# Need a Handle?



## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Here is a new product that could come in handy, ,made in USA.

https://add-a-handle.com/

Herb


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

$19.99 each? I could make a dozen for less than that. If I wanted one that is.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Sheeesh , why didn't I think of that !


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## Shop guy (Nov 22, 2012)

I don't know Rick. I was asking my self the same question as I have so many times.


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## Poloris (May 7, 2017)

Its not April first.
It can't be a appliance for the disabled because you need all your fingers to use it.
I'm bewildered.
Mark


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

I have a disabled 46 year old son with muscular coordination problems. He can pick up things and carry them, but has trouble determining the force necessary to avoid crushing things like 2 liter soda bottles, but he does much better when these things have handles. I'm going to buy a couple of these to see if they will help him. I'm quite certain that they will.

Thanks for the link, Herb.

Charley


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## TenGees (Sep 12, 2012)

Herb, make your own. I've seen your lock hasps, this would be similar.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

TenGees said:


> Herb, make your own. I've seen your lock hasps, this would be similar.


Paul I sure could have used those years ago when I was stacking roofs to hang the cords and skilsaw on. might have saved a few wormdrives from early retirement.

I would make them out of BB plywood, but I bet the cost would be more to make than buying the webbing and making them your self. Might not be as strong either.
Herb


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## schnewj (Nov 18, 2013)

Herb Stoops said:


> Paul I sure could have used those years ago when I was stacking roofs to hang the cords and skilsaw on. might have saved a few wormdrives from early retirement.
> 
> I would make them out of BB plywood, but I bet the cost would be more to make than buying the webbing and making them your self. Might not be as strong either.
> Herb


I have to agree with Herb. Yes, you could make them, but the cost of the materials and your time, if you would choose to add that, may not be cost effective. High impact, injection molded plastic has a tendency to be very strong, and deterioration resistant. The cost of the Velcro straps (not just strips of Velcro) are not cheap, either.

The problem I see is using them on larger plastic liquid containers. These can become very flimsy as the liquid (and the pressure inside) lessens. The straps may become loose and lose their grip on the container.

Still a pretty neat idea and open to a lot of uses.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

schnewj said:


> I have to agree with Herb. Yes, you could make them, but the cost of the materials and your time, if you would choose to add that, may not be cost effective. High impact, injection molded plastic has a tendency to be very strong, and deterioration resistant. The cost of the Velcro straps (not just strips of Velcro) are not cheap, either.
> 
> The problem I see is using them on larger plastic liquid containers. These can become very flimsy as the liquid (and the pressure inside) lessens. The straps may become loose and lose their grip on the container.
> 
> Still a pretty neat idea and open to a lot of uses.



I agree if you were pouring a toxic liquid,bleach,ammonia, acid,etc. it might become unsafe, I had not thought of that. 
Good catch, Bill, but to be expected of an old Safety Engineer.
Herb


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

The Company in Herb's link http://redirect.viglink.com/?format...- Router Forums&txt=https://add-a-handle.com/

doesn't seem to be fully in business yet, but you can buy direct from their website with free shipping and no taxes or buy these on Amazon for the same price of $19.95, but with $6.95 shipping. I'm an Amazon Prime member and they still want the shipping price from me. I'm showing the website to my son to see if he thinks it will help him. Then I'll buy one from their website.

At $19.95 I think it's a bit on the expensive side, but I'll buy one to see how good it is.

Charley


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Be sure to follow up with a review, Charley, I have been thinking of going for them too.


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

Looks pretty handy if you are caught up a tree!


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

For a fair number of the 'uses' they show, I could either just as easily do without, or figure out a substitute. For bottles tho, I think just make a handle out of plywood, make a bottom for the bottle to sit on, then elastic straps, Velcro straps, large hose clamps, or just a bit of tape, and viola, it's done. You could even make a hinged top with a hole, to fit over the top of a bottle, then hold it down with a latch, strap, bolt and wingnut, whatever. This is just one of those things I would not buy. Anyway, I prefer to make my own version of things if I can. I even make my own mouth wash, from an old recipe, and it not only freshens my mouth well, it stopped my gums from bleeding. If I still drank I'd be making my own beer and wine too. And no, I don't use pot, so don't grow it.


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## jj777746 (Jan 17, 2015)

@JOAT,Should have read your reply re making a similar gadget before I sent an Email asking if it is available in Australia. I take a cup of tea in for Mrs.jj every morning & am having to stop doing this unless I can use my "walker".I use two walking sticks all the time except for the wife's tea-in-bed ritual so a handle attached to my walker should work o.k. I should have also said at the beginning that using one stick while carrying anything in the other hand is extremely hard to tolerate ,and getting worse.Thanks Theo.James


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## AndyL (Jun 3, 2011)

schnewj said:


> The problem I see is using them on larger plastic liquid containers. These can become very flimsy as the liquid (and the pressure inside) lessens. The straps may become loose and lose their grip on the container.


