Modify Harbor Freight Workstation table

Modify Harbor Freight Workstation Table #46725. Add casters

Update 2022- rework this table to use for walking foot sewing machine See Consew.htm

Needs Wheels!

Continuation of assembling workstation. Been dragging around, placing small pieces of hardboard under legs so they don't tear up the foam floor tiles. Wanting to add casters but table doesn't lend itself to that easily. Finally addressed, twice.

I had picked 4 small swivel casters. But again, table just doesn't make adding easy. What I finally did was remove 2 of the wheels from casters. Thought was to make front 2 wheels non swiveling, adding to sides of front legs then add swivels on the rear legs.

Front done. As the angle used on table isn't very sturdy I used some 1" square tube to make back up for the legs. I had dropped the front frame to have open access to bottom shelf so required some notching.

And clearance for nuts. Used short nut/bolt on front bolting legs to tube, axle for wheels will attach in other direction.

End up cutting & threading rod to make axles. Once wheels on drill and add another thru bolt at top.

Worked well as far as rolling, pretty stable verses swivel casters.

However really just isn't going to work. One, adding swivel casters to rear of table as planned it will move unless I use locking casters. Just not going to buy or convert these to locking.

Second, lifting table at rear is easy to roll where ever I want, doesn't need another set of wheels. But its lifting rear of table, kinda awkward. As it works my first thought was to just move wheels to rear legs, add stationary feet to the front. But, third is something I forgot, I had planned on the addition of swivel casters to also raise table 2". Table is a bit short for me, with front frame mounted under shelf cant get feet under it or no toe kick, so hard to get close to table. Lastly its the cantilevered axles. While the weight of this table and planned use shouldn't be problem the axles could bend. I could replace 3/16" rod with 5/16" shoulder bolts but wouldn't address anything else. Back to the drawing board.

I need 2" added height, need the wheels at rear, fixed feet on the front.

Looking at the removed parts of the caster realized I could use the yoke section minus bearing plate. Weld them to bottom of square tubes, bolting to legs as I had done the front (Rears wont require notching). Keep the notched tubes on front and just adding short pieces of tube to match height of casters.

And premade front stationary feet with tube.
These were in the parts bin, made for another project I didn't use. Short piece of 1 1/4 aluminum angle bolted to a 2" length of 1" tube. Added to existing leg tube perfect matching height of casters. Removed the wheels and front tubes. Welded the 2" tubes to the leg tubes. Instant longer stationary feet. Kind of amazed me.

Moving the wheels to rear.

Ground the swedged center pivot pin so I could drill it out separating the bearing plate from yoke. I loosely reinserted the center back into yoke as other sides OD was same size as inside to tube, made centering tube on yoke easy. Welded them together

I had drilled tube to match table legs and welded nuts inside as I cant reach or don't want to fight accessing once yoke welded on. Used 1/4-20 shoulder bolts trimmed to length for new axles with a few washers.

Bolted to table legs, drilled and added another thru bolt at top.

Likely, next time welder out, or could just bolt, add a piece of 1/2" angle from wheel end of leg, bolting to under side of table. Shouldn't be a problem but if rolling and something stops wheels the very lightweight legs could easily bend. Easier to prevent than fix.

Kinda fun. Table top height now at a more comfortable 32 1/2" from floor, was 30 1/4". Easily rolled around. Regained 4" toekick under bottom shelf with front frame below shelf. That's my table, may or may not help others, may or may not give some ideas.

Back to Our shops mods/additions section