Page 1 of 5 12345 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 64

Thread: Moving Plywood

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    NW Arkansas
    Posts
    1,951
    Blog Entries
    1

    Moving Plywood

    Ok, so having debated buying track saw to cut up MDF and plywood sheets, I've altered my thoughts back to moving the sheets around. Even with track saw this would be necessary.
    So anyone have experience with any sheet movers, i.e. Rockler material mate, or Bora Portamate, or any other mover/tilter.
    I would Slide off sheet out of Pickup and then roll to tablesaw. The cuts are initially a 8 ft rip. Which makes for fun....

    Bora Portamate looks interesting, but wheels are in line and I think would be difficult to get sheet and holder placed properly. I do have small incline at entrance to shop and an 1 inch entrance height to get over. Rockler looks better, but as with their stuff, over 3 times the cost of the Bora.
    Ideas? or other suggestions. It's only me, so no use saying get help. Ain't none coming.
    Woodworking, Old Tools and Shooting
    Ray Fine RF-1390 Laser Ray Fine 20watt Fiber Laser
    SFX 50 Watt Fiber Laser
    PM2000, Delta BS, Delta sander, Powermatic 50 jointer,
    Powermatic 100-12 planer, Rockwell 15-126 radial drill press
    Rockwell 46-450 lathe, and 2 Walker Turner RA1100 radial saws
    Jet JWS18, bandsaw Carbide Create CNC, RIA 22TCM 1911s and others

  2. #2
    Google "Crazy horse dolly"

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Falls Church, VA
    Posts
    2,335
    Blog Entries
    1
    The guys at my local woodcraft have a little dolly that is just a u-shape about 5” high and maybe 5” long with in-line skate wheels. If I didn’t have stairs to negotiate, I would make one of those.

    then to get from vertical to horizontal, somebody makes this hinged hook that goes on the left side of the saw.

    I love the crazy horse but I don’t have the floor space. If I was going to do that dolly, I would modify it so it folds flat.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Okotoks AB
    Posts
    3,495
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Roger Feeley View Post
    The guys at my local woodcraft have a little dolly that is just a u-shape about 5” high and maybe 5” long with in-line skate wheels. .
    I made one of those using a pair of 4" casters. Works great. The crazy horse would be wonderful, but it's a huge space hog to store & use.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    NE OH
    Posts
    2,615
    I have the portamate panel carrier. Your concern about the inline wheels is justified; I find it very cumbersome to negotiate the turns in my workshop. And it requires essentially a 4x8 space (more, actually, to allow for the operator) in front of whatever you are loading the sheet onto...table saw, workbench, whatever.

    I think it would be fine if you have a wide open shop with lots of clearance to move and position; not sure I know anyone like that. I've gone back to breaking down sheets in my garage with the tracksaw, where I can pull them right off the truck or trailer onto a temporary cutting table. The portamate sits in the corner for now, until I get around to peddling it.
    --I had my patience tested. I'm negative--

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Crozet, VA
    Posts
    645
    I have the rockler thing ... overall it's fine and doesn't take up a ton of space. My two minor gripes is it's pretty much only 1 sheet at a time which may or may not be an issue for you, and the locking handle is hard to access if you need to put a sheet in the vertical position after it's already secured in the horizontal ... something I do often when moving the sheets into my storage rack.
    There is a very fine line between “hobby” and “mental illness.” - Dave Barry

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Cambridge Vermont
    Posts
    2,280
    Look up "glass dolly" for an idea. Buying one wouldn't be cheap but making one would be easy. They have one large set of wheels to handle the load and a small caster on each end that are slightly higher. In the channel is rubber so the glass or wood doesn't slide. Most of the ones I've seen are made from wood but I have seen some made from aluminum. One with larger wheels like I pictured, would roll across a gravel driveway.
    SD-GD4872.jpg
    Last edited by Alex Zeller; 11-24-2021 at 2:07 PM.

  8. #8
    I'm pretty sure Larry Lee stopped selling his crazy horse dolly as it was unprofitable- too bad. If they are still available I would like to know.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Center Valley, PA USA
    Posts
    141
    I use the Festool STM 1800 Saw Table / Work Bench to move and cut down full plywood sheets. It tilts and the wheels lock so you can easily load it / unload it.

