Material handling

[yobot]

When I planned the installation of my SB, I did so with workflow considerations being primary in determining location.

Part of that plan included a scissor lift for feeding flat goods into the "in" side of the bot. The flat goods would be stacked in bulk on the lift, and it raised, sheet by sheet, to feed the bot by simply sliding the material from the top of the stack onto the bot.

I never got around to getting the lift, but I have started shopping, especially since there is an ever-present stack of material at the "in" side of the bot now. and at 52, I am ready to reduce the number of times I have to lift and handle full size sheet goods. I am in good shape, but I have two herniated disks (ironically from weightlifting) that get aggravated with certain movements.

All this is a setup to ask a simple question; If there is anyone here using a lift, and if so, would you mind sharing your experience with it? I am interested in finding a sturdy unit (needs to handle about 2500 pounds) at a reasonable cost.

All the best,
David

[waynelocke]

Search the forum. Some people have constructed their own. I use a Shopcart, http://www.shopcartsusa.com/. These are a little over $1000 plus shipping but are heavy duty and come assembled and ready to go. Haffale seems to have a similar cart for about half the cost unassembled although I have never seen one.

These carts hold about 10 sheets of 3/4" panels and can pivot from vertical to horizontal. They have a hydraulic scissor mechanism which can raise and lower the material. These work great and I have rarely lifted a full sheet since getting one 5 or 6 years ago.

[wberminio]

Wayne
I've had the same one for 10 years+.Works great.
Used it Pre-Shopbot with table saw,then panel saw-Sometimes I load it right form the truck roll it to the Bot- swivel it horizontally- raise it and slide the panel right onto my table.
David I agree- anything is better than lifting

The Shopcart is a heavy duty tool.I haven't seen Haffele's,either.Don't know if it is as capable.


Erminio

[myxpykalix]

David,
I would never pay that kind of money for something like that but what i would do is go down to your local Lowes or Home Depot and ask management if they have a broken one that they might give you. Usually it is a bad wheel which is easily fixed and you could have a local welder make a frame you could attach that pivots for less than $100.
You might also check local auctions for something you could adapt. I bought this one for $5.00 at my local university surplus auction

8836

[gabepari]

Jack, does yours move up and down?

Neither do the ones from the orange colored labor centers
Also, the box stores repair their carts until they are basically unrecognizable.

Gabe

[porscheman]

I too looked into the tilting panel carts made by Shopcarts. I first saw their booth at the 2000 IWF show and was preparing to order one when I saw the same cart sitting in the Hafele booth (only painted red instead of blue). I went back and forth between the two booths and compared every aspect of their design and construction and could see no differences. Though I don't think it is the case, it looks like they are made by the same manufacturer and painted different colors.

Long story short, I purchased the Hafele unit (I believe their show price was $400 including free shipping). Though I did have to assemble it (maybe 30 minutes labor), it has been the single best labor savings purchase I've ever made (not counting powered machinery). No problems over 8 years of use and it has moved many hundreds of panels. When my shop size increases in the next year or so, purchase of a second panel cart is at the top of my list.

My process is to bring in sheet goods laying flat in my pickup. The cart is flipped to the horizontal position and rolled up to the back of the truck, where the sheets are simply slid right onto the cart (no lifting). After loading, the cart/panels are flipped to the vertical position (to reduce floorspace) if I'm not going to process the panels right away. When ready for processing on my tablesaw (and now on my Bot!!), the cart/panels are flipped horizontal and slid onto the machine.

A couple of other notes and ideas here might help. The adjustable height feature of the panel cart led me to build an assembly platform that I can place on the panel cart (when it's not full of sheet goods). I can adjust the height of the whole platform and then assemble cabinets or other components - it's a nice ergonomic approach that has worked well.

Finally, the other utility cart that has been working well for me in the last few years is a hydraulic scissor-lift platfrom cart that I purchased from Harbor Freight. For around $180, I got a cart with a 3' x 2' surface that can go from 11" high to 52" high and has a 800 pound capacity. Since I often work alone, I've used it to transfer heavy cabinet/furniture components that were assembled on my workbench onto the floor, into the finishing room, or into my truck/van. It's also been a workhorse to move bags of quick-mix concrete and bundles of roofing shingles. The adjustable height feature means that I'm never stooping over to pick up the heavy items that go onto the cart - I just raise the platform height and pick items up from a comfortable level.

I guess this all falls under the "working smarter, not harder" paradigm....

John

[beacon14]

Hafele had other types of carts at the recent IWF but the panel cart was conspicuously absent. Shopcarts had their model which has had some substantial improvements in durability (and a price increase). When I asked someone in the Hafele booth they said they are not currently selling the flip cart due to some quality issues with their manufacturer. They hope to resume selling them sometime in the future but I got the feeling one should not hold one's breath while waiting. I bought one of Hafele's carts 4-5 years ago when I set up my current shop and I can attest to the fact that they had quality issues although my cart is still working OK. If/when it finally falls apart I will buy another one from Shopcarts at whatever price they are asking. Much cheaper than a broken back.

[cabnet636]

my hafele cart at the price was worth it but the wheels have never really rolled right and after alway's recieving excellent quality from hafele i too was dissapointed in the cart! it is not the first one the guys will use when a cart is needed.

jim

[wberminio]

As far as making your own-

Going to Homepot-finding a manager-explaining what you want....2-4hours
Finding a broken cart..bringing it to shop-finding wheels to replace...replace broken parts 2-4 hours
Figuring out how to rotate,raise,lower cart -2-4 hours
Locating the mechanical parts-fabricating-welding
4-8 hours...................

Shopcart Delivered ready to use 15min to unload

Erminio

[yobot]

I have taken a close look at the Hafele (assembly drawings from their website) and the Shopcart (pictures) and there is little doubt that the current version of the Shopcart is more substantial.

My concerns with the shop cart is the limited weight handling as my target capacity was 20 sheets of 3/4 MDF. Secondly, even if I limit myself to ten sheets at a time, I can't see myself using one of the 4' models for storing 8' goods, and the extension "arms" for the extended length version (looking at the online photos), appear flimsy to me.

Does the shorter version of the Shopcart have an issue with bowing of the material as the load is removed?

I was glad to see the scissor-like support under the Shopcart. I like the idea of the tilting top for loading. My initial plan with a scissor lift was to simply use an extended wheeled pallet jack to transport the material to the lift. I can get a decent 2200 pound electric/hydraulic scissor lift for about $1,400, and I already have a vertical plywood cart and pallet jack, so I guess the question is whether I need the tilt feature or not.

If Shopcart was selling their 8' model for $700, I would order one right now. I'm not so sure that the "Expanded Bed Panel Handler @ $1200, nor the "Solid Surface Handler" @ $1495 are price justified.

I don't have any qualms with buying what I need, but I do like to believe that I have received items of value at least reasonably equal to what I paid for them.

Maybe if they paid shipping it would seem a better value to me.

I'm still thinking about it :-)

Thanks for all the great input!

David

[waynelocke]

I have used my Shopcart with 10 ft material and also 5' wide panels. The wider panels are harder to flip because the pivot point is located for 4' wide panels.

I agree that the price is high but the Shopcart is welded and not bolted like the Haffale seems to be.

The older I get, the more I view material handling tools as important as my other tools.

I have a hoist on a trolley and unload all of my panels with the hoist and load them directly on the cart. I also use the cart for storing materials because I can move them around.

You can certainly find other things which will work and but I can't think of anything I would change on my Shopcarts if I were designing something.

I have two Shopcarts. One I bought new and one I bought at an auction for $300.