Casters are in our lives to such an extent that we don’t even consider their variety or their purpose. To many people, a caster is one of those wheels on a shopping cart that doesn’t quite work. However, there are many types of casters that provide very specific and helpful functions. Trying to figure out which caster you may need for your business or personal needs can be harder than it looks. That is why Douglas Equipment is here to help.
We’ve been in business since 1955. We’ve seen the caster evolve in how it is used over the years. For every new business that has come into existence, the caster has been right there and it has changed right alongside to meet new demands. So, we know a thing or two about what caster might work for you. We’ve spent almost 60 years specializing in the hospitality and medical industries, but we haven’t lost the personal touch either. We work with both residential and commercial customers to help meet their needs for casters and material handling equipment. We offer a wide range of products at very competitive prices. We ship anywhere in the United States. We also are able to ship with little difficulty to the Caribbean and South American since we’re located in South Florida.
While there is no substitute for expertise, we believe with just a few basic questions, most people can get close to understanding and selecting the caster that would work for them. Here are what we consider to be some of the most important deciding factors.
1. Floor Surface
It seems like a no brainer, doesn’t it? However, it isn’t. The right caster wheel works with the flooring surface in a way that helps promote mobility and safety. The wrong caster wheel can cause accidents, inefficiency and damage an expensive floor. Douglas Equipment sells a wide variety of wheel designs such as moldon rubber, polyurethane, steel, metal, hard rubber and soft rubber to name a few. The reasons there are so many types of wheel materials is that they can provide smooth transport on a wide variety of surfaces. For example, you don’t want a steel wheel on a concrete floor because there is a distinct possibility that the wheel could cut into the floor if the caster has enough weight on it. You want to use a steel wheel on a softer surface. For a concrete floor, you might consider a hard rubber wheel or a pneumatic wheel. This type of wheel would provide mobility and transport on concrete flooring without damaging it.
2. Weight Capability
One mistake a lot of customers make is buying more casters than they need. If you need a caster that is just for an office chair or office furniture, get a Baron caster or a Shepherd General Duty caster. Those casters handle between 70 and 300 pounds, which is generally considered more than enough for light office duty. However, if you’re moving a grand piano, you might consider something that can take a little more weight. We sell some great Colson casters that are perfect for heavy duty moving. The 8 Series Enforcer Kingpinless Swivel Caster can move up to 6,000 pounds! That’s perfect for such a heavy duty task, and the swivel caster helps you increase your mobility moving such a cumbersome object.
3. Specialty Casters
Another thing you should check is whether a caster is made specifically for what you need. Now, most times, that won’t be the case. As mentioned above, if you work in an office and need casters for office chairs or business machines, then there are all kinds of general purpose casters. However, if you work in a hospital, you may need something special depending where in the hospital they will be used. Douglas Equipment can help you determine whether Hollow Kingpin Hospital Casters, which have wheels made out of anti-microbial thermoplastic resin, are more appropriate for your environment as these casters address specific sanitary concerns. Or if you need casters for a ladder, for example, we sell specially designed ladder casters that have a higher mounting height than what is found on more generic casters.
4. Mobility
Having a caster that works with you instead of against you is very important. Not only does it make it easier to move equipment from point A to point B; it also makes it safer. For example, we sell Business Machine casters that help move copiers, computer equipment and office furniture. These casters are designed with a low profile and excellent turning radius to make sure the equipment can handle tight corners and fast, easy loading and unloading. Whatever your mobility needs are, make sure you pick a caster that makes your job easier.
5. Working Conditions
Will you be using your casters with equipment in an environment with extreme temperatures or slick floors? These are things you should think about when selecting your casters. Hard rubber wheels are great with normal run of the mill liquids, but hazardous conditions require something more abuse resistant like our polyurethane wheels. For extreme temperatures we sell our specialized Thermo wheels which have an amazing temperature range from -70 degrees F to +525 degrees F.
Caster Customer Service
What we’ve listed above is an excellent sorting screen to begin your caster selection process. However, we’ve invested in a highly trained and knowledgeable customer support staff to help you refine your selection process. Not only does our staff know the specifications of our casters and wheel, but they also bring real world experience to the table. Based on previous customer feedback, we’ll be able to tell you what other people in your situation bought and how their purchases worked for them. Not only that, we can work with you to customize a caster if our standard offerings are not meeting your needs or expectations.
Let us help you pick the right caster and improve your business model by contacting us today!
