Moving 18mm sheets without killing myself

[kidwellj]

So, I've just unloaded a few sheets of 18mm birch cabinet-grade plywood and good grief that stuff is heavy. I'm reasonably fit, and have moved sheet goods before, but this stuff is another level entirely and I found myself needing a break after unloading just a few sheets from the top of our car. Given that I'm looking ahead to the prospect of having to move 30+ sheets of this stuff over the next 2 months, I've realised that I need a plan for moving sheets around without killing myself. I've got a vendor who will deliver to our house, but our driveway is pretty narrow, so I'm assuming they'll bring a 25t truck and want to dump it all in front of the garden. This means I'm going to need to move the sheets in to the house myself, possibly without a lot of help, up an incline on pavement about 100ft. I've browsed a few products on well known auction sites and retailers (search for "Heavy Duty Panel Dolly Sheet Material Trolley") but these look a bit flimsy. It seemed like a good time to consult the experts!

So... in this age of social distancing, what are folks using to move 4x8ft sheets around?

 

[shed9]

At the very least get hold of a sheet / plaster board lifter. The Roughneck plastic one will do the job and is usually under a tenner. There are going to be times where you need to move sheets without the ability to dolly it. Makes a difference in that circumstance at least.

 

[BHwoodworking]

get one person at each end of the sheet. thats more than 2 m.

joking apart though, a dolly or one of those sheet material grabber handle things is your best bet

 

[MARK.B.]

Ask you vendor to deliver on a smaller vehicle, most Merchants that deal with the general public realize that access for larger lorries will not be possible in many cases and if asked before hand or when placing the order they will try to accommodate you. . Many drivers will help if asked and the offer of a cuppa and chocky biccy can work wonders

 

[Yojevol]

• Buy 2 castors.
• Make 2 brackets.
• Screw castors to brackets.
• Clamp one at each end of sheet.
• Find mate.
• Place mate at bottom end of sheet, you at top end.
• Lift sheet onto castors.
• Instruct mate to push. (You can be foreman and pilot at the front end).

2nd thoughts - it might be more stable with 2 castors at each end

Brian

 

[AJB Temple]

I get through a lot of sheet goods (for an amateur) including BB ply various thicknesses up to 25mm. If you want to avoid damage to the boards, it is MUCH better and quicker to get a helper. My wife knows that she will be roped in to do this. We both wear gloves as birch ply can drive in some impressive splinters.

 

[Cabinetman]

Do a cash deal with the driver to give you a hand? He can lose the time on his round easily enough.
I hope it’s not a windy day!!

 

[TheUnicorn]

 

[kidwellj]

You guys are awesome! So I need to get myself a roughneck board lifter... (wish I'd known about these a few years ago), make a dolly (with some decent pneumatic wheels and a strap), and keep plenty of bribes on hand for delivery vans.

I get through a lot of sheet goods (for an amateur) including BB ply various thicknesses up to 25mm. If you want to avoid damage to the boards, it is MUCH better and quicker to get a helper. My wife knows that she will be roped in to do this. We both wear gloves as birch ply can drive in some impressive splinters.

Seriously re: splinters. Have learned this the hard way.

Ask you vendor to deliver on a smaller vehicle, most Merchants that deal with the general public realize that access for larger lorries will not be possible in many cases and if asked before hand or when placing the order they will try to accommodate you. . Many drivers will help if asked and the offer of a cuppa and chocky biccy can work wonders

Thanks for this tip Mark - had not occurred to me, re: smaller vehicle. Will def. see if this is possible as that will solve most of the issues as we could just dump it all in the garage.

 

[TRITON]

lol, i remember having to carry single sheets of gyproc from the suppliers truck down to the jobsite, dozens of the damn things. Was considerably younger then
One hand underneath, one hand on top, resting it against the bottom arm and your shoulder and dont let it bounce or it will crack in half.

 

[MARK.B.]

Take a look at the third video that TheUnicorn posted above . His clamping style is quite unique

 

[user22161]

I made up a simple dolly out of 3/4" ply about the size of a skateboard with upstands along long edges to stop boards sliding off, 4 swivel castors. Very easy to use on tarmac drive but if windy needs two people.

 

[John Brown]

Take a look at the third video that TheUnicorn posted above . His clamping style is quite unique

Might be quite unique, but not totally. I made one of those last summer, I got the clamping idea from a Roy Underhilld episode, in which he was talking about work holding methods. I actually mentioned it in this forum.

 

[TRITON]

Might be quite unique, but not totally. I made one of those last summer, I got the clamping idea from a Roy Underhilld episode, in which he was talking about work holding methods. I actually mentioned it in this forum.

I think he means the 15 clamps to hold the oak together while drying.

 

[Spectric]

The Roughneck plastic one will do the job and is usually under a tenner.

You will need long arms though,

 

[TheTiddles]

2 pneumatic wheels, a bolt, two offcuts and a clamp and you can wheel one corner whilst holding the other. Works on fire doors too

 

[Jacob]

Pair of rigger gloves helps.

 

[TheUnicorn]

Might be quite unique, but not totally. I made one of those last summer, I got the clamping idea from a Roy Underhilld episode, in which he was talking about work holding methods. I actually mentioned it in this forum.

Cam clamps in various forms seem to be a common enough idea, popular on homemade jigs and contraptions, youtube is full of them, and wedge clamps. I don't know why they are not more commonplace on commercially produced products. Maybe not very hardwearing?

 

[robgul]

Interesting - we've just had new granite kitchen worktops and the chaps had a similar dolly gadget the was somehow hinged in the middle so that when the sheet went in it closed and gripped the granite (the other nifty thing with the granite that had a sink cutout and was thus weakened was a 3m long piece of 30mm aluminium channel that that they slipped onto each long edge before lifting the piece)

 

[MARK.B.]

I think he means the 15 clamps to hold the oak together while drying.

I did it was ment in jest as the maker of the video was clearly just having a bit of fun