Handling Sheet Goods

[Andrew Joiner]

I positioned my panel saw right by the door of my shop. Plywood storage will be just inside the door also. To unload I back the truck right to the door and carry the plywood the least amount possible. I think one of the Gorilla Grippers is in my near future though.

-Alden

That's exactly my set up Alden. A vertical panel saw really helps in a one person shop.
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This would be great in a large shop that has room to steer the cart

http://www.workbenchmagazine.com/mai...0-caddy01.html
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For me it's more efficient to slide panels vertically from the storage rack right on to the vertical panel saw, all at the same height. No lifting, just sliding. No sliding or flipping full sheets on their faces. That can scratch them.

[Matt Meiser]

Using good technique

So you going to share those techniques with us or is it trade secret

[Mark Burnette]

So you going to share those techniques with us or is it trade secret

+1


.

[Mike Goetzke]

I have a Suburban so 4x8 panels fit inside. In my garage I have two Racor HeavyLifts. These are cable lift systems with a gear box that I drive easily with a drill/driver (250 lb. capacity). One lift I have deep in the garage that I can slide the panels from the Suburban directly to the lift. The second lift I store my track saw system bench on. When I need the wood I lower the track saw system and then the wood and slide the wood onto the track saw system table - never having to lift the sheet.

My track saw happens to be Eurekazone. I have the EZ-One bench but for breaking down ply add boards/supports to the top of it to make a table for the ply then I can use what is called a Universal Edge guide to break down the sheet goods and later use the EZ-One for crosscutting. This has worked out so well I sold my cabinet saw.


Mike

[Erik Christensen]

I have a gorilla gripper and it is great for when I have to move full sheets. Most times I back the truck to the entrance of the garage, slide sheets to cutting table (height of table = truck tailgate) with 1" foam sacrificial top, cut to rough dimension with track saw, solid wood edge band front edge if req'd & cut to finish size by trimming front edge band straight and adjacent side to 90 at MFT - run other 2 sides through table saw. I can do 3/4" 4x8 sheets of BB ply all day long at 61 yrs with this system.

[johnny means]

So you going to share those techniques with us or is it trade secret

I been trying to get Trish to make a video to post on Youtube . It's always a hoot to wee manly men snicker at her when she says she's got it, only to Gos smacked when they realize that she does have it.

[David L Morse]

I cut up those two sheets of Melamine today and was able to get some better pics of the empty cart. It's a lot narrower than most of what you'll see on the internet but That was one of my most restrictive design constraints. Normally I move material through the garage into the shop through double doors but at times there's a trailer parked in the garage and my alternate route includes two 30" doors. I had to keep the overall width at 24" max fully loaded with the platform in the transport position.

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Construction is the unremarkable combination of 2x4s bearing the weight and 7/16" OSB adding stiffness. The casters are all 2-1/2" swivels with brakes. They are too small, 3" or 3-1/2" would make for easier rolling, especially over bumps.
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The axle for the platform is a threaded 4' piece of 1/2" Galvanized pipe from the borg as are the floor flanges that are used for end caps. The spacers between the platform arms and uprights were turned from 3/4" plywood and ABS laminate. The bushings are 3/4" Copper repair couplings pressed into drilled holes in the uprights using newspaper for a snug fit.
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Originally I was going to hinge the L bracket and hold the strap with a hitch pin in order to be able to slide material off either side. After I had the hardware in hand that seemed to be overkill so I just screwed everything down, counting on planning ahead to simply orient the cart properly the first time. For the most part that's worked. If a person were to also use this as a table for breaking down sheets with a track saw or similar the hinged bracket idea might deserve some more thought.
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The platform is held in the raised position by a support angle made from 1" steel angle attached to the platform arm with a strap hinge. It has an "L" shaped cutout that keeps it firmly locked on a 1/4" bolt in that position. When the platform is lowered to the transport position the support angle rides up on the bolt into it's stowed position. I originally thought that it would be simple to find a spot on the upright for the bolt but it turned out that the bolt position is extremely critical to keeping the raised platform level as well as the stowed support angle within the 24" width envelope. By clamping the strap hinge at various points along the platform arm I was able to plot a range of possible bolt locations, but the exact position was critical. I picked a location outside the upright and attached the bolt to a piece of 3/4" Oak. I was then able to fine tune its position and screw it down. This is probably the weakest part of the design. I'm very careful moving the cart in the raised position with a load.
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Nylon twine is attached to the support angles through eyescrews so they can be disengaged from the side of the raised platform.

Lessons learned:

1. Use bigger casters.
2. The 24" maximum width caused several difficulties. Make it wider if the environment allows.
3. Extend the sheeting on the platform down to the L brackets. There is then no need for the lift handle I had to add.
4. Add bracing to the OSB top, 1x2 or 3 stiffeners. Once the sheet goods are used it becomes a 3'x4' empty table that, in my shop at least, stays empty for maybe 12 seconds, max.
5. DO NOT lock the wheels when raising the platform with a heavy load. Always check to be sure all wheels are unlocked before raising a heavy load. Don't ask how I know this.

[Curt Harms]

A track saw is very useful. Break the big sheet down into smaller chunks by bringing the tool to the sheet, not the other way around.

Yup. This seems like one of the compelling reasons to get a track saw. Slide the sheet out of the truck bed onto a cutting table or saw horses.

[Jimmy Phillips]

I use a Kubota 3010 Tractor with forks....works great!

[Jim Andrew]

Thanks, David for posting that. I had the technique down, as I worked in a cabinet shop cutting box parts from sheets, but I overdid it a few years ago and my back is not up to heavy lifting. And I buy more than just a sheet or 2 at a time, usually more like 20.

[Matt Meiser]

Yup. This seems like one of the compelling reasons to get a track saw. Slide the sheet out of the truck bed onto a cutting table or saw horses.

Even with a track saw I find that practical maybe 10% of the time in my world so a way to handle/move sheet goods is still a good thing. For me, the transition from vertical to horizontal is the hard part.

David, I might steal your design! For the L-bracket--maybe replacing it with a simple pin would suffice? You could even get fancy and put a nylon sleeve over the pin and make them into rollers.

[Harold Burrell]

This is a great thread as a lot of us are getting older...

Wait...stop right there...

Are you implying that some of us are getting younger???

[Chris Fournier]

48 years old. More broken bones and sports injuries than I care to lift, I mean list. Sheet goods helper - ADVIL.

[Cyrus Brewster 7]

I use a Kubota 3010 Tractor with forks....works great!

Hahahha! Awesome.

[ray hampton]

Thanks, David for posting that. I had the technique down, as I worked in a cabinet shop cutting box parts from sheets, but I overdid it a few years ago and my back is not up to heavy lifting. And I buy more than just a sheet or 2 at a time, usually more like 20.

do you use a pickup to haul the 20 sheets ? pickup are fun to drive when the weight in the bed raise the front wheels off of the ground