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Thread: Wheeled hand cart

  1. #1
    Senior Member SARKY's Avatar
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    Default Wheeled hand cart

    I have a question for you folks. I am working on a project, a wheeled hand cart. So my questions are these.
    1: should it have 2 wheels or four?
    2: what should be the maximum load capacity ( in pounds)?
    3: bicycle type wheels or more like those small garden carts?
    4: Any other thoughts on this?

    I'll thank you in advance for your input.
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  2. #2

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    1. what are you going to use it for and on what terrain?
    2.What are you going to use it for?
    3. what are you going to use it for and on what terrain?

  3. #3

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    I like pneumatic tires regardless.
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    4 wheels are more stable but require a mechanical steering means and increase drag.

    Our game cart has 2 wide bicycle tires for clearance. I had to get out a pressure washer last Monday and there were several in the mechanics area of our shop. They were two wheeled carts. It sucked that you couldn't move them without tipping them back quite a bit in a space that didn't have any room. two more small wheels on the front would have been real nice.

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    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    There are dozens of deer carts available from almost every outdoor supplier at very reasonable prices.

    There are dozens of 4 wheel carts available from garden supply stores.

    There is also the good old wheelbarrow.

    http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&q...e_result_group

    I am suprised you have not dug up the old threads we do on this every couple of months. The last one was about the chineese wind powered wheelbarrow. We even did a long thread on cargo bicycles.

    This is one of those topics that spans the scope of the internet. Even "Gunkid" was a proponant of the famed assualt wheelbarrow.

    Not that I am making fun of the option. I am 62 and guarentee you that if I have the choice of backpack or deercart I will pick the deercart any day of the week! Deercart, garden cart, two wheel hand truck, wheelbarrow or well balanced bicycle.

    Guarentee you I can carry more farther on wheels than I can hump that pack.

    And we are not the first to think up the idea. 3,000 Mormons made it from Iowa to SLC pushing handcarts. About the same number died in the effort.

    http://www.google.com/images?q=mormo...rmon+hand+cart
    Last edited by kyratshooter; 10-14-2012 at 11:02 PM.
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    Senior Member SARKY's Avatar
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    I am looking at the cart carrying supplies over most any terrain in a SHTF scenario. I am making it flat and long enough to be used as a litter, JIC. I was also thinking of 3 wheels with the third being a front castoring wheel.
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    Resident Wildman Wildthang's Avatar
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    I have a Gorilla cart that has steerable front wheels, pheumatic tires, and will float like a boat when crossing streams. It only cost about $80, but would not serve as a litter, but would pull around 100 lbs of supplies across rough terrain. I can't imagine pulling more weight than that through rough terrain anyway! One thing about a small wagon is that it is narrow, and would pull through the brush because it is narrower than a human, where a wide cart would just hang up!
    Last edited by Wildthang; 10-15-2012 at 12:29 PM.

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    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    A bicycle cargo trailer can be rigged to be pulled using a harness. There was a thread a while back that demonstrated this.
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    Rough terrain needs tall wheels so you can grap the spokes and turn the wheels when going over logs or in the mud etc. Tall steel wheels work good since they never go flat. A long handle will enable you to balance any load. Two wheels will enable you to turn on a dime.

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    Quote Originally Posted by kyratshooter View Post
    There are dozens of deer carts available from almost every outdoor supplier at very reasonable prices.

    There are dozens of 4 wheel carts available from garden supply stores.

    There is also the good old wheelbarrow.

    http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&q...e_result_group

    I am suprised you have not dug up the old threads we do on this every couple of months. The last one was about the chineese wind powered wheelbarrow. We even did a long thread on cargo bicycles.

    This is one of those topics that spans the scope of the internet. Even "Gunkid" was a proponant of the famed assualt wheelbarrow.

    Not that I am making fun of the option. I am 62 and guarentee you that if I have the choice of backpack or deercart I will pick the deercart any day of the week! Deercart, garden cart, two wheel hand truck, wheelbarrow or well balanced bicycle.

    Guarentee you I can carry more farther on wheels than I can hump that pack.

    And we are not the first to think up the idea. 3,000 Mormons made it from Iowa to SLC pushing handcarts. About the same number died in the effort.

    http://www.google.com/images?q=mormo...rmon+hand+cart
    Here is some better info on mormon handcarts.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_handcart_pioneers
    It will tell you the numbers. A large majority made it. The two companies that left late and encountered tragedy still had a high survival rate. There are a few things the handcarts taught us. First is the speed. They were faster than wagons pulled by animals. It took a week or two for the people to get in shape, but once they got used to pulling the carts, people walked faster than the horses. Yes, they carried less weight, but in companies that had a mix of handcarts and wagons, the handcarts would go ahead and then have to stop early so the wagons could catch up. The same was true with the children. After a few weeks of walking every day, the children got used to it, and would walk ahead, and then play for hours waiting for their parents to catch up.

