# Sheet Good Cart



## todd628 (Mar 8, 2015)

I needed a sheet good cart for some time. I received a brochure from a company that made all kinds of shop carts. The sheet good cart was awesome. It had large casters to roll around easily even with a heavy load. The cart top tilted so you could load it vertically and tip it up horizontal. the height was adjustable so you could set the height to slide sheets directly on to your tablesaw. The only big glitch was the price,
it was close to $2000.00. That was way out of my price range, but I decided there was no reason I could not build one out of wood. And the pictures show what I came up with.

I hope you can use something from my design to help you make managing sheet goods easier in your shop.

Have a blessed evening and have fun making some dust, Todd


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Nice.


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## billyjim (Feb 11, 2012)

Well done. Anything to make it easier to manage sheet goods is a good thing.


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## Bushwhacker (Jun 16, 2009)

I sure wish you had not shown this Todd. I am already thinking... well if I make the side pieces out of 3/4 ply and locking wheels on the front end...Hmmmm???
One of my biggest problems in my shop is cutting down whole sheets of plywood. Wrestling it on the TS and getting it into position and realizing I can not reach the power switch. This is a great idea, very well thought out and well built. Due to the size of my shop, I may look at drawing up a foldable version of your cart. Thanks... David


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## ksidwy (Jul 13, 2013)

Thanks for posting Todd. Very handy. the cervicall spine will be very grateful and so do I!
Have a blessed week too!


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## chessnut2 (Sep 15, 2011)

Great idea, Todd. I had trouble with the heavier sheet goods even when i was young and strong. Now it's next to impossible. This should help a lot. Thanks. Jim


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## jldmor (Mar 5, 2014)

Very impressive Todd. Good idea and well executed. I just might steal this.


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## PhilBa (Sep 25, 2014)

Great idea! and definitely better than spending 2 grand.

I'd take it one step farther and make it possible to use a track saw with the table. It would require a bit beefier table and a way to stabilize the table when it's horizontal. But the upshot is that you would just load the sheet onto the cart, cut it and then off load the pieces.


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## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

Well done. Storage as well as an assist in getting the goods up on the table, excellent.


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## Murtu01 (Mar 9, 2014)

Great idea, I will have to make one soon.


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## BIG OLD TIM (May 13, 2014)

Awesome job Todd! I have some large wheels just waiting for a project like this. THANKS!


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## PhillNLeBlanc (Dec 31, 2013)

nice -- I think that's a youtube video for sure. -- or maybe a sketchup project so others can see the dimensions and the joinery. Looks very useful. Think I can get this pile under control?


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## Straightlines (May 15, 2013)

todd628 said:


> The only big glitch was the price,
> it was close to $2000.00.


Todd, not only are you clever and a craftsman, you are a master of understatement! Yes, I agree that $2,000 is a "glitch" ... and then some. Gee, for $2K, one could just hire a helper many, many times to accomplish the same hoisting of wood to saw.

I had the same problem and solved it by buying a Makita track saw setup off Amazon for $399. Yes, that's probably 3.5 times what you paid, but the system is flexible and capable. Simply put, the track saw is one of the best tools I've ever purchased, bar none. I use mine with a 1/2" plywd cutting grid that I put over some low saw horses.


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## fdcox (Dec 3, 2007)

Now that is cool.


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## bobditts (Jan 5, 2015)

this is an amazingly simple, yet super handy cart!!!! I love how you executed the design. Did you match the height of the cart to your table saw so it could double as a roller stand of sorts as your cut large sheets? Thanks for giving me ideas on how to handle the hassle of ripping large sheets without any help from anyone else!!!


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## jbullockusanet (Nov 22, 2010)

Great looking design. I do wonder however, if it wouldn't be much stronger in the horizontal position if the locking notch locked into a fastner on the member to which the wheels are attached. Rather than the support being almost horizontal, it would be more vertical giving greater mechanical advantage.

Just a thought and not meant to criticize a really great design.


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## todd628 (Mar 8, 2015)

Ross, thanks for the word of encouragement.

Bill, I agree handling sheetgoods can be a daunting task. This cart made it a little more manageable for someone like myself with a bad back.

David, I bought a break to put under the cart, I bought it after the cart was built. it will lift the cart off 2 wheels by stepping on it. By stepping on a release it drops back down to it's casters.

http://www.routerforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=109642&thumb=1

http://www.routerforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=109650&thumb=1

http://www.routerforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=109658&thumb=1
can be purchased through surplussupply for around $20.00 a great deal.

Sid, Thanks for taking the time to comment.

Jim, thanks for your comment, I hope it helps you as much as it did me.

Joe, you are welcome to the idea it was not all mine.

Phil, I cut material on the cart occasionally with no problem. The weight of the sheetstock makes the cart
very firm work surface.

Oliver, thank you for your kind support.

Rudi, have fun making a cart of your own, I hope you enjoy the way it works as much as I do.

Thanks again to all of you that support my posts, Have a blessed day, Todd


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

Straightlines said:


> Todd, not only are you clever and a craftsman, you are a master of understatement! Yes, I agree that $2,000 is a "glitch" ... and then some. Gee, for $2K, one could just hire a helper many, many times to accomplish the same hoisting of wood to saw.
> 
> I had the same problem and solved it by buying a Makita track saw setup off Amazon for $399. Yes, that's probably 3.5 times what you paid, but the system is flexible and capable. Simply put, the track saw is one of the best tools I've ever purchased, bar none. I use mine with a 1/2" plywd cutting grid that I put over some low saw horses.


