Replies

1. 
   Scrit | Oct 07, 2003 03:06am | #1

   There is already a patented design in the UK called the Panel mate - see this link http://www.ukok.com/panelmate/ for details

   Scrit

1. 
   ron61 | Oct 08, 2003 02:09am | #13

   Sorry Guys I posted before looking at the link - nows that's pretty slick- boy that sure would have saved me a  lots of trips to the Chiropractor.

   I guess I am still living in the Stone Age

   Ron

   Who Ever Has The Biggest Pile Of Tools When You Die Wins

2. 
   SgianDubh | Oct 07, 2003 03:35am | #2

   Tim, at about $450, I think I'd just buy one rather than spend a couple of days doing the head-scratching and building one, plust the cost of materials. Of course, you may just like a challenge, ha, ha?

   For similar reasons I don't bother doing car maintenance anymore-- haven't done for over 20 years. That's what a garage is for, and while they're working on my car, I work on what I get paid for-- furniture making.

   Hafele usually have one of these things at about US$450, and their subcontractor has already worked out the engineering wrinkles for you. There are other suppliers, but their names escape me right now.  Slainte.

   Website

1. 
   Timagain | Oct 07, 2003 11:01am | #3

   Thanks for your help.  Hafele UK don't seem to stock what you describe.  If you can think of the ither supppliers then many thanks.  Certainly Scrit's suggestion is spot on but I don't have a £1000 which appears to be the cost.  Why do these things have to be so damn expensive?

   Cheers

   Tim

1. 
   rslatm | Oct 07, 2003 03:32pm | #4

   They cost what they do because of the demand.  Compare prices to paying for an employee and insurance and all the things that go with having employees I think you will find it to be relatively cheap in the long run, plus the cart will never need a sick day.  Seems pretty cheap to me plus as a business you can deduct it for tax purposes.

1. 
   IMERC | Oct 07, 2003 10:16pm | #8

   the cart will never need a sick day.

   Buy a cheap one and it will... might even need retirement and replacement.

   Go to a SR/DW or an idustrial supplier and they have them for sale. About 240$ 

   Who ever invented work didn't know how to fish....

1. 
   Elcoholic | Oct 08, 2003 12:29am | #9

   Contact Austin Hardwood and Hardware in Santa Ana, CA.  They sell a nice one that even has a built-in foot operated jack so you can raise the stack as you work through it.  I hope I never do enough sheetgood work to justify one, but that's just me.John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking

   Life is tough.  It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne

2. 
   Timagain | Oct 08, 2003 02:05am | #11

   Thanks for the contact - I will give them a shout but I imagine shipping to the Welsh borders is going to probably outweigh any exchange rate savings!

3. 
   migraine | Oct 09, 2003 07:25am | #18

   Louis and Company had them at one time and they are now nation wide(I think)

4. 
   rslatm | Oct 08, 2003 02:09am | #12

   Sure you are talking about the same type of panel lifter? As a Purchasing Agent I deal with a lot of industrial supply comapanies and never have seen anything that compares to the shopcarts or panelmate types.

5. 
   IMERC | Oct 08, 2003 04:02am | #17

   I stopped at shop cart line of thought. Sorry... 

   Who ever invented work didn't know how to fish....

2. 
   SgianDubh | Oct 08, 2003 02:28am | #15

   Tim, I'd not realised that you were also in the UK, this being a forum heavily dominated by American participants. Naturally, most of the well meaning efforts from American based contributors are virtually worthless regarding this kind of thing from a British point of view.

   The source Scrit provided is the only one I’ve seen for such a cart on this side of the pond. I fear I have nothing useful to offer here, particularly as I’ve only just moved back to the UK after a ten year sojourn living and working in Texas.

   I haven’t yet fully regenerated my list of useful UK contacts and sources. Still, you might call HafeleUK and see if the cart they offer to US based buyers is also available here at about £500 or less.

   In the US, it was typical that that cart wasn't regularly listed in their catalogue, presumably because the supply was inconsistent, and it was only by phoning and asking that you'd discover it was available. I only know this because it had crossed my mind several times just to buy the darned thing after yet another major panel humping job, phoning and checking availability, but somehow I never quite got around to actually lashing out the cash, ha, ha.  Slainte.Website

1. 
   Timagain | Oct 08, 2003 02:36am | #16

   I will try Hafele UK tomorrow but I have to say that my dealings with them over the past couple of months have left me feeling that they are always doing me a favour whenever I buy anything from them.  Still nothing ventured...

3. 
   Jeff | Oct 07, 2003 03:33pm | #5

   One of the magazines had a cart like your talking about, sorry I don't remember where it was.  If I can find it I'll let you know.

   Basically, it was an open box on wheels with a pipe used for a hinge.

   Plywood top would swing up with the plywood into position for cutting on a table saw.   Top down, and it could move plywood around the shop or unload from a truck.

   I liked the idea myself, maybe will build one someday.

   Jeff

4. 
   rslatm | Oct 07, 2003 08:31pm | #6

   http://shopcartsusa.com/

   I know HafeleUSA has one also. That panelmate looks pretty nice.  I know the shopcarts  people have been making theirs for at  least 15 years I bet.  The panelmates is a new one to me and I get all the US industrial woodworking magazines like Custom Woodworking Business, Cabinetmaker, etc.
1. 
   Timagain | Oct 07, 2003 09:23pm | #7

   Thanks  - I also understand your logic on employees etc, its a case of finding the cash rather than the pure economics of it!

5. 
   ron61 | Oct 08, 2003 02:02am | #10

   I have cut bundles upon bundles of plywood and from my experience unless the trolley will put the sheet on the saw for you their about worthless.

   The only thing I have seen that helped was a cart that was the same height as the table saw. But the sheet goods lay flat in a bin and you just slid the sheets on to the cart . That was pretty nice.

   But If you have to pick it up to get on a dolly then pick it up to get it on the saw, for me it easier to pick it up once put it on your saw.

   Is your saw set up to cut 4X 8 sheets? I'm talking like a table that's 48 to50 inches on each side of the blade so you can lay a sheet down on your saw .

   Also its nice to extend the back side of your table saw 16 to 24 inches and then you don't need and outfeed catcher that's always falls over and is in the way .

    It sure is nice for sheet goods and makes a good router table you can use you saw fence with.

   Just some ideas

   Ron

     

   Who Ever Has The Biggest Pile Of Tools When You Die Wins

1. 
   Timagain | Oct 08, 2003 02:17am | #14

   Couldn't agree more with the functionality point.  Width is not a prob its more the one man band factor and the awkward size (can anyone tell me why the sheets are 8 by 4 - was there a giant breed of woodworker once?).

   I am building a new workshop at the moment and so am trying to iron out all those backbreaking factors and making the most of the space like incorporating a router table into the outfeed table and using work benches/ cabinet tops as side extensions.  The only thing that seems a prerequisite is a sleeping hole for two labradors by the woodburner.  I will post pics when its finished.

   Thanks to everyone who takes the time to respond to these requests - I hope I'm able to repay the courtesy some day - although it would appear I have a lot of catching up to do.

   Cheers

   Tim