furniture--like wheel blocks for aircraft.

If your cab is on carpeting, it definitely won't move on carpeting once the wheels sink in, and the brakes are unnecessary.  My cab sinks into the carpet so much, you can't even see that it's raised on wheels at all--the bottom edge of the cab is just a hair above the carpet!