World Cart

We are a research group from Brigham Young University. Our main area of focus is product development and one of our projects was this World Cart. The idea was to create something modular and cheap. This would allow people around the world to be able to buy the wood for the cart and then add to it as they made more money. It can be pulled by hand or be attached to a bike.

The base design can all be made out of one sheet of 3/4" MDO plywood (but really any type of wood should work). To add walls and fill in the floor circles, another sheet of the same size can be used.

Tip: When building the cart, there are numbers on each of the pieces of wood that correspond to each other that will help you see where each piece goes.

Step 1: I-Beam Support

The first step of the process is to make the I-beam shown by the three red ovals in the picture above. These three pieces of wood fit together as shown. You can look for the corresponding numbers on the panels to better understand how each panel is to be oriented.

To put each of these pieces together, and all of the pieces from the cart, you may need a hammer to tap them into place, although some may fit together using only your hands.

Step 2: Adding the Frame

The next step is to attached the frame and the supporting piece. The frame is attached using small pins that are cut with the rest of the pieces. It is recommended that the pins are all inserted towards the handle or front of the cart. To insert them they can be slid in place or given some encouragement with a light tap from a hammer.

Step 3: Attaching the Base

Once the frame is complete you can attach the base of the cart. There are notches in the base that line up with the frame where they fit together.

Step 4: Insert the Wheel Rod

After attaching the base, it is time to add some wheels. To do this you need to first slide the rod through the holes that are located near the center of the frame as shown in the picture. Each rode should have a small hole at the end where you can use a twist tie or a cotter pin to attach the wheels.

Step 5: Attaching the Wheels

To attach the wheels, first slide a buffer over the rod (which can be seen in the first picture with no wheels yet attached). After the buffer is in place the wheels can be put on the rod and a twist tie or cotter pin can be used to keep the wheels secure.

Step 6: Attaching the Handle

Now it is time to add the handle. There are two pieces that are the exact same shape for the handle. We recommend inserting them at the same time and using a hammer to fit them into place. It is a tight fit, but that is what we want so they will stay in place. Depending on what you feel is most comfortable, you may want to sand then handle and round the corners.

Step 7: Inner Circle Supports

Supports are provided to be inserted into the circular holes. They can be laid in any direction you see fit, we have chosen to place them so they are parallel to the front handle.

Step 8: Attach the Stand

The last step is to attach the stand. This can be done in the same fashion as previous steps where the stand is inserted into the slot provided. It is there for additional support and to prevent the cart from moving, but it is optional.