Caster Question - Vinyl Cutter Stand

[buggyjr12]

I have an old Graphtec FC4100-130 and I just broke (apparently) one of the locking casters. Does anyone have a spare laying around in a boneyard somewhere? Do you know someone who might?

I contacted Graphtec and they don't have any parts for this machine because it was discontinued ten years ago. They only keep parts for six.

The only "part #" I see on the side is "Fi."

Also, I have no idea how to get the thing off. Graphtec told me they "weren't made to come off." However, it has a nut with a lock washer on the inside and a jam nut outside. It looks pretty self explanatory, but it's so tight I have the edges of the jam nut almost rounded off.

Maybe Graphtec is right.

Beyond frustrating.

Does anyone have any experience with these? Are they reverse-thread? Do they come off? Does the plastic wheel come apart?

If I could just pop a side off and lock it permanently, that's all I really need. Thanks in advance.

Pictures below...

 

[balstestrat]

I just have a few questions. Is it really worth all the hassle for the lock? Do you really need 4 locking wheels? Is the cutter on a steep hill or what?

Well, to get that open, you first have to open the top nut with a wrench. And then it just loosens and comes off.
You are only supposed to hold it at place from the jam nut, not open it.
And if you want to just take the wheel of, you only need to pull it away. The shaft has a locking ring inside the plastic tube. It takes some force to pop it out but it is possible to pull it out of the shaft.

 

[Attila Nagy]

You may find those in IKEA or your local DIY store

 

[buggyjr12]

I just have a few questions. Is it really worth all the hassle for the lock? Do you really need 4 locking wheels? Is the cutter on a steep hill or what?

Well, to get that open, you first have to open the top nut with a wrench. And then it just loosens and comes off.
You are only supposed to hold it at place from the jam nut, not open it.
And if you want to just take the wheel of, you only need to pull it away. The shaft has a locking ring inside the plastic tube. It takes some force to pop it out but it is possible to pull it out of the shaft.

It's worth the hassle to me because I don't want the cutter rocking back and forth and walking all over the place when it's cutting. Only two of the casters (now one) lock, not all four.

It's not on a steep hill, but from vinyl being drawn in or out and/or loading vinyl and pressing buttons, cutters have a tendency to move around alot. Especially if the casters aren't locked.

The top nut is a 9/16", but you need to put something on the jam nut to hold it in place to be able to turn the top nut off. 7/16" and 12mm are too small, 1/2" and 13mm are too big, and an adjustable is too wide. Hence, the situation I find myself in.

Are you 100% sure the caster just pulls off? I tried prying with quite a bit of force but it didn't budge.

 

[balstestrat]

Just get slim pipe pliers to fit there. Those will bite on the steel.

No Im not 100% on that as I haven't played with those exact wheels on that cutter. But that is the generic looking design and most wheels are like that.

Those have been there for years so I wouldn't be surprised if the metal has been carving the plastic inside the tube. Might not pop out without brute force.

 

[buggyjr12]

Update: I broke one side of the plastic wheel trying to separate it from the center. I'm going to order four new locking casters from Lowe's and replace them all. Problem solved.

 

[buggyjr12]

Update: I broke one side of the plastic wheel trying to separate it from the center. I'm going to order four new locking casters from Lowe's and replace them all. Problem solved.

Okay, problem NOT solved. I still can't get the old caster off.

The jam nut is completely rounded off and the threads of the stud are so mangled from Vise-Grips that the nut will never come off even if I ever do manage to get it loose.

Can ANYONE give me a suggestion on how to get these stupid casters off?? There has to be a trick.

Buying a whole new stand (if I can even find one) is my next step.

 

[balstestrat]

I've got to say that this is getting waaaay more complicated and difficult than it is... It's just a bolt and nut!

Just get a right size wrench on the top nut and start turning counter clock wise. If it spins loosely keep it tight with slim pipe pliers from the bottom like I said. Its soft metal, the nut will come out even if there's a scratch on the threads.

 

[buggyjr12]

Tried that. The jam nut is completely round at this point. The nuts are TOO soft. The problem is, if I DO get this one off there's three more to go. There HAS to be a better way. At this point, a cut-off wheel would be easier.

 

[buggyjr12]

I've got to say that this is getting waaaay more complicated and difficult than it is... It's just a bolt and nut!

That's what I thought too. That's why it's so frustrating. It WILL NOT loosen. The jam nut is completely round and the threads on the end of the stud are gone.

 

[balstestrat]

Well if you can't beat it then angle grind it away I guess
I promise you, that fight it will not win.

Good luck with it mate. I wish I could be there with the tools. 30 seconds and you would have it on your hands.

 

[Jeremiah]

Where is the hidden camera ? Is this on Candid Camera?

 

[GAC05]

If you don't need it to move at all a couple of short 2x4s and some self-tapping screws to lift casters off the floor should do it.

edit>
Just read the last part - 'permanent lock'. Skip the 2x4s and run the self tapers through the plastic into the caster - no more rolling.

 

[buggyjr12]

I was finally able to get my cutter stand fixed so I wanted to post an update in case anyone else ever runs into this problem.

The nuts on these casters were not going to come off with a set of wrenches. There's a groove in the bottom of the nut that the lock washer is sandwiched into, so the nut actually encapsulates the edges of the washer. They were also installed with green threadlocker.

I ended up using a cutoff wheel to cut the casters off of the shafts. Then, I used a nut splitter (https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-Automotive-Nut-Cracker/1000595029) to break the nuts. Even after splitting them in half they still hold tight onto the studs, so I split each one into a minimum of three pieces.

After that, I used needle nose Vise-Grips to tear them away from the shafts.

When Graphtec says they're not supposed to come off, they aren't kidding.

I swapped out all four casters with replacements from Outwater (https://www.outwater.com/products/herc-10-bk-brk/). I got the 1" shafts instead of 3/4" like the originals only because the 3/4" were out of stock.

They look exactly the same as the OEM casters but feel a lot more durable. The locking mechanisms are more substantial too.

I chose to go with all four with brakes instead of two with and two without like the originals.

I attached them with flat washers and 3/8" nuts (also from Lowe's).

Problem solved!