VIDEO: Super affordable DIY caster mounts for Muscle Rack brand shelving

Things You've Made
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WARNING: EMT conduit is usually galvanized, and welding galvanized metal releases toxic fumes related to zinc. It should not be undertaken lightly, and requires adequate ventilation. Except for the first few seconds, I wore a mask designed to protect against such fumes, and I used a fan to help with ventilation.

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  • No supports needed.
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*Purchase links (used this video):

*Purchase links (NOT used this video):

  • 4pc - Heavy Duty Storage Rack Caster Wheels for Muscle Rack shelving (1500 lbs max total capacity) - https://amzn.to/3r1D6yY
  • 4pc - Medium Duty Storage Rack Caster Wheels for Muscle Rack shelving (500 lbs max total capacity) - Amazon.com

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Another nicely documented project Doug. I don’t want to sound snarky here, however I have a small comment which you may like to think about.

If the shelves are only moderately loaded I’m sure they’ll be fine.

Those racks are designed for vertical loads only so when you move them you are putting stresses in directions they weren’t meant to be, potentially, if you were moving a heavily loaded shelf and the castor caught on something the new failure point will be just above the weld.

My solution was to make a timber bottom rectangle (4 x 2 for you) with a shelf that fitted into the corners of the rack with the racking screwed to the timber and the castors inserted into the bottom of the timber. That meant that any forces as described were taken up in the base and not in the legs themselves. That setup was invented because I’m a timber kind of guy, but it survived many years in a commercial situation with kids wheeling it around as kids do.

You could do the same with some angle iron if it turns out to be a problem.

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I’ve seriously considered doing exactly that — and if any of these setups I have now should fail, that will be my next remedy! Thanks for the clarity on how you did it!

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It’s been pointed out that EMT is usually galvanized, and welding galvanized metal releases toxic fumes related to zinc. It should not be undertaken lightly, and requires adequate ventilation. Except for the first few seconds, I wore a mask designed to protect against such fumes, and I used a fan to help with ventilation. Nevertheless, I’m concerned that, (1) my video does not mention it, and (2) I don’t want my video to encourage people to do something potentially harmful. I’m minded to take the video off public status and move for deletion of this topic. Thoughts?

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If you are going to take it down, can you edit it with maybe a warning or subtitles? Or just be clear in the description and don’t take it down?

Far be it for me to say “do what everyone else does”, but there has to be an understanding that if you are going to weld relatively thin metal, you aren’t going to succeed unless you know just the tiniest bit about welding.

For instance - do you describe your welding goggles - or do you just do as many Youtubers do and simply close your eyes and weld blind?

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I have added a note of warning both in the description and in a pinned comment for the video… I also edited the OP and added a warning there.

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