[Brett-JDX748]

So I went to Lowes to pick up some lumber to make sides for my cart and while I was there I came across the handles that someone linked me to in another thread and I bought a set.

I want to post a photo and you can tell me what you think. I am not fond of them being yellow so I am thinking maybe a can of Krylon Fusion in black would do them justice.

Also posting up some photos of the sides I am working on for the cart.

 

[Tvern13]

I like the handles - You do need to paint them :thSick:

 

[Brett-JDX748]

Thanks Tvern,

I was thinking the same thing, they are well places (just stuck on with double faced tape to "test" the location) they need painted BLACK!

I have to run down to the hardware store to get some wood screws and some bolts/nuts for the handles anyway, so I will pick up some Fusion Black when I am there.

 

[Tvern13]

I wonder if the spray on truck bed liner from Wallyworld would adhere to that plastic. I painted the handles on mine with it and I really like them.

Gives them a nice grip texture.

 

[LLigetfa]

I wonder if the spray on truck bed liner from Wallyworld would adhere to that plastic...

I would use the Krylon as a primer anyway to ensure adhesion.

 

[Brett-JDX748]

I just used gloss black Krylon Fusion, it supposedly bonds with the plastic (I'm thinking because it contains Naptha, Toulene etc, it "melts" into the plastic).

So they are sprayed and mounted and turned out GREAT! They look OEM... Photos are uploaded to my photobucket as we speak. As soon as they finish I will post them up.

 

[Brett-JDX748]

Okay here we go with the good photos!

Grab handle close up, mounted with 1/4" x 1" machine bolts, washers and Nyloc nuts. Painted with Krylon Fusion gloss black.

Low angle artsy shot of the tractor/cart.

I used planed 1x10x4 pine for everything. The slots in the cart are 3/4 x 2 and 1" Pine is only 3/4" thick, so I just set the fence on the table saw and ripped the board down to 2" strips for the stakes. I secured the sides with black phosphate drywall/wood screws. I should have used metal angle braces in the corners and probably will do that at some point. I wasn't too worried about finish since I used pine. I would have used Poplar but **** it was expensive and I couldn't justify spending $100 in wood for the cart.

I probably made the sides too high, since I have a hard time reaching over them. But I transport my garbage cans to the road in the back, and didn't want them falling out.

 

[Tvern13]

Looks good. Looks like OEM. Like the rails for the cart also.

 

[LLigetfa]

I see you used grade 5 bolts so they're not likely to break. The wood sides have a weak spot in the corners being edge screwed. You might want to glue blocks in the corners or screw angle brackets on them. For my sideboards, I cut sched 40 ABS pipe into quarters and screwed them into the corners.

The sides are a little high. What you could do it cut them in two and make pockets to put them back together so you can have half-height or full-height.

 

[LLigetfa]

Oh, steel drawer handles make good pockets and would give you a place to tie rope through if needed.

 

[Tvern13]

I wanted to be able to remove mine without taking out screws so I put a hasp at each top corner on the inside. The type that can be locked by turning it.

 

[Mouse]

Dr. Evil,
Paint the cart, you have one of the nicest CHRAFTSMAN tractors I've ever seen ! A matching cart would look cool !!

Mouse

 

[Brett-JDX748]

Mouse,

Thanks but it's just photography tricks! The cart has to stay green so it matches the next tractor.

Tvern,

See you had to go and post photos of your rails and now I need to rip mine apart...... Yours look way more proportional than mine! And **** if that Brinly cart ain't the same as the 10P. I "had a feeling" it was, but couldn't see one out of the box...

LLigetfa,

Thanks for the idea about doing pockets. They sell metal corner braces at the hardware store cheap, I could just use those, but after seeing what Tvern did with his cart, I may have to cut my sides down into three rows. I even like how his rails stop at the last stake rather than overhang...

The bolts are Grade 5 (three tick marks)

 

[Tvern13]

Brett,

I apologize to you and all the pygmies in New Guinea :ROF :ROF :ROF

Didn't mean to cause you no pain. I thought the sides looked fine. That is a good lookin' tractor.

 

[Tractor-Holic]

I think the 1x10" boards will be a lot stronger than smaller ones,though the thinner ones do look a bit more stylish..but function wins over good looks right?..I guess the handles look OK ,but personally,I dont see any need for them,but to each his own..

When driving my MTD I need one hand on the steering wheel (both would be better!) and one on the shifter on the fender for the hydro,(which I think is a pain,I'm NOT left handed and the shifter is on the left fender..a foot pedal would be much prefereable!)..so both of my hands are too busy to be holding any grab handles..

I made some taller sides for a tow cart I had out of old bed frame angle iron,I made a frame out of it,welded it together, and used 3/8" plywood to box it in..very sturdy,but the bummer is if you want to remove it,it comes off in one 3 sided "unitized" peice ,thats very heavy and combersome to remove alone!..it was a mother to drill the holes in that bed frame angle iron too,I burnt up at least 4 new drill bits,and I ended up blowing holes in it with my arc welder instead for the bolts,that stuff is hard as glass in spots!..

I also made another different set of sides later on,that can be removed individually..being ever frugal,I opted to use some free pallets I got for firewood,but decided the red oak 1x4s four feet long were too nice to just burn,they had no knots, and were nice and straight..those sides were pretty heavy too though,good thing they came apart in 3 peices..I did use angle iron on the inner corners ,bolted to the side panels, and pinned to the front panel,to keep them from bowing outward once the cart was loaded with logs
..I've made a lot of stuff from pallets,including the woodshed I keep the firewood in!..cant beat FREE wood,even if it is a lot of labor taking them apart carefully enough to salvage it for re-use..

 

[Brett-JDX748]

My sides look like Tvern's sides now My sides were too high and too unruly to remove. It looks more stylish and will be easier to take the stakes out.

Now I need to get some hasps for the corners.

I'm beat

T-H,

I need the handle because when I am mowing across the hill side in my yard at the top, I slide around in the seat and the arm rests are honestly useless! At least I can "prop" myself in the seat this way.

 

[LLigetfa]

I made my wood sideboards four-sided with the rear section sloped to match the angle on the cart. I initially built it to haul leaves before I got my sweeper. Now I use the sideboards to haul brush over to my burn pile.

Mostly I use the poly cart to haul firewood.

 

[Brett-JDX748]

I made my wood sideboards four-sided with the rear section sloped to match the angle on the cart. I initially built it to haul leaves before I got my sweeper. Now I use the sideboards to haul brush over to my burn pile.

Mostly I use the poly cart to haul firewood.

LLigetfa,

That's quite a load!

 

[Tvern13]

LLigetfa,

What brand of cart is that? Haven't seen one of those before.

Brett,

I use my handles the same way when I mow the slope by the ditches.

 

[LLigetfa]

It's an Agri-Fab sold through Sears.