The little cart shown in the drawing eliminates much of the toil and the potential damage that accompanies moving heavy sheet goods around the shop or on the job. I’ve found it to be especially helpful for rolling 12-ft. and 16-ft. sheets of 5/8-in. drywall through the rooms of a house. If its dimensions are increased, the cart can also be used for moving heavy timbers, stacks of floor joists, tubs, water heaters and other heavy appliances.
To make the cart, I started with four 6-in. wheels. I bought mine at a discount building-supply store for about $2 each, where they are typically sold as replacement wheels for lawnmowers (8-in. wheels were also available for $4 apiece). I also bought two 1/2-in. by 8-in. machine bolts (with nuts) for axles.
I started assembly by tightening a nut up to the unthreaded portion of each bolt. Then I cut off the remaining threaded portions of the bolts with a hacksaw. I put the wheels on the axles, dished side out, and measured the distance between them to determine the width of the cart’s body plus its sides. As shown in the drawing, a 2×4 body with 1x sides added up to the right dimension. There should be about 1/8 in. of play between each wheel and its side. I made the body about 20 in. long and attached the sides with glue and a couple of drywall screws. Then I rounded the top edges of the sides with a 1/4-in. roundover bit.
After drilling axle holes from both sides of the body with a 1/2-in. spade bit, I put the wheels on and tightened each nut with a wrench so that it jammed against the unthreaded portion of each bolt’s shank. I squirted a drop of oil on each wheel, and the little cart was ready for action.
Mark White, Birmingham, AL
