Panel/sheet goods carriers

ear3

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Jul 24, 2014
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I'm taking delivery of 10 sheets of 4x8 18mm BB early next week, and since they only offer curbside, I was going to do my back a solid and get a dolly/cart specifically designed for sheet goods so I can lug the things from the curb to my garage/shop.  By chance Woodpeckers is offering a sale on the Portamate:
http://www.woodpeck.com/portamatecarrier.html

Unfortunately, it doesn't ship out until the end of the month, so too late to be of use for me.  I've identified a cheaper, no-frills version via amazon that is my fall back
http://www.amazon.com/Telpro-TROLL-...e=UTF8&qid=1457647870&sr=8-8&keywords=plywood+carrier

But I'm wondering if there exists a unit similar to the Portamate.  It would be great to have the extra feature of infeed/outfeed support.
 
I must be honest.  I did not catch that you wanted to use it as a in/out feed table.  I did a google search and this image came up.  Maybe you could make your own???

[attachimg=1]

Image is from Lumberjocks.com

Eric
 

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Nice, thanks.  Unfortunately, space is at a premium in my shop (=garage), so I need something that can be folded/hung/tucked away when not in use.  The infeed/outfeed thing not absolutely necessary -- I just thought I'd kill two birds since the current foldable infeed/outfeed support stand I have is wonky.

erock said:
I must be honest.  I did not catch that you wanted to use it as a in/out feed table.  I did a google search and this image came up.  Maybe you could make your own???

[attachimg=1]

Image is from Lumberjocks.com

Eric
 
  HAHA

We posted at the same time.....my previous post is NOT a space saver.

Eric
 
Or just get your work out like the rest of us. Mine has carried untold sheets of ply. Storage is pretty small too!  [big grin]

1513d1241050298-gorilla-grip-deal-40317-08.jpg.jpg
 
    No cart in this video.  But maybe it will give you some ideas.  Plus, I bet you have a couple items using in the video laying around your shop.



Eric
 
In thinking about this,  I remembered I picked up this CART  from Fastenal.  I used this cart to get sheet goods from my truck to my shop, which is in the back yard.  This cart stays in my garage. 

  It's metal tubing.  You could cut the tubing down and drill new holes,  so that the cart would match the height of your table saw.

Here is a pic with all the plywood for the roof of my shop.

[attachimg=2]

Eric

 

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Ha.  Looks like you swiped a home depot cart and repainted it!

erock said:
In thinking about this,  I remembered I picked up this CART  from Fastenal.  I used this cart to get sheet goods from my truck to my shop, which is in the back yard.  This cart stays in my garage. 

  It's metal tubing.  You could cut the tubing down and drill new holes,  so that the cart would match the height of your table saw.

Here is a pic with all the plywood for the roof of my shop.

[attachimg=2]

Eric
 
3/4 will be around 75 lbs per sheet so there is a reason to want some wheels.  I just put it under one arm and tilt it into my body but I also don't move it that far.  10 sheets would be a workout for sure.  A simple way to take the load would be to use a skateboard (if handy) or a little movers wheeled thing (like from harbor freight) with a couple blocks on them to keep the sheets from sliding.  I would put the cart in the middle and orient the sheet vertically (4 feet way).  It won't be terrible stable but it would be easier to stabilize than to carry the sheets.  I've never tried the gorilla gripper but I would like to.  You still have the weight of the sheet, however. 

If I still cut up sheets on my table saw I would think hard about that portamate.  You might want it even if it doesn't get there in time.  It looks like it adjusts for height which would let you use it for infeed support. 

The other idea is to recruit a helper.  Two people on a sheet makes it pretty easy. 
 
Old thread I know but this popped up last time I was on YT and thought it was interesting.
It's like they took the Gorilla Grip and enlarged it 500%, inverted it, and added some large
diameter wheels plus a couple casters. :-)
 
If this video embed works, it shows a demonstration of the Bora Portamate Panel Carrier. Interestingly, the demo video from Bora does not show getting a sheet of plywood out of the truck. I bought this carrier but have not yet used it.

Bora Portamate Sheet Carrier

Rockler has these in stock for $155.
 
sroxberg said:
Just got a Grabo Pro which has lots of uses, and is amazing.

Grabo at Amazon

It's a great tool.

I've bought and used various panel lift and carrying devices. The Gorilla lift is painful for me to use a carrying tool. I prefer the old Tee shaped device for simply moving but the fixed distance from the handle to the bottom of the panel makes going up stairs kinda difficult.

The Grabo on the other hand allows you to move the handle point to nearly anywhere on the load. Much superior. It costs about five times more than the other tools but it's about ten times better.
 
But that still involves carrying the load.

The O.P. specifically said, "I was going to do my back a solid...".

So I am thinking that either a wheeled cart or a hoverboard would be called for.  (Maybe we can call in Marty McFly as a consultant.) [big grin]

I have one of these panel carriers but I almost never use it since I got the track saw. 

I slide the sheets out of my van onto a roller stand and then onto two saw horses with a sheet of panel insulation for a cutting surface.  I then size my pieces and carry them individually into the shop. 

Originally I was using the track saw to break down the sheets, but lately I am cutting direct to size and I use the pieces "as cut" with the track saw.
 
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