Panel cart... sweet

[Ajcoholic]

At the IWF show in 2014, I was looking at a panel handling cart from the US company SHopcarts. This year I saw it again, but ordered it. Just got it today.

It can carry 12 sheets of 3/4" 4x8 material, and load in horizontally, wheel over to the sliding panel saw and lower back to horizontal and a hydraulic foot pump can raise it up in 3/4" increments to allow easy handling to the saw.

Im turning 46 next weekend. My back is telling me, carrying 20+ sheets of 85 pound material from my storage to the saw (about 50 feet) isn't as fun as it was in years past.. lol. Also, both my guys have had some issues with back or legs. Were all getting "old" (yes I know it is relative).

Anything that can save wear and tear on the body makes work more enjoyable and safe.

I think this will be a valuable addition to the shop.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j307/ajcoholic/ajcoholic031/image133_zpsmmwbvjkl.jpg (http://s83.photobucket.com/user/ajcoholic/media/ajcoholic031/image133_zpsmmwbvjkl.jpg.html)

[Ajcoholic]

Link, if anyone is interested..

http://www.shopcartsusa.com/Product-PanelHandler.html

[knight_toolworks]

I had a tilt cart but it took up too much room. Now I have three regular sheetrock carts bigger wheels and can hold more material. on heavy stock I have a simple electric wench to lift it up. I got the courts for 159.00 on amazon. I have a steep slope and rough concrete to go over. now I can load the unit of plywood off the truck right on the cart so it makes life easier. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JMP1KK8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Bob Eustace]

Brilliant idea Andrew - thanks for posting. Our team all have crook backs and knees so we are looking at FAR infrared sauna. Worth researching - anythings better than more pills!

[guitarwes]

I work in radiology imaging in the medical field (my real job). Anything that you can use that makes ANYTHING easier on the body will pay off in dividends later on in life. Low back and knees are routinely imaged ALOT, especially blue collar laborer type jobs. When you're young you can lift anything and you do it because it may be seen as wimpy to use such helpful devices in the OP, but the sooner you use those things the slower your body will wear out.

[dmidkiff]

Andrew, are you saying that you can put 12 sheets on the cart like the 2 sheets in the pic and still flip it horizontal ? One man?

[Ajcoholic]

They claim up to 12 sheets of veneer core 3/4" 4'x8' panels. Up to 1000 pounds max. Or they told me normally guys put up to 8 or 9 particle core panels (or mdf).

I just threw 2 sheets of 3/4 particle core maple, to try it out and show my guys. It is very well balanced, IE, it can be lowered horizontally or put back to vertical yes by one guy. Ill throw more ply onto it next week and see. Its well built. Most of the import carts I have, have crappy casters and look like a blind welder put them together. This thing looks really good. Not cheap (a grand US$$, plus it was $440 to ship to me) but I believe it will help a lot.

[dmidkiff]

Thanks Andrew. It does look well built.

[Ajcoholic]

Thanks Andrew. It does look well built.

The cart has a lock (not on the casters, a separate one) to prevent moving when loading up.

The carriage/moving part that the material sits on, locks automatically in the vertical or horizontal position. Vertically, if the hydraulic cylinder is set all the way down, it locks in place until you give one pump, then it can be lowered to horizontal position. Horizontal lock is by a pin that you have to pull out to allow the cart to be swung back to vertical.

I have some cabinets to start building this week. Ill throw more material on the cart and tell you how it actually performs in action. To and from the saw, etc.

[tri4sale]

. Not cheap (a grand US$$, plus it was $440 to ship to me) but I believe it will help a lot.

a LOT cheaper than one workers comp claim when a guy throws out his back moving a sheet of wood.

[knight_toolworks]

when I made one it was easy to make sure it pivots well but it requires 4' material anything smaller will not. I just loaded 8 sheets of paperstone (it was 96x30) so my tilt cart won't help. plus the room to use a tilt cart is tough.

[waynelocke]

I have used one for over 15 years and find it indispensible. The hydraulics make it easy to raise material to the proper height to slide onto the tablesaw or SB. I work by myself and being decades beyond macho try to never lift full size panels. I have a trolley with a Harbor Freight electric hoist and load material from my truck or trailer directly to the Shopcart. Even fully loaded I can flip it vertical to horizontal or back and also roll it around. They are expensive but well made and trouble free. I actually have a second one which I bought at an auction for $300.

