Wheels or no wheels? Suggestion.

[nickynooch]

Basically I am finally starting the build of the cabinet and can't decide whether or not to put wheels on it.  I have all wood flooring in my house so I definately don't want the game "sliding" while I play.

Anyone with experience have a suggestion on yes or no to wheels?

[Hoopz]

I have my cabinet on wood floors and have casters on it.  It's heavy enough that it won't move during normal (or abnormal) game play.  But it's easy enough to move when needed.  I actually had to move it about a month ago and it was fairly easy.

I'd definitely recommend it.  You can design it so that the outsides of the cabinet are 1/4 or 1/2 inch off the floor.  You won't be able to see the casters but have the functionality when needed. 

[sstorkel]

I'd definitely recommend it.  You can design it so that the outsides of the cabinet are 1/4 or 1/2 inch off the floor.  You won't be able to see the casters but have the functionality when needed. 

If you do this, you can also slide blocks of plywood under the corners, so that the casters are completely off the ground. When you need to move the cabinet, you just life the edge and knock the blocks of wood out of the way.

[shmokes]

You can get casters with brakes, too, though they still have potential for some play since they could still spin.  They don't, really, though since they have so much weight sitting on them.  Also, 1/4" off the floor isn't enough, IMO, if you think you'll ever have it on carpet.

[ChadTower]

I have my aquarium stand on locking casters and they do really well.  LOTS of weight on those suckers.  I agree that 1/4" is too little clearance.

[shmokes]

As an example, my cab is on casters with a full 1" clearance.  Here you can see it on a pretty low-pile carpet.  And it doesn't even have all of the panels installed on it or the monitor, and there's no computer, speakers, or glass installed.  No coin door yet either.  So this thing is going to get even heavier.  If you look at the back there's a bit more clearance between the carpet and the panel -- maybe up to 1/2".  Its pretty front-heavy right now because my control panel is very heavy.  Far heavier than a typical control panel.  But as you can see, an inch of clearance disappears pretty quickly on carpet.  Importantly, though, as is hopefully apparent from the picture on concrete, an inch of clearance looks just fine on a hard floor too.  So I'd say, even if the thing will never, ever be on anything but hard floors, go at least 1/2" on your casters.  Maybe more.

[shmokes]

BTW, if you use casters with brakes on them, you'll want some kind of way to access the brakes to engage/release them.  We discussed this recently in another thread which I am too lazy/sick/drunk (hot totties) to track down at the moment.  For example, the base of my cabinet hides a set of racing pedals which slide out when needed.  So I can access my casters through the door on the front of my cab through which the pedals emerge.  Other people cut an access panel into the top of the base, kind of like a sewer cover, so they can reach in to mess with the casters.  Anyway, if you put the wheels there, and only leave yourself an inch or less of clearance, and you don't build in any way to access them, you'll have a helluva time releasing the brake when it comes time to move the cabinet, unless you have REALLLLLY long fingers.

[ideft]

I went with caster that pull out of a metal sleeve.  That way I can take them out went I have it set in place.  I only problem is getting them back in can be a pain(2 person job).  But if you don't plan on moving it that much then it is a "in the middle" option.

[Benevolance]

I vote for adding wheels.

[fjl]

BTW, if you use casters with brakes on them, you'll want some kind of way to access the brakes to engage/release them.  We discussed this recently in another thread which I am too lazy/sick/drunk (hot totties) to track down at the moment.  For example, the base of my cabinet hides a set of racing pedals which slide out when needed.  So I can access my casters through the door on the front of my cab through which the pedals emerge.  Other people cut an access panel into the top of the base, kind of like a sewer cover, so they can reach in to mess with the casters.  Anyway, if you put the wheels there, and only leave yourself an inch or less of clearance, and you don't build in any way to access them, you'll have a helluva time releasing the brake when it comes time to move the cabinet, unless you have REALLLLLY long fingers.

Yeah I posted this a while ago. Soemthing similar to this is going to be on the bottom/base of my cabinet, leaving me access to the caster's brakes.




You can also ad some of these back tilt wheels which I think are rather nifty. BTW This is a picture of someone else's cab.

[shmokes]

BTW This is a picture of someone else's cab.

I recognize that cab.  That's 1up's PacMAMEA. 

[nickynooch]

I really like that idea on the base (the one with the cutout square in the middle) what size wheels do you guys recommend?

[ghettodish]

I have hardwood floors, too. I went the no-caster route. My cabinet sits on top of a thick towel that makes it easy to slide around when needed.

[nickynooch]

I have hardwood floors, too. I went the no-caster route. My cabinet sits on top of a thick towel that makes it easy to slide around when needed.

That's an idea I didn't think of.  I'm still really scares that the wheels are gonna move during gameplay even with the brakes on, since my wood floors are very smooth and slick.

I may just try the towel idea.

