My kids make fun of me. I like having the option of sometimes working at a stand-up desk, but I also like the ability to quickly alternate between standing, sitting and leaning over the course of a few minutes. I have a couple of old counter-height stool chairs that are ideal for this purpose, but because they're on aluminum legs and my desk is on carpet, they can't easily be pulled-up or kicked away.

I am able to unscrew the little rubber feet which would give me a spot in which I can put what the non-metric gauge guide says is a 1/4" bolt. The hardware store around here isn't very good, but the box store stocks wheels with what the label calls 5/16" pegs. Of course they also have regular flat-top casters and there may be a way to fashion something safe for them, but I've been stuck trying to figure out if there's some kind of adapter that might work.

Anyone have any ideas? It's an hour roundtrip to the nearest bolt store and I'm fine with the idea of shopping online, as long as shipping is reasonable or it's available with Prime. I also have a lot of tools, if there's something to make.

Thanks in advance

 

Can you post a picture of that for us..... How-to-insert-pictures

 

Find out if it's really 1/4 x 20 and find out if the wheel stud is really 5/16 x 18. If so, you can get a 1/4x20 to 5/16x18 coupling nut adapter... probably easier to find online than in a store. You would just need to thread in (and red loctite) a short bit of 1/4 x 20 threaded rod into the 1/4" side of the coupling nut so that it's 1/4" male - 5/16" female.

 

If the legs are aluminum and 1/4-20 and the castors are 5/16-18 then just drill out with a 17/64 bit and retap.

Should be easier than trying to use a bunch of hardware to change!

 

Do you really want casters on a tall stool?

 

Sorry it took me a couple of days to get back. Phone battery, picture, etc.

This is the threaded-stem wheel they stock at the nearest box;


This is the foot of the stool;


Because a white wheel would look better, the box has one with a different way of attaching, but I'm thinking the wheel is too small and I don't know what it'd lock into.


The local freight store has a similar collection, but several of the online reviews caution that it's a different thread count than what you'd expect. I'm not sure what's the thread count on the screw that comes out. It's what holds the rubber thing on. It's also a bit shorter than the peg on the wheel, but the barrel is hollow, so I'm figuring it would work.
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@XSleeper: I'll have to look into the idea of a coupling nut. I thought maybe something like that might exist, but I didn't know what it was called for searching and wasn't certain they come with different sizes on each end. I'm pretty sure I could find a headless 1/4" bolt at a bolt store, but I do have to wonder if by having a stem that long, it could get twisted and break the foot.

@Marq1: Slightly enlarging the hole is a definite possibility. Big issue is that I don't know how to thread the hole. A secondary issue would be that if I decide the stool isn't the right solution, I'd have to drill the other or not have a matched set of stools, plus the black wheel thing on light beige stools.

@guy48065: The legs come out from a center post and there's a decorative ring that probably adds something to the stability. I thinks it's sturdy enough for what I have in mind and my wife doesn't like the stools which were the only pieces of furniture left here by the previous owner of the house.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and any additional thoughts.
I promise to be quicker with my response.