Plywood Cart Design

[Arthur Wood]

I'm building this lumber rack and plywood cart design from Shopnotes #17.

(pic attached)

However, I'd like to make one design modification. The swing out card as pictured is aligned horizontally. For space issues along this wall, I'd like the cart to swing out vertically (i've got sufficient space for the lumber rack above).

Any comments on how to make a vertically-oriented plywood cart stable enough (minimize sway).

Thanks

[Bob Nazro]

I built this rack a few years back and it's really great. If I understand you, you want the front triangular sheet to flip down for access to the sheets in the lower unit? This would be a bit dangerous if the unit was full and the boards came forward on their own. I have several cut-offs and sheet goods in this location all of the time and it weighs in excess of 200 Lbs. I changed the lower unit to a right side hinge setup to accomidate my shop and it works great. I hope I have understood what you are asking for.

[Travis Porter]

I did the exact same thing. You want to buy VERY GOOD casters. I attached a 2x8 plate to the wall and then attached the hinges to it.

[Jack Diemer]

Oops, this is different than the big lumber Cart I built. If you build the big lumber cart.

I dont like my big lumber cart. Its too heavy (built out of Melamine).

I will tell you now that if you build it, do not use those little triangles in the plans to put caster on. Run a board the across the bottom in their place. Also, use at least 6 inch casters. I would recommend even bigger if possible. I used 6 casters total. Also, I would recomend putting a board across one end (an end cap) of the cart and that structurally holds everything together. What I have run into is that when I try to pull the cart away from the wall, the whole thing want to collapse forward like a domino.

I used to have 4 inch, have upgraded to 5 inch and now 6 inch. Brakes aren't really necessary, the issue is not to stop the cart from moving, but to get it to move. Loaded down with wood, mine barely moves, and is very fragile. Some day when I get a chance, I plan to disasseble my cart and maybe build the lumber rack instead.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...d+storage+cart

[Arthur Wood]

Jack,

I considered that design for a long time -but in the end, I just didn't have the room for it.

After re-reading my original post, I realize I didn't explain my objective very well.

I still intend to have the plywood swing out from the wall as pictured, but instead of having the cart oriented so that it is 4 ft high and 8 ft long, I want to have a cart that swings out that is 8 ft high and 4 ft long.

In my mind, I can picture this design being considerably top heavy - so I think the cart itself may need some rigidity to it. One thought is to run full sheets of plywood for the sides (rather than the triangles pictured). Unfortunately, this just adds to the weight of the whole thing).

Suggestions?

[Bob Nazro]

Now I see what you are after. I would recommend building a box with full sheets. It will be heavy, but MDF comes longer and wider than 4X8. Us it for the front and back, Use 2x8 lumber for the top, bottom and rear sides. I don't know your ceiling height but use the best heavy duty casters, 4" with bearings and 3 to 4 hinges to attach the rear to the wall. This should open and close well. Cut out an arc in the front sheet of MDF to enable you to grip the sheets. You can make the box bigger by using 2x10 lumber in place of the 2x8's, but I think that would get really heavy.

[Nathan Hoffman]

If you want to save some weight, a vertical full sheet of plywood will be no stronger than the one in this picture. Maybe you could also brace the bottom out toward the room and toward the wall a little to get some distance between the castors. What I mean is that the castor could fit under the lumber rack along the wall when closed. Hope this makes sense

[Jesse Cloud]

Can't remember where, but I saw a vertical swinging plywood storage made out of metal fencing material. Flanges bolted to the floor and ceiling joist hold galvanized pipe. Gate connectors are fitted on the vertical pipe to allow for movement. I believe a wooden base was added to sit the plywood on, with wooden sides. It looked sturdy....
Send us a pic of how it comes out!

[Steve Stube]

Jack, if you were to use one or two "steel or hard tired" fixed casters I think you would have little difficulty getting it rolling. A pull rope attached low on the unit (near the casters) will also help. I'm sure I don't need to tell you which way to orient the wheels but if you could watch the swivel casters as you start moving your rack you will see they have to rotate 180 degrees and yes it is tough to move when they are 90 to the direction of travel.

[Arthur Wood]

Yes. . .think I'm going to build a box with full sheets. . .but as you point out, the box should be a few inches taller than 8' so that sheets can be easily placed into and pulled from it. I don't think MDF - even with its extra inch, is going to be sufficient.

What if I wanted to make the box 90" tall - could I cut the plywood sheet in half - allowing a 4" gap to run across the middle?

(hope this makes sense).

Art