Transporting Wood

[Mark Roderick]

I used to have a pickup truck. Then we bought a minivan with 4x8 capacity, then another minivan with 4x8 capacity. Now we're about to get rid of the last minivan and I'm wondering how I'm going to transport wood using only a family sedan. Not just 4x8 sheet goods, but hardwoods as well.

What do you guys use? Do you buy one of those simple 4x8 trailers and park it in front of your house even though your wife hates it? I think some of those trailers even fold up.

This question must have been faced by about a million hobbyist woodworkers before me, so I'm hopeful for suggestions.

[Jamie Buxton]

There are fold-up trailers, which might be the best solution for you.

On a sedan, I've seen a rig which had a support thing attached to the rear bumper, and another attached to the front bumper. There were supports on the roof as well. It looked like it worked pretty well. A sixteen-foot 2x4 would rest on the front support, the roof supports, and the rear support. But all in all, SHMBO is less likely to appreciate this approach than the trailer.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I've seen those top of the car things that sure look flimsey. Always wondered what the weight capacity might be as well. Sure would be a bad thing to mess up the new car.

I'd go for the trailer personally, seems like there is always something besides lumber that needs hauled, and without serious cargo capacity in the sedan, maybe the trailers double duty credentials would help appease the wife?

[Gordy Anderson]

I used to have a pickup truck. Then we bought a minivan with 4x8 capacity, then another minivan with 4x8 capacity. Now we're about to get rid of the last minivan and I'm wondering how I'm going to transport wood using only a family sedan. Not just 4x8 sheet goods, but hardwoods as well.

What do you guys use? Do you buy one of those simple 4x8 trailers and park it in front of your house even though your wife hates it? I think some of those trailers even fold up.

This question must have been faced by about a million hobbyist woodworkers before me, so I'm hopeful for suggestions.

I bought a 6X12 trailer, which works great on sunny days in the summer. Now I'm looking for a 5X10 enclosed trailer so I can work other times of the year.

[Michael Pauly]

Others have already mentioned the trailer which is probably the best solution for carrying stock, but leaves you with the need to find a place to store it.

Depends how much you need to carry and how far you need to carry it. I regularly carry one to two 4x8 sheets or ~30 bf of rough lumber on the roof rack of my sedan, but I don't have to travel far or on highways to do so with the sheet goods. Just need to be very cognizant of the weight capacity of the roof and rack as well as how you lash everything down and ensure things are supported properly.

If you only need to carry stock once in a while, renting a truck (the big box stores have them for $20 for 90 minutes I think) is sometimes easier.

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

I can fit quite a bit in the wife's Yukon XL or my Acadia. For stuff that's too big or too heavy, I use a 6x10 trailer. And the wife can't say anything about it - she's the one that bought it for me :)

[Rob Diz]

I will soon be facing this issue as well - my Explorer has 127k and a "bit" of a tranny issue.

the good news for me is that there is an Enterprise near me that rents full sized PUs (F150, Silverados) for about $44/day. So while I may want to get a beater PU to have as an extra, or maybe someone's beat up work truck, the reality is that I can get a sedan and just rent the PU when I need to roll.

My real issue is that I hunt deals on CL. Sometimes, Like let's say two weeks ago, I'm up early on a Saturday, see a CL listing and show up fast to get that nice piece of heavy equipment. My sedan could not handle tipping a Woodmaster in the back. Now my Explorer did a nice job. Cash was exchanged and I was away before the next guy showed up with more money than me. :D

In the end though, I have a mobile rack I built for sheet goods and have a TON of kiln dried rough stock at my house already. I will likely miss out on some of these deals by not having a "hauler". But when I start to think about the costs of having a third car - maintenance, insurance, friends who will want to borrow it - I am really saving more there than I would spend by buying new tools anyway. It's got to cost more than a grand a year to insure and maintain a car.

A little OT, but I'll probably just rent a PU when I need it in the future and deal with my soon to be purchased used sedan.

Now if the market for PUs really falls open, I might end up getting a beater . . .

[Scott Pearson]

I have a Subaru Outback. You would be amazed at what you can strap to the top of that thing. I really do not like doing full sheets of ply but last weekend I brought home about 60 board foot of QSWO from 30 miles away. I think that was about its limit.

Scott

[Peter Scoma]

I drove A 2 seater, Z4 BMW for a few years and decided to give it up when I bought my first home this past year since I knew we would want to do some remodeling and I would be setting up a shop again and getting back to WWing. I bought a Hummer H3 and a beefy roof rack which has worked out great so far. When remodeling the basement I had 25 sheets of roc on my roof (retrospectively not the greatest idea, but...) and no problems. Inside I can fit quite a bit of material. Over xmas I hauled a bosch sliding miter saw and portable TS from NY to philly in their boxes.

To the op, maybe you have some friends who might lend you their ride???

PS

[frank shic]

just bought thule roof rack system and it works like a charm along with the ratcheting hold downs that you can buy from home depot. furthermore, everything is more stable since there are actually TWO points of contact instead of one point that i used to get from just using the bare car roof. also, the paint doesn't get scratched as easily. be prepared to fork out money for: the q towers, the crossbars and the fairing which is not optional unless you like hearing a loud roar every time you drive faster than 35 mph!

[Tom Godley]

I second the roof rack -- both the Thule and the Yakima are very nice. I also have a Thule roof box that is great -- amazing what it will hold.

I would like a little pickup -- but for the one or two times each year I really need one I also just rent from enterprise.

[David Keller NC]

"I used to have a pickup truck."

Mark - I think you've learned your lesson - never, ever sell a pickup truck unless it's to go buy a more beat-up pickup truck.:eek:

[Peter Gregory]

Best professional woodworker that I know has a little truck. If he can't haul it in that, he rents a U-Haul and charges the customer. Brilliant method IMHO.

[lou sansone]

I have a couple different Mercedes Benz Unimog trucks that do a good job of moving wood around. they are also fun to drive as well and usually bring a smile to folks who I visit

lou

[Duncan Horner]

Harbor Freight

I know the quality isn't top-notch, but I know several people who own the 4x8 fold up trailers from there, and they take a beating.

One of them hauls a 650#+ Yamaha cruiser cross-country on his.

They fold up onto a spot about 5 or 6 feet wide and about 18 inches deep, and I want to say about 5 feet tall. They have casters on the bottom when folded so you can lug them around.

[Phil Harding]

I bought one of these last summer and have used it for everything from hauling 4 x 8 sheets to heavy equipment (it has a 1000 lb capacity). When I'm done with it I unbolt it, fold it up, and store it in the garage. It's a two car garage and the trailer takes up very little space. If you catch one of Harbor Freight's crazy sales you can get one for a few hundred bucks.

-- Phil