Need some help

[Kyle Stapleton]

We made these cabinets for our high school and they were made to be installed (leveled to the floor bolted together and screwed to the wall).
Well, now they want them movable and want us to just put casters on them, I told them it is not that easy.

Please Help

Cabinets are made from .7" pre-finish plywood
24 x 48 x 72 with standard toe kick
Top, bottom and middle are datoed and back rabbited (also .7" plywood) glued and screwed.
There is no face-frame.

Thanks,

[Tim Lucas]

I would put 2 casters in back corners adding another 3/4" x 8" square plywood for support - cut out the back corners if needed
for the front cut out part of toe kick for swivel and do the same thing - I used locking swivels that locked the wheel roll and spin
Hope this helps
24991

[bleeth]

By "standard toe kick" I assume they are plywood ladder style.
If so: Block down from the cabinet bottom inside the toe kick corners as needed and use ball casters.
If not at HD they are at a bunch of on-line caster suppliers.

[Kyle Stapleton]

Do you think we need to worry about them tipping over?

[bleeth]

As long as your toe kick extends all the way to the back, no (unless the cabinet is loaded with heavy weight at the top front and someone decides to hang on it).
That's why I like the ball casters. Since they don't spin on an off center shaft the center is closest to the edges of the cabinets. Not real good for going over thresholds though.
Then you need larger diameter wheels and that puts your wheel centers further in.
For the sad story umpteen years ago a guy had me build a 36" high 24 x 24 cabinet to put his cash register on and it was on 4" casters so he could roll it from his cashier kiosk out in the driveway into the building every night. He had nothing in the base. Damned thing was so top heavy it went over the first time he rolled it up the handicap curb cut. He took responsibility for not being more careful but it cost him his register and a cracked instep. I felt pretty bad for not seeing that coming. It was a young and dumb type of mistake but not one I forget.

[paul_z]

Ask "them" if easily removable would be OK. If so, hang them on cleats.

[hh_woodworking]

Well Kyle,
We are teachers and we know that this is never a "normal" situation. I would be afraid of tip-over also. There will be someone doing pullups on the open door and it will tip over. Of course I also teach High School & Middle School Kids which are worse at that Kinda thing. Or they will load it with the heavy stuff on top because it is easier then bending over to put in the bottom. TO me these would have to be anchored to the wall. If they make you put the castors on them, have them sign a waiver of liability so when someone does get hurt when they fall over you are out of the loop in the lawsuit.

Ed