Some kind of rubberised backing on the straps would help there. Don't know whether they have something like that.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

jj777746 said:


> @JOAT,Should have read your reply re making a similar gadget before I sent an Email asking if it is available in Australia. I take a cup of tea in for Mrs.jj every morning & am having to stop doing this unless I can use my "walker".I use two walking sticks all the time except for the wife's tea-in-bed ritual so a handle attached to my walker should work o.k. I should have also said at the beginning that using one stick while carrying anything in the other hand is extremely hard to tolerate ,and getting worse.Thanks Theo.James


Oh my, I screwed up. I helped someone. LOL Well, I figure stuff like that is made to please the designer, but they usually don't please me, which is one reason for making my own version, that and it's more fun making my own. I can think of several options for taking in the tea. One is NOT fastening the tea carrier, or whatever, to one of your canes. I've found that carrying something at the top of my cane throws the cane way off and it is harder to maneuver. If you have a walker that you lift and move, then I would think that is not going to do well either. However, if you have one of the walkers with wheels, I think that would have great potential. But, if you want something a bit classier, I think a small wooden tea caddy on wheels should work. I know when I go to a store and use a shopping cart I actually do better than if I used my cane - can lean on the cart when I get a bit tired or stop to look at something, and when I walk use both hands on it. So I think a wheeled tea caddy/cart might work. On the other hand, might well be easier to carry the tea in a thermos, in a cloth carrier with a strap that will go over your head and be carried on the opposite side. I would advise a non-breakable cup and saucer tho, you could make a satchel to carry those, and the thermos. No need to sew anything, awhile back I made a pretty fair size laundry bag, to carry my stuff to my son's to wash while my washer is not working, and made the entire thing out of old denim pants, and held with Titebond II wood glue. Holds together just great. I've patched holes in pants and jackets with patches and Titebond, and as long as you don't pull on the patch when it comes out of the washer, it will be as strong as ever once it comes out of the dryer. I've got stuff several years old still holding up very well. 

I think the only other thing I have is use canes long enough. All the cane sites have the same info, word for word on selecting cane length. Supposedly a 6' man needs a 36" cane. That is BS. I am 5'7" and started with making 36" canes. Going up steps, not long enough to give a good push. When to 37", then 38", and my next canes will be 40", and they should be about right. When I go up steps, I put the cane on the same step I stand on, put on foot on the next step, and when I move up, push with the cane. Just now I am using a 37" cane, lost the 38" by putting it on top of my Jeep and then forgetting it when I left. Now first thing I do is toss my cane in the Jeep. LOL The 37" cane is not long enough, when I get on the next step, I have to bend over a bit to keep the cane on the lower step. With a 40" cane I will be able to stand up perfectly straight on a step, and still have my cane firmly on the step below. Helps with balance as well as helping push. I have also found that gripping the cane handle with the last three fingers, and holding the cane shaft with my thumb and first finger give me much better control on where I place the cane tip. Oh yes, my canes are all square, which stops them from rolling off a table or counter.


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## jj777746 (Jan 17, 2015)

My walker has 4 wheels & a small wire basket & use it in my garage/shop to carry stuff around.I could bring it up stairs but I like the tea caddie idea better.Can't believe I didn't think of it before as my dear grandma Driscoll used to have one & if I cant make one I might as well give up.Will get one of my "kids"to post a pic when it's done.Thanks again Theo,you've been a great help & the denim/Titebond 11 wood glue hack is a beaut.Jamesjj


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

No problem James. But was going to look up some images, and post one or two designs you might like. Turns out a tea caddy is a box for holding tea. What you want is a tea cart, or tea trolly. And you are going to have to look up your own designs, because there is a load of them out there. 

I forgot to mention, I have also used glue to make inside carry pockets in several of my jackets and vest. I pick colors that match the original colors. Have also used sections of pants legs to make small cloth bags for tool bags, to carry my rolled coins to the bank, rifle rests. I even covered a manila file folder with a piece of cloth, to make it much more durable, looks better too.


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## jj777746 (Jan 17, 2015)

The last Tea Trolley picture is exactly like my late Nanna's except for the big wheels.Her's had 4 casters instead & it was called a "trolley"not a "Caddie",my mistake.The top was a tea tray which was removable.Thanks for posting all the picturesTheo,especially the last one.It's the one I'm gonna make except for the large wheels.Your hints for using glue to fasten denim & other materials is also welcome as we live near the sea & things go rusty in a hurry here so I'll be making a stack of bags to put tools etc.in.All the best,James.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

It looks to me like the large wheels are in the front, which doesn't make much sense to me. In the front, I don't think it would maneuver well; in the rear I would think it would maneuver well, and look better too. But, if I were making one I might go with all casters too. Maybe. The tray is removable on that one too, which I like.
Google is our friend. :smile:


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

JOAT said:


> No problem James. But was going to look up some images, and post one or two designs you might like. Turns out a tea caddy is a box for holding tea. What you want is a tea cart, or tea trolly. And you are going to have to look up your own designs, because there is a load of them out there.
> 
> I forgot to mention, I have also used glue to make inside carry pockets in several of my jackets and vest. I pick colors that match the original colors. Have also used sections of pants legs to make small cloth bags for tool bags, to carry my rolled coins to the bank, rifle rests. I even covered a manila file folder with a piece of cloth, to make it much more durable, looks better too.


I'll take one of each.
Herb


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