    When not in use it folds up and rolls away into a very storable, compact package.
    ===========

    James Cheever
    Ga Tech NROTC - 1978
    Run Silent, Run Deep
    Commander, USN (Retired)

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Lebanon, TN
    Posts
    1,719
    This simple solution looks promising


  11. #11
    I use a Troll 49D panel handler. https://www.amazon.com/Telpro-Troll-...55&sr=8-3&th=1

    Here is Janicewhokeepsmehumble (she is also known as MebrudderSylvesswiddashiponhischess when she helps me move heavy things) helping me move 5/8” 4’x12’ Sheetrock panels using the Troll. We moved 20 sheets, 2 at a time. Impressive Mrs. J.

    The Troll is small and maneuverable. The handle helps to lift sheets over obstacles like thresholds.
    80E9A2C5-2DB8-4394-84B7-9DA26AC8D8BC.jpg
    Last edited by Thomas Wilson; 11-24-2021 at 2:45 PM.

  12. #12
    This may not work for your space, but my shop is small without much wide open floor space and has low ceilings so me trying to lift and carry a sheet on edge is extremely uncomfortable and dangerous to my body...I store my plywood vertically, with the 8’ side parallel with the floor on top of stickers and shimmed and clamped so that it stays flat. This is because of lack of space and not because I think it’s better. When I need a sheet, I can slide it out from one end (if it’s not the one at the front) and I use a basic harbor freight furniture dolly (4 casters and some crisscrossed 1x4s lined with carpet on top.) I center it along the long side of the panel right beside it and lift one end first onto the dolly, then the other and the simply balance it and wheel it around the shop either to the sliding saw or to my scissor lift assembly table. I have it positioned low enough to simply pivot it up on the table without having to actually lift the full sheet ever in the process and make my track saw cuts there. The carpet on top of the dolly provides some non slip as well as does no damage to even prefinished panels.

    May not work for you as every shop and space is different but wheels are you friend and adjustable height work surfaces are worth their weight in gold especially when dealing with large sheet goods often.
    Still waters run deep.

  13. #13
    Meant to ask - are you storing quantities of sheet stock and typically always have an inventory of some kind sitting around or do you typically cut and process it as it comes off the truck? If yes to the first one, how do you currently store your sheet goods as this will make a difference as to how you could efficiently and safely move them. Sounds like from the OP that you are processing right off the truck, which is of course simpler and easier and could be solved with a rolling cutting table that could be used as an assembly table when not unloading sheets, but obviously have to have the space for it to live in the shop.

    I don’t have that kind of space in my shop and try to keep a small inventory (8 sheets or less typically on hand)
    Still waters run deep.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    NW Arkansas
    Posts
    1,951
    Blog Entries
    1
    Thanks for the comments.
    One sheet at a time, off truck and cut. Same day. I don't store sheets of any size as I have stupid 8ft ceilings which rules out storing vertically. The issue with the skate wheels or any other just mover, is I have to navigate into a less than 7 foot door, So even at 5'8", I have to hunker down when I carry a sheet horizontally into the shop. And If I just roll it in, 4 inches off the floor, I have to lift it horizontally. Just a REAL pain in the back. Sounds like the Porta in line is on sale for $90 for a reason..... Doesn't work. Rockler table might be worthwhile, but $330 is steep (taxes in there) And yes, they have a $50 gift card for thinks I don't need this week.

    I Might try and make up a design.... I really don't need to tilt the sheet if I slide out of truck bed....
    Thanks
    Woodworking, Old Tools and Shooting
    Ray Fine RF-1390 Laser Ray Fine 20watt Fiber Laser
    SFX 50 Watt Fiber Laser
    PM2000, Delta BS, Delta sander, Powermatic 50 jointer,
    Powermatic 100-12 planer, Rockwell 15-126 radial drill press
    Rockwell 46-450 lathe, and 2 Walker Turner RA1100 radial saws
    Jet JWS18, bandsaw Carbide Create CNC, RIA 22TCM 1911s and others

  15. #15
    We used to use a couple of panel lift devices at another shop like this https://www.amazon.com/Gator-Lift-Pl...16187369&psc=1 and this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MW5M1YX...sin_0_img&th=1 You have to carry the weight but thresholds and crap on the floor are not an issue.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •