Wood Cart for Garbage Cans?

[HerHusband]

When we move to our new house, we'll have to drag our garbage cans over

100' to the road each week. I would like to build a simple wheeled cart to make this chore a little easier.

I would like the cart to be tall enough to keep the wind from blowing the cans over, and to help reduce the problems with dogs, raccoons, and bears getting into our cans. But, I'm not necessarily looking to cover or hide the cans (not ruling it out though).

Because of our rough gravel driveway, I'm thinking of a two wheeled arrangement, more like a wheelbarrow than a wagon.

I'm sure I can figure out something on my own, but I'm curious if anyone has pictures or pointers of similar carts that have already been built?

I'm just looking for a little inspiration, and my quick searches came up rather empty.

Anthony

[ranck]

Here is a link to a place that has a nice range of garden carts, and has good pictures for inspiration.

Ranck Blacksburg, Va.

[Jerry Gilreath]

Think John Deere green and yellow!!

[Morris Dovey]

You could get one of them new-fangled cans what comes with /wheels/ built right on.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

For about $12 each, you can buy plastic garbage cans with wheels already in them. Wal Mart, K Mart, etc.

But low enough that they can be lifted out without back strain. Consider a drop down side.

The bigger the wheel, the easier it rolls over stones and pebbles. Place the wheels near enough to the center so that you are not taking the weight, the wheels are when you lift.

I've also seen four wheeled cars wher only two or three contact at a time. The wheels are place in a diamond pattern. Visualize a sheet of wood for the base standingin front out you that is 3' wide and 6' tall. The two wheels that are stationary are mounted at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock. Two swivel casters are at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock. When laid on the ground, this is easy to steer and roll. The end wheels do not have to contact the ground, but do keep it from tipping. Ed

[Robert Bonomi]

Not a _woodworking_ solution, but a number of people make garbage cans with the "two-wheeler" built-in. For not much more than the non-wheeled ones.

[Greg]

I have a trash can cart that holds two 30 gallon cans. It is 2x4s with 2 fixed wheels and 2 casters. Handles like a grocery cart. The bottom rails are 2 pairs of 2x4 with the uprights between them along with dummy blocks to give me 3" for the wheels. A 1/2" axle through all 4 with the wheels inside. Surface mount casters on the other end and a 2x4 rail around the top. Everything is bolted together with hot dipped galv bolts. It is about 20 years old and the only thing I have had to do was replace the original cheap wheels because the plastic hubs gave out in the Florida sun.

[HerHusband]

Yeah, but that's two trips to the road with fully loaded cans, and doesn't help with the wind and critter problems. Besides, it's an excuse to build something...

Anthony

[Silvan]

You're not thinking big enough. Some other suggestions:

• a garbage can ski lift

• a garbage chucker trebuchet

• a remote controlled, weedeater powered garbage can that drives itself to the curb

Make sure whatever you choose requires you to pick up a couple dozen new tools and/or machines. :)

Or you could just start with a couple of balloon wheelbarrow tires and some sort of suitable axle. Build up from there. Maybe put the cans front to back with the wheels centered in the middle. Hold them in some kind of simple box shape with two compartments. Stick a handle on the back. Somthin' like that anyway.

[Silvan]

Now yer talkin'... Sounds like he needs at least a 20 HP lawn tractor for this job, with a snow blower and a tiller attachment.

[Robert Bonomi]

EUREKA!! a garbage can mounted on top of a "roomba"

Actualy, that'd be sort of a neat home-automation/robotics project -- a garbage can that _drives_itself_ out to the curb on the morning of trash day, and back to the house after it's emptied.

Can'tya just see the _look_ on the garbageman's face, when he sets the empty can back down, and it takes off _all_by_itself_, *UP* the driveway?

[Greg]

They always throw my cans in the yard.

[Roy Neudecker]

SNIP

Anthony,

I've posted a possible plan on ABPW. As long as you don't overload it it looks like it will be safe. Although this guy did not take that warning.

Roy

[RB]

I doubt that you'd be happy with them. Most products like this have the smallest diameter wheels available. To easily roll over a gravel driveway you want the largest diameter and width wheels you can afford.

My first st> HerHusband wrote:

[Silvan]

It'd be worth the price of the "roomba" and then some, I'd think. :)

[mttt]

Stumbled across this:

just "inspiration".

[HerHusband]

Thanks for the link! That's similar to what I was thinking, with maybe a few alterations.

Take care,

Anthony