Introduction: Lumber Storage Cart With Drawers

By PandaPix
About: I'm an Electrical Engineer by training and profession. I enjoy working on complex problems and processes, and I especially like finding ways to do complex tasks more efficiently. My current interests are wo…

I built this Lumber Storage Cart (8' x 30") by modifying the design of a popular set of plans available on the internet.

Here are the primary modifications that I made to the base plans:

1) I used 2x4's (vs 1 x 4's) for additional support for the bottom. This also meant that I needed to cut openings on one side of the cart to access the space between the 2 x 4's.

2) I used the space between the 2 x 4's to make drawers to hold small scrap wood pieces (to maximize use of the available space)

See this Instructable for details on how to make the drawers. Make sure you attach the drawer slides to the 2 x 4's before you cover them up as you will not have open access to them later.

https://www.instructables.com/id/Add-Drawers-to-You...

3) I added an extra inch of space on each side to hold more wood (7" (vs 6")) and reduced the A-frame dimensions accordingly.

4) I used (4) 4' x 4' plywood sheets for the A-frame (vs (2) 4' x 8' plywood sheets). This made it much easier for me to build the cart by myself without needing a second person to help.

5) I changed the storage compartment dimensions on the multi-compartment side so that I could store 4' x 4' wood pieces and modified the remaining storage compartment dimensions accordingly.

6) I added the top A-frame shelf first and secured the bottoms of the 4' x 4's with pocket screws, and then measured the remaining shelve widths, cut them to size, and then slid the shelves in and secured them.

7) I added two 2" x 6" x 8' stiffeners underneath the bottom for added support (I ripped a stiff 2" x 12" x 8' board in half). I found that otherwise the cart sagged about 1/2" in the middle. With the stiffeners, it is level.

8) I added heavy-duty 4" x 2" swivel locking 700 lb casters

http://www.amazon.com/Swivel-Casters-Heavy-Polyure...

The plans are available at the link below. The plans show you how to make the 5 angle degree cuts needed for the center A-frame portion of the project. You don't really need the plans if you are experienced, but I found the details concerning how to make the 5 degree angle cuts helpful.

http://plansnow.com/dn4031.html

Note: I am not affiliated with plansnow in any way.

Freakazoid at Lumberjocks has some excellent comments here:

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/73058

If you have any questions about how I built this, please comment or message me.