This is what I have been doing too. I have an open area in front of the garage door where my motorcycle is normally parked where I set up the cutting grid - the plywood sheets are slid directly off the truck onto the grid and cut to size right away. The cutting grid can also double as an assembly table as it's pretty rigid. I normally use the EZ UEG to rip along the length and then a modified Cabinet Maker to cut the strips to length. A table set up for cross cutting is somewhere in the future, once I get some other project done.

Tom


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## ksidwy (Jul 13, 2013)

Quote:
Originally Posted by todd628 "Sid, Thanks for taking the time to comment."

Not at all. My pleasure!
Sid


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## Richard Nilson (Mar 28, 2015)

Nice work, thanks for sharing an idea.


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## LBussy (May 31, 2015)

Todd, how far did you put the pivot from the "foot" of the rack? I'd guess a smidge over 2' but I want to be sure I'm understanding it.

Does that locking bar just drop in place? What's that metal intended to be, just strap stock?


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## todd628 (Mar 8, 2015)

Hi Lee, 
The height is based on the height of your tablesaw. The idea is to be able to slide plywood off the cart directly on to your tablesaw. I made mine about an 1 1/2" lower so it still works with a pile of lumber. So basically make up the lower section leaving the center post higher than needed. Build the upper section and lower it over the center post to where you want it. Clamp it in place drill for pivot hole slide in a couple 3/8 or 1/2 bolts for the pivot points.
The metal bar I started with strapping but I ended up changing it to 1/8" by by 1 1/4" bar stock.

I hope this helps, have a blessed day and fun making dust, Todd


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## LBussy (May 31, 2015)

todd628 said:


> Hi Lee,
> The height is based on the height of your tablesaw. The idea is to be able to slide plywood off the cart directly on to your tablesaw. I made mine about an 1 1/2" lower so it still works with a pile of lumber. So basically make up the lower section leaving the center post higher than needed. Build the upper section and lower it over the center post to where you want it. Clamp it in place drill for pivot hole slide in a couple 3/8 or 1/2 bolts for the pivot points.
> The metal bar I started with strapping but I ended up changing it to 1/8" by by 1 1/4" bar stock.
> 
> I hope this helps, have a blessed day and fun making dust, Todd


Thanks for the reply Todd. I was meaning the pivot point though where it tilts .. I would assume it's close to 2' (center of the sheet) because you would not want to but a bunch of stress on the rack as you try to tip it?


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## todd628 (Mar 8, 2015)

Hi Lee,
The tilting tables pivot point needs to be wider on the bottom than the top by a couple inches.
Otherwise the top may want to flip all the way over and dump on the floor on the opposite side.
I have rebuilt the tilting table on mine after the bottom bracket broke off and all the plywood landed on my foot (ouch). I used 7 strips of oak 3/8" X 3 1/4" laminate so as to make the bottom bracket a box joint by alternating 3/8" strips. This may be overkill for most people. I was unloading a truck and had about 20 sheets of 1/2" on the cart and I said we would stop with 2 more. We carried 2 more sheets over before I could set my end down, the driver dropped his end
with the weight of the sheets on rack and the jar of the dropped sheets it sheered both end brackets off with my foot under it breaking my foot.
So you can decide if beefing up the top is necessary or not.

I hope this is of help to you.
Have a blessed day Lee, and have some fun making some dust, Todd


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## LBussy (May 31, 2015)

Ooph ... sorry to hear about your foot!

Yes that's what I meant about the "balance," I thought that had to be the case but I wanted to be sure.

If you have an opportunity and want to share a pic of your new bottom bracket, I'd like to see it. I see these "laminated joints" more and more and I'm not clever enough to figure out how to make one myself for a different application. I'm hoping seeing more will help my creativity.

I'm not making any sawdust this week. Down in Galveston on vacation. This whole tropical storm business is getting old.


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## vindaloo (May 30, 2009)

Hope your foot heals soon Todd.


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## Straightlines (May 15, 2013)

todd628 said:


> the driver dropped his end
> with the weight of the sheets on rack and the jar of the dropped sheets it sheered both end brackets off with my foot under it breaking my foot.


Todd, that's awful! I had a broken foot and know a little about what you must be feeling. How recent was this? I hope you're healing well and not missing out on work.

Things like this remind me not to be embarrassed about making more smaller loads. Heal quickly.

-- Bradley


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

been there on the broke foot...
no envy here...
get better sooner...


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## ksidwy (Jul 13, 2013)

Best recovery Todd! God bless you!
Sid.


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## todd628 (Mar 8, 2015)

Thanks guys,
I did not have time to be hurt so I just kept going. It has healed now and that pain is gone.
Big toe nail still completely black. 

Lee, I have included some pictures of the modified unit, besides rebuilding the tilting table I also added a break to keep it in place although when loaded it does not move real easy.

Thanks again for all the wonderful comments, and have a blessed evening, Todd


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Looks good ,Todd. That sure looks stoutly built.
Herb


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## LBussy (May 31, 2015)

Wow Todd, that's almost too pretty to be a shop tool! Thanks for sharing, that makes a lot more sense now.


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## subtleaccents (Nov 5, 2011)

I must have seen the same web site that you did. Their prices were a bit too much for my pocket also.

Nice job duplicating the tilting table/cart.


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