[Ajcoholic]

OK so I went back to work today for 3 hours, to do some spraying. In between coats, I played a bit with the cart.

Loaded 8 sheets of 3/4", particle core maple veneer. I believe the weight is pushing 90 lbs per sheet. I had 8 left in the lift so I put those onto the Shopcart, to see how things would be.

Going from vertical to horizontal is easy, as it is weighted to want to drop to the horiz position after you start to rotate the unit. I could still go from horizontal to vertical without too much effort although you have to reach under, pull the pin and then lift up for a bit until it wants to drop back to the vertical position. However, you could tell there was some serious weight on there. I could easily wheel the cart around my shop. I think for me, 6 sheets of PC or 8 or 9 of veneer core would be a good max. No sense pushing this thing to its limits as it is unnecessary and I can also take 6 to the saw and go back for more.

The cart seems to work really well.

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j307/ajcoholic/ajcoholic032/image86_zpslnrvmtdy.jpg (http://s83.photobucket.com/user/ajcoholic/media/ajcoholic032/image86_zpslnrvmtdy.jpg.html)

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j307/ajcoholic/ajcoholic032/image77_zpsifnihe3z.jpg (http://s83.photobucket.com/user/ajcoholic/media/ajcoholic032/image77_zpsifnihe3z.jpg.html)

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j307/ajcoholic/ajcoholic032/image96_zpss2zjdpyf.jpg (http://s83.photobucket.com/user/ajcoholic/media/ajcoholic032/image96_zpss2zjdpyf.jpg.html)

[dmidkiff]

Thanks Andrew for giving a demo. Is that chrome piece the brake you talked about?

Wayne, I don't remember seeing your cart as many times as I've been in your shop.

[Ajcoholic]

Thanks Andrew for giving a demo. Is that chrome piece the brake you talked about?

Wayne, I don't remember seeing your cart as many times as I've been in your shop.

That's correct. Press down to lock, give it a kick to unlock. Works well.

[waynelocke]

Dave,
i put them aunder the shop for the camps.

[dlcw]

Ouch on price. My air lift for my assembly table cost half that and can lift 2000lbs. I would get this if it wasn't so expensive. Thanks for the info Andrew. If I come into some money I might give it a whirl.

[dmidkiff]

Thanks Wayne.

[nat_wheatley]

While I'll agree it does seem pricey, having owned a similar one for 10+ years, I wouldn't want to be without one for processing sheetgoods in a production environment.

[knight_toolworks]

While I'll agree it does seem pricey, having owned a similar one for 10+ years, I wouldn't want to be without one for processing sheetgoods in a production environment.
if I had room I would have them but I don't so I figure out a different way. can't moe material well when it is horizontal so I bought and made carts that work well vertical. a harbor freight wench and a track and a gorilla grip does most of my heavy lifting.

[Ajcoholic]

Ouch on price. My air lift for my assembly table cost half that and can lift 2000lbs. I would get this if it wasn't so expensive. Thanks for the info Andrew. If I come into some money I might give it a whirl.

I figure the cost is going to recoup itself the first time I dont pull something in my back. Every day I cant work, I lose close to what this cart cost me. Two days lost time I dont have to deal with and its paid for itself.

Ive been fighting a pulled muscle in my back for 5 weeks now. Although it hasnt made me take time off, it has slowed me down. Started back in August, right before the IWF. Seeing this there, I decided I am not getting younger or stronger. I never appreciated back pain until I had some serious enough to put me out of commission for a few days (within the last year). I move an awful lot of sheet goods in a year, in our shop. Several hundred sheets per year. Every sheet a chance to "tweak" something that might have been preventable. At least thats the way I look at it.

In my old shop our material storage was closer to the panel saw. In my current shop, I am a good 40 to 50 feet away from the storage to the saw. Makes a huge difference. In the old shop I wouldnt have thought it necessary.

[knight_toolworks]

this is my setup I have three of these carts I can get a unit of plywood on two carts they fit in my small shop and go down my steep ramp.
even if I load the wood I only have to do one end at a time.
http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=28975&stc=1