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Looking for opinions on different machinery skate types?

huleo

Hot Rolled
Joined
Feb 12, 2014
Location
UT
We need to buy a set of skates. We have used so many different types. Usually the biggest concern I usually have with all of them is how tall they are. It makes be nervous and even though the 3 skate method is used a lot, I sometimes like the idea of having 4, but then one tries to escape, never fails.
 
I don't like small skates or skates that can't turn independently. It can be nice to link a pair together and steer with one, but how far are you needing to go?

Small skates are just a shitshow. Skates roll exponentially easier and track better the bigger they are.

Also, poly wheels, even the real fancy ones HKS uses, seem to fall apart rapidly.

I've scrapped a lot of machines. Had many opportunities to go fast, cut corners and drop machines. My monster size footlong Hilmans are 4.5" tall and have had some drops. Never really been a big deal as far as safety goes. If it was a nice machine, then yeah, you could have problems.

I'd rate big forklifts about 100 times more dangerous than skates.
 
The key is to way overspec. I had to move a 11k horizontal mill like 12'. I didn't want to pay $2,000 bucks for some nice Hillmans or that other real brand. For $300 I bought 3 Chinese ones rated at like 6/6/12 metric tons. Urethane wheels. With a load rating of over 50k lbs they didn't even sweat 11k. Worked perfect and my epoxy floor didn't get a scuff. Overkill but at that price who cares.

I forgot who I got them from but they did actually have responsive support, they got delayed because of COVID stuff and they sent emails and stuff to keep me updated. The two smaller ones came with a crossbar to keep them aligned. The rubber came off instantly. But again, for less than $300 they were fine. All are the same height. 12" ruler sitting on them for size
 

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The key is to way overspec. I had to move a 11k horizontal mill like 12'. I didn't want to pay $2,000 bucks for some nice Hillmans or that other real brand. For $300 I bought 3 Chinese ones rated at like 6/6/12 metric tons. Urethane wheels. With a load rating of over 50k lbs they didn't even sweat 11k. Worked perfect and my epoxy floor didn't get a scuff. Overkill but at that price who cares.

Yeah I have GKS skates and they can be maxed out without damage.... but the Chinese ones the urethane is so crappy they will get a flat spot with 60 percent load ( left overnight loaded anyway ) and be worthless.
 
I used the same ones that Jaxian posted to move a 14klb machine. Didn't have an issue with them.
 








 
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