B & P Manufacturing – Hand Trucks and Dock Products

We’re proud to announce that we are now partnering with B & P Manufacturing for hand trucks and aluminum dock products.  

B & P is known for making the best quality hand truck on the market, bar none.  Their Liberator Series Convertible Hand Truck, pictured to the right, comes with an industry leading two (2) year warranty!  Their quality in construction is noted by the use of aircraft grade rivets, closed aluminum tube, and extruded aluminum wheel brackets. 

In the coming weeks we will be adding information regarding B & P and their exciting line of products.  Currently you can purchase their aluminum Dock Plates and Dock Boards from the website.

Polyurethane Problems

A customer recently approached us with a pressing problem.  They were burning through wheels, left and right.  Nuts and bolts were being buried in the tread.  The cart took six 10” x 4” polyurethane on iron wheels, to service a 42,000 lb load. Polyurethane is supposed to roll over obstructions without picking up the debris.

What was discovered to be the problem was the grade of polyurethane being used.  A low grade polyurethane, despite its durometer, can become impregnated with obstructions.  In order to solve the problem the wheels were replaced with an ultra high performance polyurethane. 

Under normal circumstances, the standard wheels would have done just fine, but under such heavy load (7,000 lbs per wheel) the lower grade polyurethane simply couldn’t hold up.

New blog stuff!

Take a look to the right, a new blog gadget, our twitter feed!  Keep up on the latest goings on by following us at http://twitter.com/ccefi.

A late addition…

Having just completed the caster mounting series, it came as quite a surprise when we saw this caster.  Shown on right is a  kingpinless caster with a 2” x 2” angle stem for mounting.  The caster had to be designed as shown to reduce the mounting height of the caster as much as possible.

The caster is composed of a 71 series rig, welded to a 2” x 2” angle iron section, that has been punched for mounting.  The wheel is 2-1/2” diameter glass filled nylon wheel.  In order to distinguish the caster from older stock, which has a higher overall height, and is therefore incompatible with this caster, it has been zinc-dichromate plated.  Zinc-dichromate provides the brass/gold finish shown.

Got an odd application, let us know.  We love working on them.

Steel King SK2000 Pallet Rack

Steel King Industries provided this video to demonstrate the added safety factor of the closed tube construction used on their pallet rack.  Think forklift impacts.

Congratulations Dave!

Dave (DJ) Gareau is now a dad!  Taylor Gareau was born August 11, a healthy 7lbs 8oz.  Mom and Taylor are back home and doing well! 

Caster Mounting - Part 6 - Top Plates

Without a doubt, a top plate is the most common means of mounting a caster. From small to large, light to heavy, top plates provide the most secure and convenient method of mounting. A top plate doesn't need explanation to understand how it works, a plate with holes that one puts bolts through.

With that being said, there is some nuance to getting the right bolt hole pattern. This is critical in replacement applications, the wrong pattern will mean having to return and exchange the caster or having to drill new holes on existing equipment. A typical bolt hole pattern reads as follows:

• 2-5/8" x 3-5/8" slotted to 3" x 3"

This means that the holes on the outside most part of the plate are 2-5/8" x 3-5/8" then slotted to the inner part at 3" x 3". The graphic to the right illustrates this well. Some top plates do not come with slotted holes, others have holes slotted in other directions. Generally speaking, a caster series, with the exception of furniture casters, is defined by its top plate size.

Top plate casters are available in furniture, institutional, industrial and kingpinless types. If you need help finding the right top plate for your application, don't hesitate to contact us.

The Right Wheels for the Right Project

The right caster makes all the difference. And sometimes, that right caster can be hard to find.


Alloy Welding and Fabricating's client, a pharmaceutical manufacturer, came to them needing a special cart. What made this cart special for Alloy wasn't that it was entirely stainless, or that it needed to be FDA compliant. What made it special was where it was to be used.

An Autoclave is designed to completely clean and disinfect any hard surfaced piece of equipment. In the pharmaceutical industry, it's vital to keep equipment surgically clean. Autoclaves work by introducing steam, kept under pressure, into a chamber at approximately 270 degrees Fahrenheit. This kills any bacteria and neutralizes any virus that is on the cart.

Read more on our website...

Caster Mounting - Part 5 - Round Stem

Round stems are by far the simplest stem design around. It is literally a piece of round stock riveted into the kingpin of the caster. They actually are not that different from a grip ring stem. Instead of using a locking ring to hold it in place, it is a simple compression fit.

But, they are very rare. Normally a grip ring or threaded stem is used due to their positive locking. We do not recommend using a round stem, if at all possible. Contact us to discuss your options.

Caster Mounting - Part 4 - Expanding Adapters

Expanding adapters are a hybrid design, utilizing a threaded stem with a flexible socket adapter.  Typically they are constructed with 4 parts: a threaded stem, a compression nut, a rubber expansion ring, and a plastic washer.  In essence, they are a hybrid of a grip ring and threaded stem.  In as much as they do not require special machining of the equipment, but no socket is required. 

Usually these stems are used on equipment where a standard socket is not available because of the inside diameter of the round tube or pipe.  They are installed by inserting the stem into the pipe and then turning the nut on the bottom side of the swivel section to tighten into place.  A pretty simple installation, which also provides for an equally simple removal.

These stems are not indicated for use on equipment subject to large amounts of moisture and heat, such as wash-down or autoclave situations.  This is because the rubber insert can dry-rot.  Once the rubber has dried out the caster may, for lack of a better phrase, fall out of the equipment.  The exposure to moisture hastens the natural decay of the rubber, therefore failure will be premature.  When considering an expanding stem for an application, consider a grip ring or a threaded stem first if the equipment will be in a wet or rough situation, they typically provide a more positive retention mechanism. 

Overall, an expanding adapter provides a flexible alternative to more fixed methods such as grip rings and threaded stems.  Implementing them on equipment can help avoid additional manufacturing or assembly time.  With that in mind, there are some noted limitations, as mentioned previously.  Contact us for help in deciding the correct mounting for your application.

Caster Mounting - Part 3 - Grip Neck (Wood) Stems

A Grip Neck or Wood Stem, as the name implies, is ideal for equipment made of wood. The design and function of the stem is similar to that of a grip ring, however, there are some noted distinctions. They are found only on furniture and institutional casters.

A grip neck stem, as the depicton to the right shows, uses a flanged top to capture the stem in the socket. Generally speaking, a grip neck or wood stem caster requires the use of a pre-manufactured socket, pictured below right.. Though, most commonly used on wood furniture, they are used on certain plastic and metal equipment.

Unlike a grip-ring stem, grip neck stems are available in one size, 5/16" diameter x 1-1/2" long. Given that, they are, by far, the easisest to find replacements for, should they break. As opposed to grip ring or threaded stem where a multitude of similar looking options exist.

There are a few noted disadvantages to using a girp neck stem. First, they are incredibly hard to remove from the socket once installed. Secondly, even though the measurements are the same, sometimes, using a different manufacturer for the stem and socket can cause issues.

A grip neck stem makes an excellent option for wood furniture that needs to be mobile. If you need more information, let us know.