Plywood sheets often are too large to carry comfortably. There are plywood handling devices available from tool suppliers, but I found a way to transport 4×8 sheet goods using items found in my shop.

Simply take a piece of 18 ga. or thicker steel strap, about 1 in. wide by 2 in. long (an A Angle-A21Z from Simpson Strong Tie, www.strongtie.com, works well), and bend it into a J-hook. Drill a hole in the long side and, using a machine screw and a nut, attach the strap through the hole at the end of a standard handsaw.

To use, reach over a sheet of plywood with the handsaw, grab the bottom edge with the J-hook, and lift. With the plywood balanced and tucked under your fully extended arm, you can almost carry the piece one-handed. Alternatively, the hook can be reversed to allow lifting with the saw on the near side of the panel. And, when you want to use the saw for cutting, the J-hook isn’t in the way.

Drawings by Jim Richey.

Drawings by Jim Richey

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