DIY Network

Building a Carpenter's Cart Save steps — and your back — when you're moving tools and equipment.

By Mark Clement

Figure A. A Carpenter's Cart makes it easy to move and organize heavy tools and equipment.

An old carpenter once advised a greenhorn straining and grunting trying to move material to "do it the way the Egyptians would have."

The young man was confounded and didn't really know what to do. He understood the Egyptians were famous for moving some of the heaviest loads in the ancient world using only muscle and the simplest machines (unless you buy into the space-aliens-built-the-pyramids theory), but the greenhorn didn't see the connection, at least at that moment.

As the greenhorn (and by 'greenhorn,' I mean 'me') watched the older carpenter whisk away 2x10 floor joists and sheets of 3/4-inch plywood, he eventually understood that there are smart — and not-so-smart — ways for moving heavy items. What had started as a vague comment became a mission for my life on the jobsite.

From then on, I was committed to finding better ways to move things and soon found that the logic extends past the jobsite into the shop and eventually into regular life. Enter the Carpenter's Cart.

My Carpenter's Cart is a tried-and-true shop trick for moving mass easily and efficiently. It's also great in storage areas, especially if you build a bunch of them and store your stuff on them. When it comes time to dig out the wrapping paper, bowling ball or yearbook, you don't have to conduct an archeological dig. Instead just roll a few carts out of the way until you hit paydirt. If you play your cards right, you can even team two or three up to move furniture instead of dragging it across your nice floor.

Finally, the Carpenter's Cart is what designers call "scaleable." You can make it any number of sizes to suit your needs. For example, I have a small one for a heavy shop tool, while my attic carts are larger to fit the space. Add a handle for optimum steerage and you're literally ready to roll.

As for the Egyptians, it's hard to say if they had Carpenter's Carts, but it's a safe guess they'd like the notion. Here's how to build one in the modern world:

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