Moving 18mm sheets without killing myself

[Cabinetman]

That’s a clever bit of kit Phil, if you hadn’t told me otherwise I would’ve said that could easily snap a chunk out of plasterboard, so interesting thanks, and easier to fit than the ones that go on the bottom edge of the board. Ian

 

[Ozi]

You may have just saved me! I have 3 sheets of 1" hard wood ply on order that will need to be carried about 40 yards

 

[gcusick]

Axminster do a panel lifter - goes under the board - but made of metal, with a longer arm than the plastic ones. I’ve used it to move 18mm ply pretty easily.

 

[Inspector]

MDF weighs a third more than birch plywood so I find it lot worse to handle and move around. I have a couple different panel lifters, a metal one and a plastic version. I prefer the metal one but with either you need to remember to put something on the floor to set the sheet on to get the lifter out. I'm going to get a couple forks that clamp to the tractor bucket for moving sheets and boards any distance.

Pete

 

[mikej460]

MDF weighs a third more than birch plywood so I find it lot worse to handle and move around. I have a couple different panel lifters, a metal one and a plastic version. I prefer the metal one but with either you need to remember to put something on the floor to set the sheet on to get the lifter out. I'm going to get a couple forks that clamp to the tractor bucket for moving sheets and boards any distance.

Pete

yes but you've still got to get it off the forks and into your shop/bench/rack. Mauling 2 full sheets of 18mm birch ply across the garden made me realise I'm not as strong as I was

 

[Inspector]

Slide them off the pick up truck box and on to a pallet, forked on the tractor at the box height. Drive around to the shop deck, 1 metre off the ground, positioned to slide them a little to be picked up with the panel lifter and walk 15 feet through the double doors into the shop. Easy if the wind is not blowing over 20K. If it is stand upwind. I'm 67 and no where as strong as I was once upon a time. Someday if needed I'll make a cart to drop them on in the front yard and fork it to the shop and put it directly on the deck to wheel inside. Deck is wider than the plywood/MDF. I know I'm lucky to have the room to drive right to the shop deck and have a tractor. Must use ones brains rather than back.

Pete

 

[Garno]

Given that I'm looking ahead to the prospect of having to move 30+ sheets of this stuff over the next 2 months,

Easily done,

One sheet every two days

 

[Inspector]

Or hire a helicopter to sling them in. Shouldn't cost more than a couple thousand pounds and you'll have all the leaves blown out of the gutters.

 

[houtslager]

I feel your pain , as getting old ain't for wimps ! Years ago I had half a pallet of 18mm plywood to shift into my shop , saw this gadget and boy, was I glad I bought it, been doing good service since. Once all in the rack, when I need to break down a sheet it goes on the carrier, wheel it to the RS , tilt the arm and its at the right height to push throught the TS.

https://boratool.com/portamate-pm-1800-panel-carrier
Hth, Karl

 

[mikej460]

I feel your pain , as getting old ain't for wimps ! Years ago I had half a pallet of 18mm plywood to shift into my shop , saw this gadget and boy, was I glad I bought it, been doing good service since. Once all in the rack, when I need to break down a sheet it goes on the carrier, wheel it to the RS , tilt the arm and its at the right height to push throught the TS.

https://boratool.com/portamate-pm-1800-panel-carrier
Hth, Karl

Now that looks the business! Did you buy it in the UK? If so where from?

 

[Sheptonphil]

That’s a clever bit of kit Phil, if you hadn’t told me otherwise I would’ve said that could easily snap a chunk out of plasterboard, so interesting thanks, and easier to fit than the ones that go on the bottom edge of the board. Ian

Not one damaged sheet. I’m certainly not as strong in the arm as I used to be, and with the sheet in balance, the big muscles in arm and leg are doing all the lifting. Fingers, wrist and back don’t take any strain.

 

[kidwellj]

Some sort of toggle clamp would do it

A hinge and a clamp. It really is as simple as it sounds. I fitted a fire door for a near neighbour, I knew it would be hard to carry it 300 metres alone, so two wheels, a bolt and two pieces of scrap clamped to the corner worked just fine. It’s actually still in the garage just in case despite it being a one-time fix

Thanks for these suggestions - either of you got a photo or link to specific hardware? I've also seen the Dewalt version, which seems like a relatively simple example of the hinge, just not certain about weight bearing capacities...

 

[kidwellj]

If you can afford a crate of 18mm birch plywood just to make cabinets you can afford local labour to help out. Get a grip!

Pun appreciated. But why the grouchy tone? I'm paying £35/sheet for ply - is this somehow weirdly extravagant? Seemed pretty reasonable to me, esp. with bulk discount.

 

[kidwellj]

This YouTube video is useful for showing how to easily get the ply sheet onto the bench. He has a purpose built hook attached to the bench. From minute 1.43 shows it.

Love it. Wish I had a garage!

 

[kidwellj]

Axminster do a panel lifter - goes under the board - but made of metal, with a longer arm than the plastic ones. I’ve used it to move 18mm ply pretty easily.

Do you mean this one?

https://www.axminstertools.com/axminster-drywall-panel-lifter-505093
Amazing how many tools have been engineered for this problem...!

 

[MARK.B.]

Type in Toggle Clamp on any of the selling sites and you will get a large number of pic's of those available, the boards only need holding in place, so massive amounts of clamping pressure are not needed.

 

[powertools]

Many years ago we moved a 10ft x 6ft shed 40mts across the garden there was no way that the wife and I could carry it so I cut a slot in the base of a sack barrow and it worked a treat.
Since then I have moved many fence panels and sheets of ply wood with it and the best thing is that it is still usable as a sack barrow ao in effect it is a no cost solution.
Having lived outside for many years it is now a bit worse for wear but still works.

 

[TheUnicorn]

Many years ago we moved a 10ft x 6ft shed 40mts across the garden there was no way that the wife and I could carry it so I cut a slot in the base of a sack barrow and it worked a treat.
Since then I have moved many fence panels and sheets of ply wood with it and the best thing is that it is still usable as a sack barrow ao in effect it is a no cost solution.
Having lived outside for many years it is now a bit worse for wear but still works.

View attachment 105556

really confused, how did that help move a shed?

 

[powertools]

really confused, how did that help move a shed?

Lay the sack barrow down on the ground slide the panel on to it with the centre just above the axel and you are good to go.

 

[TheUnicorn]

Lay the sack barrow down on the ground slide the panel on to it with the centre just above the axel and you are good to go.

that makes sense, I've seen sheds picked up and moved by maybe 6 people so I had in mind that you were moving it in one piece