    Of course, now we live in a modern world. We can use that to our advantage with making a cart. The first is bearings. Make sure the wheels you use have good bearings. That will increase your efficiency and amount of weight you can carry. Also, rubber wheels. You don't even need pneumatic tires. You can buy tubes that are filled with foam that never get flat. I would look at either BMX tires or mountain bike tires. I think BMX tires are 21 inches, and mountain bike tires are 26, at least the standard sizes. Road tires have less drag on the road, but have no floatation in sand. Using modern materials to build the frame will really help, of course. 2 wheels is more maneuverable than 4, and has less drag. But, it can't hold as much weight. You also have to balance the weight correctly to not put too much stress on the yoke. If you do 3 wheels, I would put the castor in the back, it is easier to pull it through sand than push it. Good luck.
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    Resident Wildman Wildthang's Avatar
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    Around here the terrain is pretty much flat, and in the winter a bunch of snow. So 4 wheels would probably work better around here because the skinney bike type tires would simply bury in the snow or mud, but my little wagon with the wide pneumatic tires would tend to stay on top of the snow and mud. I am thinking about putting dual tires on the back to give it even more flotation and weight bearing surface.

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    In a true SHTF/TEOTWAWKI situation, this is the best kind of cart you can have. Note the three wheels for stabilization in rough, difficult terrain.

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    Last edited by Seniorman; 10-15-2012 at 01:57 PM. Reason: Correct typo.

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    I generally use a cart like this for hauling deer, but I'm sure it could be used for gear and supplies......
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    If all else fails a simple travois made with 2 poles would also be useful....been around longer than the wheel.
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    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    I am inclined to favor the $80 deer cart that has the rubber tires, 300 pound load capacity and only lacks the headlights and turn signils.

    I know for a fact you can buy three deer carts for the price of ONE WHEEL on the Mormon pushcart.

    If I get too fancy on this kind of thing I wind up doing yard work with a very expensive toy or sitting and looking at it sitting in the garage, since this is a device for a specific and unlikely application.
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    USN SCPO (RET) dscrick's Avatar
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    Came across this in a backpacking magazine. Interesting concept, looks very manueverable and keeps your hands free. They have a "Heavy load" version that can handle 100 lbs.

    http://dixonrollerpack.com/3327.html

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dscrick View Post
    Came across this in a backpacking magazine. Interesting concept, looks very manueverable and keeps your hands free. They have a "Heavy load" version that can handle 100 lbs.

    http://dixonrollerpack.com/3327.html
    Hey, very cool....Hummm does it come with the 'pack animal"?, I wonder.....That ain't no dog pulling that.......



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  17. #17
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    I can hear my late wife's voice echoing down the canyon right now,

    "You're going to hitch me up to WHAT????"

    That one should go in "The Dead Prepper's Handbook". Just the suggestion might end your life.

    Feminists in the western states beware!!! TEOTWAWKI you revert to pack animal status.
    Last edited by kyratshooter; 10-23-2012 at 02:05 PM.
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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    There was a cart in that link?

    My experience on the garden type carts is you can load them pretty heavy but you still have to pull them. Even those fat pneumatic tires tend to sink in soft dirt with a load on. I had about three railroad ties on one and it became a stable fixture in the back yard. I couldn't budge, pull, push or turn over that son of a barrow. I finally kicked two off and could move it....barely. But then I'm a weenie so.....
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  19. #19
    USN SCPO (RET) dscrick's Avatar
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    Might just have to add a few of those to my Preps. Some of the rollerpacks too

  20. #20
    Senior Member karatediver's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by finallyME View Post
    Here is some better info on mormon handcarts.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_handcart_pioneers
    It will tell you the numbers. A large majority made it. The two companies that left late and encountered tragedy still had a high survival rate. There are a few things the handcarts taught us. First is the speed. They were faster than wagons pulled by animals. It took a week or two for the people to get in shape, but once they got used to pulling the carts, people walked faster than the horses. Yes, they carried less weight, but in companies that had a mix of handcarts and wagons, the handcarts would go ahead and then have to stop early so the wagons could catch up. The same was true with the children. After a few weeks of walking every day, the children got used to it, and would walk ahead, and then play for hours waiting for their parents to catch up.

    Of course, now we live in a modern world. We can use that to our advantage with making a cart. The first is bearings. Make sure the wheels you use have good bearings. That will increase your efficiency and amount of weight you can carry. Also, rubber wheels. You don't even need pneumatic tires. You can buy tubes that are filled with foam that never get flat. I would look at either BMX tires or mountain bike tires. I think BMX tires are 21 inches, and mountain bike tires are 26, at least the standard sizes. Road tires have less drag on the road, but have no floatation in sand. Using modern materials to build the frame will really help, of course. 2 wheels is more maneuverable than 4, and has less drag. But, it can't hold as much weight. You also have to balance the weight correctly to not put too much stress on the yoke. If you do 3 wheels, I would put the castor in the back, it is easier to pull it through sand than push it. Good luck.
    That's what I would use. I've seen some modern re-creations in action and for a family it seemed to work good. With ropes I've watched them lowered down steep canyons and pulled up steep hills. They are pretty robust as well and you can pile a lot on them. The ones I saw looked like the one in the picture that goes with this article. http://showcase.netins.net/web/bpuni...ormonwcut.html

    While pneumatic tires are nice, it may be hard to source replacements in some places and during desperate times. These mormon handcarts were used by thousands of families to cross the U.S. Hard to beat that sort of stress testing.
    If you can keep your head when all about you, are losing their's and blaming it on you. -Kipling

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