# Forum Home Renovation Metalwork & Welding  Big "fridge" trolley

## PlatypusGardens

Been meaning to make one of these for some time now.
I need something substantial for moving the plate compactor around. 
this is what I'm up to so far    
The plate is 500 wide and 400mm deep.
handles 1300 tall, same as the el cheapo one I used to have which is falling to bits and beyond repair due to rust.   
Now, I'm just wondering about wheel placement and ease of use and "geometry" in general.
Should the wheels be as close to the plate as possible and "just" off the ground when parked up? 
I have a set of wheels off an old mobility scooter, which are nice and solid (no they're not SOLID as such, they're pneumatic) with good bearings in them etc. 
I'm guessing, close to the ground as possible means you don't have to lean it as far back to get it rolling, right?
Same with as close to the plate as possible?    :Smilie:

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## PlatypusGardens

Strange.... 
Not a single wisecrack so far...    :Unsure:

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## Spottiswoode

Can't think of any wise cracks at the moment. 
Do you want it to roll at a low tilt angle? I don't have one to check, but I think that I'd want the trolley to tilt enough to get the load laying over a bit before it rolls. I have found that If it rolls too soon the trolley rolls back on you without tilting enough to balance the load. (It makes sense in my mind)

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## Bros

> Strange.... 
> Not a single wisecrack so far...

  Working on it

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## r3nov8or

Hurry up! Moondog needs one real soon  :Smilie:  
The cheapie trolleys have the plate at just a small ground clearance and the wheels set back so they don't foul on what you are carrying

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## Marc

Ordinary hand trolley, have the wheel touching the ground at the same level as the loading plate. And the wheel is positioned behind the handles just in line with them, so the shaft is on a bracket a radius away from the handles.
You can even place the wheel further back so that the edge of the plate digs in before the wheels engage and you don't need to use your feet to hold it steady to lift the load. 
Too much back and you will have problems negotiating steps. 
Best thing is see what sort of an angle you lean it back as you walk backwards up a set of stairs without leaning too much. That is the angle the edge of the plate must clear the edge of the steps ... if that makes sense

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## PlatypusGardens

Yeh I won't be going up stairs with it.
it's mostly for moving the plate compactor around. 
And pavers/wall blocks. 
(Might be the odd step/ledge to go over though)  
I'll set the wheels as close to but behind the uprights, yes, no good when they stick out.
I made this mistake when I fixed up my old trolley and put new wheels on it. 
Well....the wheels weren't pumped up when I put them on and once I filled them with air they got bigger.
Who woulda thought  :Rolleyes:   
Might make a chain/hook setup to attach to the lifting eyelet on the wacker to take some stress off the plate when tilting back....hmm.    :Smilie:

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## PlatypusGardens

> Hurry up! Moondog needs one real soon

  
Well if he does he can build his own the way he likes it.   :Nonono:

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## Bros

My neck hurts.

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## Marc

Yes ... well ... I was going to say that you need to beef that thing up a bit but did not want to ... well you said it not me haha 
I can picture the wheels pumping up and jamming against the frame hu hu ...  :Smilie:  
What happened to Bros' neck?  PG??  :Annoyed:

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## PlatypusGardens

> What happened to Bros' neck?  PG??

  
Beats me......maybe he hurt it while working on a wisecrack?

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## Bros

> Beats me......maybe he hurt it while working on a wisecrack?

  Trying to look at your photo. 
 My neck hurts.

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## PlatypusGardens

:Unsure:  
I thought I fixed it

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## PlatypusGardens



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## Bros

This is what I see when I look at your post.

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## PlatypusGardens

> This is what I see when I look at your post.

  
Stupid technology. 
PM me your address and I'll send you a photograph
Attached to a pigeon.    :Smilie:

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## PlatypusGardens

Wheels are in position 
Ish 
I think    
well they're not coming off again so that'll do.
 (Hope pic orientation is ok.....  :Unsure:  )

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## Marc

You are bracing handles and wheel brackets right?

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## PlatypusGardens

Yeh of course. 
I'll triangulate the wheel brackets and add another upright between the handles.
As well as a bar between the wheels

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## Marc

Looking good. How thick is the plate?

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## PlatypusGardens

> How thick is the plate?

  8mm

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## PlatypusGardens

Scored a whoke heap of those plates, 1200x1200x8mm for $10 each.
And he chucked in some warped ones for free   :Wink:  
They were used on construction sites to cover up manholes before the lids went on

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## Bros

White for right black for left is that for people who don't know their left from their right

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## Marc

The white is just icing.

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## PlatypusGardens

> White for right black for left is that for people who don't know their left from their right

  Funny you should say that.
I recall some kids pushbikes having one red and one blue handle in the 80s 
for left/right......can't remember which was which now. 
I never had that though

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## PlatypusGardens



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## PlatypusGardens

Still needs a bit of steel added to it but I shoved the whacker on to it and it tilts back beautifully.
The plate flexes a bit when tilting it back, but that's to be expected.  
And it's pretty easy to move around as well.  
I like it   :Smilie:

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## ringtail

Easier to just hire a kiwi labourer  :Biggrin:

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## Marc

Looks nice and slim

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## PlatypusGardens

It's about 700mm between the outsides of the wheels. 
Might redesign the handle a bit though.   :Smilie:

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## r3nov8or

Why use the same colour tyres when they can be different?  :Tongue:  
Looks good

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## ringtail

PG, how are you going  to take care of the flex in the plate ? I'd run some more rhs underneath but that will bugger up the wheel placement to add it now. It definitely needs gussets of some sort between the plate and the uprights.

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## PlatypusGardens

The flex in the plate itself isn't really an issue, but I will add another upright in the middle and some more supports at the back of the plate to take some of the load when tilting it back. 
It'll be ok.   :Smilie:

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## PlatypusGardens

> Why use the same colour tyres when they can be different?  
> Looks good

  
Haha the wheels are off an old granny scooter.
It had 3 grey and one black for some reason.
the black was one of the front wheels with bearings in the hub so had to use them.
The rear wheels just had a solid hub with keyway for the axle   :Wink:   
The grey one might need replacing soon, it's pretty worn and cracked.

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## PlatypusGardens

A couple of triangles like the ones by the wheel should do it. 
And another upright running about a third of the height of the handles.

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## ringtail

Someone doing burnouts with the grey tire ?  :Biggrin:

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## PlatypusGardens



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## r3nov8or

Haha, notice how that guy cared enough about the front to place a rubber mat on the wall, but shreds the rear  :Biggrin:

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## PlatypusGardens

A guy I knew did that once, but with a car.
Put a besserblock on the accelerator and we stood back and watched as it revved its guts out until both back tyres exploded.
And then wore the rims down a fair bit before we killed the ignition 
Happy days.

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