Introduction: Make a Wood Carrier That's a Cinch
Make this simple, effective, and low cost wood carrier. You only need two materials. The picture probably tells you everything you need - but I am posting detailed steps and comments.
Traditional wood carriers take more materials and also do not take advantage of the cinching mechanism. This works a bit like a dog "choke chain." If you pull hard on one of those collars they slide to a tighter position. The same thing will apply here. The heavier the load of wood, the tighter the rope will bind.
NOTE: For ease of illustration, the drawing has some significant visual exaggerations.
The pipe in the hand is the same dimension as the pipe down below near the wood cinch.
It's just easier to see the parts with the extremes presented this way...
Step 1: What You Need.
2 feet of PVC
12 feet of rope
TOOLS
Saw
Drill
Scissors
Tape Measure
OPTIONAL ITEMS
Sandpaper to smooth sharp PVC edges.
Lighter to melt end of vinyl rope (if appropriate)
Step 2: Cutting and Drilling.
The rope I used was some excess I had laying around the garage.
Cut two pieces of PVC pipe one foot long.
Cut two pieces of rope six feet long.
That was easy.
DRILLING
Both of the pipes are drilled the same.
Each pipe will have two holes located two inches from each end.
The holes on a given pipe only go through one wall - not all the way though the other side.
Step 3: Install the Rope Into the PVC.
The rope is held inside each pipe by a single knot. You can do one of the knots before feeding the rope into the first pipe. If you get it out of order - you will know - and you can just re-tie it. (I admit I got it wrong myself). Ultimately, when your done with the knots, you pull the rope taught and it will look like a double-ended trapeze.
Step 4: Is the "trapeze" Level?
If the "trapeze" is not level, just adjust your knot placement(s). I did need to adjust mine once. No big deal.
Step 5: Load Some Wood.
To use the carrier, simply lay it flat with the ropes parallel and extended.
Then stack some logs on it. In my example, I only have a few loaded.
In practice, I would probably include more logs.
You may notice that the ropes are probably a little too wide for optimum use.
I have them approximately 10" apart here. You might try them say 8 inches apart.
This would require drilling additional or different holes which are closer together.
Whatever you do, make them centered on your pipe sections.
Step 6: Cinch the Logs and Lift.
Notice how the pipe (held in hand up higher) is snaked through the ropes down below. Then, the lifting action causes a sliding choke chain movement.
Step 7: Resulting Load.
So now as you lift the wood load, you only hold one of the two pipes. The other one is used to cinch the bundle tight.
Step 8: Additional Thoughts.
When initially designing, I repeatedly overestimated needed pipe lengths.
Fortunately, I could just cut them shorter and no harm done!
Might consider drilling multiple holes in each of the two pipes.
For example, 3 holes spread out near each end - would look a little like a flute.
This would allow of easily changing the natural width of the ropes as they bundle wood.
Sometimes you may want them closer together etc...
Might consider putting some sort of subtle "keeper" mechanism on end of each pipe.
This would help keep the rope from slipping off the end of the pipe.
Could use "O" rings, rubber bands, pvc fitting etc...
I believe a significantly large flange would not be optimal.
Another Adjustable Method.
Originally, I made this with a quick adjust mechanism. However, after more review, I simplified.
The adjustment mechanism is shown in the photo. Each pipe had one end with one hole.
But the other end had the same hole PLUS an open groove/slot to slide rope in.
Quick adjustment to the effective length of the ropes was made via strategically place knots in the ropes.
The knot closest to the end of the rope gave you the longest effective length.
You could then quickly reduce the effective length by moving to the second knot etc...
May be easier to understand by looking at the picture...
If you have any suggestions - I'm always eager to learn something!
- Bob Z