[captainpotato]

My Sprint 2 cabinet has wheels on the back, but not the front. The move it, I grab the handles and tilt it back (towards me - which means the first part is always a challenge). This works well, but needless to say, it doesn't like sharp corners. However, it does mean that it won't go anywhere when stationary, but can be moved fairly easily.

I'm going to try this on my mini-cab soon.

[shredso]

I went the no caster route.  I bought some of those cheap  furniture coaster things from Home Depot and they work great.  I tried to look for a link but I don't know exactly what they are called.

[Numbski]

Agreed.  Get appliance-sized "Magic Sliders", glue them on if you choose, or not.  Either way, on carpet it's the best route to go.

[nickynooch]

Agreed.  Get appliance-sized "Magic Sliders", glue them on if you choose, or not.  Either way, on carpet it's the best route to go.

Those look awesome.  I hope it doesn't slide while I am playing though.  Especially since I'm on wood floors.

[nickynooch]

Well now I'm deciding to use casters.  Do the 3 inch casters hold up the cabinet well, or do I need to get 4 inch casters?

[opt2not]

I've got laminate floors, and I too put casters and felt pads on the bottom of my cabinet.  I HIGHLY recommend getting pivoting wheels, it makes it so much easier to maneuver around if you need to, and I can turn on the wheel brakes to keep it solid on the ground.

3" pivoting casters:  Good clearance from the floor, but it depends on your own cabinet dimensions.


Felt Pads are awesome for keeping your hardwood/laminate floors from getting scuffed up. They also make moving the cabinet a lot more quieter.

[nickynooch]

Awesome.  Is 4 pivoting casters difficult to steer?  Shouldn't 2 be pivoting and 2 be fixed? Similar to a shopping cart.

[Sardu]

I got 2 piveting 2" wheels for the front and 2 non pivet for the back.  They're rated at 175lbs each.

I didn't get "breaks" because The Cab is so heavy, it doesn't move unless I want it to.

Plus, it would be a pain to activate the break since the wheels are under the cab.

[MrMojoZ]

After adding casters to my cabinet I felt like an idiot for not doing it years ago. So easy to move now. 

[nickynooch]

Yup i built the bottom part of my cab this weekend, and casters were perfect.  After all the weight it won't move during gameplay at all, just when I actually need to move the cabinet, which is perfect!

Thanks for the advice!  I'll try to remember to post pics when I get a chance so it helps others.

[matman]

My ms. pac-man upright has 2 wheels and 2 leg levelers..i'm thinking of doing the same on my cocktail cabinet..just lift it slightly from one side and wheel it around to move it.

[SavannahLion]

My Sprint 2 cabinet has wheels on the back, but not the front. The move it, I grab the handles and tilt it back (towards me - which means the first part is always a challenge). This works well, but needless to say, it doesn't like sharp corners. However, it does mean that it won't go anywhere when stationary, but can be moved fairly easily.

I think it's interesting that people are installing tilt casters but installing front casters as well. Seems a strange design choice to me.

I went the no caster route.  I bought some of those cheap  furniture coaster things from Home Depot and they work great.  I tried to look for a link but I don't know exactly what they are called.

They're generally called furniture sliders or some variation, eg "Magic Sliders."  I don't really like them all too much since any dirt trapped underneath is likely to gouge your hardwood or laminate flooring in interesting ways. They also work jack on concrete flooring which is where I would need something like that the most. We use felt, but they need to be replaced about once a year.

[Beretta]

those tilt casters on the back might be just what im looking for..

how difficult is it to install on a already assembled cab?.. i'd assume you just need to cut a slot for the wheel to fit up into the cabinet partial?

if going with the tilt wheels on the back is it advisable to also use swivels in the front? or is it best to go with regular leg levers?

seems like with those you'd have ot tilt the cab get any function out of them in the first place right?

i've already got some swivels laying around so another option would be ot just use 4 swivels and call it good.. how does this work out for when tilting the cab back for loading and such?

i was thinking of swivles for making it easy to move into position but dont wanna have problems when loading it onto a truck or something.

also it looks like the casters with a mounting plate are the preferred.. has anyone used the single hole mount casters? cause thats what i already have on hand.

[bungy]

I have the tilt casters on my cabinet with leg levelers on the front.  Yes, the cab must be tilted to get any function out of them.  My cabinet is *heavy* when it's fully loaded and this setup would be useless if there weren't "wings" on the front (for the CP) to lift by.  I can position the cabinet by myself, but moving it any significant distance requires two people.  I'd say the heavier the cab, give more consideration to using 4 casters.

