Attach wheels to hollow metal table legs

Question

I want to attach some wheels to a small table. It has a metal frame. The foot of the frame is just a square metal legs of 20mmx20mm with a little plastic cap on each of the 4 legs. Taking the cap off is hollow.

How would I attach something like this to each foot.

My initial thought would be to cut a small piece of MDF to size, maybe with 1mm larger and hammer it in? Then I would need to make some socket for the screw somehow? What is this even called?

Looking forward to ideas here, also would appreciate anyone help narrowing my terminology here so question is clearer. Thank you in advance.

score 18 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 10 '23 at 02:33

You just buy the right casters.

What you need are "expanding stem mount" aka "expansion mount" casters, which are designed to insert into tubes, then be tightened to expand a rubber sleeve to grip the inside of the tube.

I mean, you could weld nuts in, but do you really want to bother with that?

Wood will very likely disappoint.

Mikhail V · Answer 2 · 2023-03-11T17:48:36.307

4

"Footing" I suppose is the term? 30x30 mm and 20x20 I can find easily for sale.

And your initail idea is not bad either, but MDF will break down soon. Hard wood or plastic would work well though.

Edit: those are called leg plug or end cap.

edited Mar 11 '23 at 17:48

answered Mar 11 '23 at 11:43

Mikhail V

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1
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score 3 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 11 '23 at 06:11

I did something like this by securing some long "joiner nuts" or "coupling nuts" up inside the leg.

Of course the internal thread had to match my casters stem.

Mine was a wooden leg but into the end-grain, so I drilled a hole to fit the outer corners and left the depth just right to support the weight. Then I epoxied the coupler-nut in the wood and reinforced the outside wiht industrial heatshrink. Its a garage/hobby table so looks don't matter.

In your case, welding a coupling nut in place might be a good solution, or if you have access to a workshop lathe then turn four inserts in steel, so they're a close fit inside the hollow leg. Leave a good lip to take the weight. Bore and thread up the middle to take your caster's stem.

To level the table, make sure each caster stem has a locknut under the insert that you can adjust with a spanner.

    stem of your caster
           v 
    \     |/|     /  <-- existing table leg
     \ +--|/|--+ /
      \|..|/|..|/
     --+..|/|..+--
    (_____|/|_____)    <-- visible bit, make it rounded over, shiny, and pretty.
          |/|
      ====|/|====   <-- locknut, aka jam-nut/jamb nut
          |/|
    ---------------
           Rest of your caster's wheel etc.

Ideally the insert should be a light hammer fit into the leg. If its loose, then some epoxy inside might be enough, or possibly welding will be needed. Depends what the metals are.

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 10 '23 at 02:25

2

They are called caster wheels and come in many different mounting choices.

I would use a piece of real wood like a 1x1, but it will depend on the mounting choice you decide on.

answered Mar 10 '23 at 02:25

crip659

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Attach wheels to hollow metal table legs

4 Answers4