Not all casters are created equal. It’s important to recognize that there are many types of casters designed for a variety of purposes. There is no one caster that fits all functions. You may need a caster for your office furniture. However, you certainly wouldn’t want to use that to move a grand piano down a hallway. Therefore, it is extremely important that you talk with the caster manufacturer and ask them questions that will help you find the best caster at a price you can afford. At Douglas Equipment, we have learned to design high quality casters over the past sixty years. This experience has made us a leader in our industry. We believe that quality casters should be as reliable as possible considering that valuable possessions and equipment that may be transported using them. We specialize in designing casters and mobility solutions for the hospital, hospitality, restaurant, and moving industries. While we do have a large number of commercial clients, we also offer a more personal touch and provide services for residential needs as well. Given a few parameters, we are confident we can sell you casters that will move 40 to 40,000 lbs. over a variety of surfaces in all types of environments. Thanks to our design and manufacturing capabilities, we can offer you deals that our competitors can’t. Additionally, since we are located in Southern Florida, we can quickly deliver to a variety of locations in the United States as well as the Caribbean. When considering purchasing casters, it’s important to work with the manufacturer and ask pertinent questions regarding the exact application for the casters to be purchased. Below are some questions that we encourage all potential caster purchasers to ask.
What is the Load Capacity?
One of the first things you should know is how much weight you will be using the caster to move around. Then you will want to discuss with the manufacturer if the casters in question can handle the weight. At Douglas Equipment, we make sure to have casters for all three segmented weight groups: light duty, medium duty, and heavy duty. We can sell you Shepherd ball casters for light duty work such as office furniture. We also offer 8 Series Enforcer Kingpinless Top Plate Swivel & Rigid Casters that can move up to 6,000 lbs.
Do you provide decorative casters for office furniture?
Should you require casters for your professional office environment, you will want to ask your caster manufacturer whether or not there is a caster that can provide mobility and durability while also blending in to the environment. Think about office chairs and other standard office furniture. It’s functional but is less utilitarian than an industrial caster. We make a line of casters called Baron Castors that can come with either a rubber or polyolefin ball. These work well in the office environment because they are easy to install, have a decorative housing and are extremely durable.
What kind of flooring conditions will be present when using casters?
This is a very important question you need to ask. Depending on what flooring surface you will be working on, you will need to know if your casters will work. You do not want to use a steel or metal wheel on concrete, for example. In that situation a hard rubber or polyolefin wheel will work much better without damaging the concrete floor. Our Encore Dolly caster has a thermoplastic rubber wheel to handle larger capacities of 180 to 260 lbs without damaging the floor. It’s considered a medium duty caster and is used for moving equipment like dollies, hand trucks and stock carts.
Will your casters mark up my floor?
As we just mentioned, casters can damage flooring if the improper caster is selected for the flooring surface. Sometimes, the damage to the flooring is of a cosmetic nature including scratches and scuff marks. Make sure your caster provider can give you a wide option of wheels. For example, the Baron Caster office line has a polyolefin or rubber wheel to prevent unnecessary cosmetic damage. Additionally, our Contour Solus Casters use wheels that are made of polyurethane. This substance protects the floor from scratching and unsightly scuff marks.
What Kind of Mobility Does the Caster Provide?
You’ll want a caster to provide you with the mobility you need for regular use. For example, the Contour Solus caster mentioned above works well in an office environment and a hospital environment. These casters have a swivel that enhances mobility and a precision axle that delivers smooth operation. These casters also come with a foot brake that locks the wheel and swivel for a controlled stop. Our Business Machine casters can help move heavy office equipment like copiers, computer equipment, and vending machines. These casters have a low profile for ease of access and increased mobility. They also have an optional Sure-Lok Brake which allows the user to quickly hold the equipment in place without unnecessary damage.
Will Your Casters Work Under Extreme Temperatures?
If you need your casters to work in an environment with extreme temperatures, you’ll definitely want to check with your caster manufacturer to see if they will be right for your application. Extreme temperatures can cause all sorts of problems to the wheel material, the metal, and grease that can comprise a caster. Our 8 Series Enforcer Kingpinless Top Plate Swivel & Rigid Casters are extremely temperature resistant. The wheels can be manufactured out of performa rubber or phenolic resin, among other materials, that can function within a range of -45 degrees Fahrenheit to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. The grease used to lubricate the caster is multi-temperature grease that is designed for extreme temperatures.
What Kind of Customer Service Should I Expect?
At Douglas Equipment, we take the time to build long lasting relationships with our customers. We want you to be happy with our casters and to buy them from us for many years. Use the Contact Us form on our site to get in touch or, if you are local to South Florida, call us at (305) 888-3700. National customers can call us toll free at (800) 451-0030. We look forward to hearing from you!
