Table leg shortening advice needed

[WalnutBurl]

Hello All
I am a woodworker in spirit. When I was young 'girls didn't do that'. By the time I was big enough to ignore them, I had a shoulder injury which makes handling tools difficult.

My home is small and rooms are multifunctional. The dining table is now too heavy to be moved out of the kitchen by guests aged 55 to 70. (We used to be younger!)
I would like to attach braking castors to the legs, which will have to be shortened by the height of the castors.

When I tried to get this job done about 5 years ago, all the professionals wanted to make me a new table ($5,000 to $8,000):
1. The table was a gift and has sentimental value.
2. I don't have that kind of money, but I would expect to pay for the time of the person doing the job.
3. I also have a number of other timber related problems which need attention.

So far, all the non-professionals have been cowboys who didn't know how to do the job - and I know exactly how.

The table was from Freedom, that is, flat packed, with the legs attached using butterfly screws. There is stuff I don't know:
1. castors with plates for attaching?
2. castors for inserting?
3. will the legs split if drilled into vertically?

Is this sort of thing do-able and can anyone out there do it, please?
Thanks
Deb

[Fencepost2]

Deb, I can't understand why you haven't had a dozen people write to say that they could do that job for a reasonable price. Too far for me to come from Adelaide. But there are plenty of people in Sydney who are looking for work. Maybe you have posted this in one of the sub forums that a lot of people don't visit too often - like me? Why not get a couple of pictures of your table and do a posting into the general forum with the picture attached so that people can see the legs of the table. I am sure you will get some good advice fairly quickly if you do.

[AlexS]

See PM.

[bsrlee]

In vaguely reverse order:

No, the legs shouldn't split if drilled into from the end

You can use either casters with screw on plates or casters with inserts that go into the ends of the legs - I'd go with the insert type, but make sure that you get the inserts when you get the casters, some places sell them separately - the insert will stop the casters falling off and/or wobbling like Uncle with too many whiskeys.

As the legs bolt on to the upper table, you should be able to just unbolt them & take them to a workshop with a table or band saw & get the appropriate amount lopped off - get the casters first of course.

I suspect you may already have an offer of help via PM, but if not, or its not close enough, check with the local council about where the nearest 'Men's Shed' is, or any woodworking clubs - they will all have a bunch of 'older' gents who will be only too happy to work on a Lady's legs :B