[Beretta]

wow no kidding if thats your base i can only imagine how the rest of the cab is built.. that things built like a tank.

the cab im working on atm is a joust so some searching on the internet put it some where between 250-300 lb's dont remember exactly now.

i dont know if it was added afterwords or came from teh factory but it actually has a hande on teh top of the back, which helps when moving it on a dolly.

i think the tilt casters would work good here, im worried about how to install them on a already built cab though i dont wanna hack the cab up, but if i do a neat job i think tilt casters would be an improvement.

one of the things im worried about using swivel casters is loading it.. and putting stress un evenly or something..

the tilt castes look like they would cradle the weight much better.

but i dont suppose they're any good at small movements to get it inot position..

perhaps tilt casters + 2 swivels on the front might be the best way to go?

only problem is being that the base is already built so it might be hard to get swivels just the right size to make the cab level front and back.

[BamBam]

I have nothing and regret it.  I should have taken Saint's advise in his book on the subject and added wheels.  These babies are heavy when they are done 

[Beretta]

ok guys working on the base of my cab now.. while im messing with it i think it's time to add those casters.

my cab is a joust.. i est at 250lb's but i could be wrong, anyone know the weight of a joust cab?

the bottom of the cab is 1.5inch deeper then the side panels..


so here's the questions

what size casters? and what rating?

harborfreight has some 2inch casters on sell.. with a load height (base+wheel) of 2 3/4 inch.
so minus the 1.5inch from the side panels i figure that would give me 1.25inch clearance.. which sounds like enough to me.

they are only rated for 75lb each though.. so 75x4 would be 300 lbs.. would this be enough? or should i get stronger?
they're on sell for .99 and 1.99 (rigid / swivel)
so they're attractive price wise.

or i can get some from lowes which are rated for 125lb each.. unknown total height but also 2inch wheels.
2.98 and 3.98.. so total of 14, vs 6 bucks.. with a combined rating of 500lbs.. this should surely be enough..

the question is do i need the heavy duty ones from lowes or will the ones from HF be enough like i said this cab has a limited budget, but i'll spend it's necessary.


i can delay buying for about another day or two before i'll be moving on from the base and since it has no legs currently i need something or the side panels will just get chewed up.

[ami-man]

Hi Baretta,

I would go for two fixed casters on the back of the cabinet and front adjustable legs.
I would go for the dearer stronger caster.
It might even be an idear to put blocks on the base so that the sides are just clear of the floor.

Regards
Alan Hood
ami-man
UK

[gazz292]

i've just bought a golden tee cabinet, and it has casters AND levelers,

2 tilt wheels at the back, 2 swiveling casters at the front, and at the very front a pair of levelers, idea being you wheel it into position, then wind the levelers down... got nuts just above the plastic bits that contact the floor for a spanner, i imagine the cab tilts forwards slightly so you raise it up a little with the front levelers thus taking the front wheels off the ground.

But even with out the levelers down on a laminate wood floor, it wont move about unless you deliberately want it to, i imagine the bearings in the wheels are squished a fair bit from the weight of the cab,

[gryhnd]

My cocktail cab has casters on it. It sits on a rug so it doesn't move during game play but rolls nice when it has to.

My upright is on normal cab legs, but when I want to move it I slip these dollies under them. I found them on eBay a couple years ago. The dollies work well on hard floors, but I have not tried rugs. I suspect they'll be difficult because the wheels are rather narrow.

[RobbyMac]

I got caster from lowes. I put 2 swivels and 2 straights. 125 lb rating each.
I have about 1 1/2" clearance, which is barely enough to reach the locks with my skinny fingers.
I put them as far to the outside as I could, keeping clearance for the spinning caster to spin 360 deg.
Screw the casters to a 2x4, then use it as a guide to determine how much room you need to stick your hand under and flip the lock. Or like others mention, create an access panel/opening to the casters from inside the cab.

The one phot I saw with the angle cuts at the rear sides of the cabinet would work like a charm. Thatd give you enough room to get at them. Unfortunately, I wanted more support directly under the rear of the monitor (ultra arcade II) rather than the 'decorative' rear angled side panels, so rear casters are more forward than a traditional cab.

[aelb771]

Is there a problem with using 4 swivel casters?  Or will the cab move around when in use?

nevermind... I found this thread that was pretty useful: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=79701.0

[ale8oneboy]

I really like the access plate idea.

BTW, if you use casters with brakes on them, you'll want some kind of way to access the brakes to engage/release them.  We discussed this recently in another thread which I am too lazy/sick/drunk (hot totties) to track down at the moment.  For example, the base of my cabinet hides a set of racing pedals which slide out when needed.  So I can access my casters through the door on the front of my cab through which the pedals emerge.  Other people cut an access panel into the top of the base, kind of like a sewer cover, so they can reach in to mess with the casters.  Anyway, if you put the wheels there, and only leave yourself an inch or less of clearance, and you don't build in any way to access them, you'll have a helluva time releasing the brake when it comes time to move the cabinet, unless you have REALLLLLY long fingers.

Yeah I posted this a while ago. Soemthing similar to this is going to be on the bottom/base of my cabinet, leaving me access to the caster's brakes.




You can also ad some of these back tilt wheels which I think are rather nifty. BTW This is a picture of someone else's cab.