Big Garden Handcart

I have a very large garden and I enjoy working in it. But sometimes there are very heavy or bulky items to move. A wheelbarrow simply isn’t big enough for that.

That’s why I’ve made myself a handy little helper out of metal and with bicycle tyres.

And why don’t I just buy a small tractor with a trailer, you ask? It simply isn’t worth it financially! I’d probably only need the transporter for about 15 days a year; the rest of the time, that expensive thing would just be standing around.

So: simple, cheap, practical, DIY.

The handcart makes it easy to transport heavy items or bulky things like brushwood and twigs. Simply looping a short piece of rope with a carabiner over the top prevents things from slipping off. It’s been tried and tested for years!

iron square tubes; 25 x 25 mm or 30 x 30 mm

2 bicycle tyres with rims (front wheels)

Welding equipment: welding machine, wire/electrodes, face shield, gloves, magnetic right-angle square

Zinc paint (spray)

wooden planks and screws

I’ve adjusted the dimensions to suit my needs:

1. The frame fits between the posts of my compost heap
2. The length of the frame in front of and behind the axle is roughly the same
3. The drawbar is 125 centimetres long to provide good leverage

At 135 cm, the cart is a bit wide. But that means I can carry a lot of cargo. A width of 100 cm would also work well for tree trunks and branches.

The inner cross-brace isn't exactly in the middle because I wasn't sure if I might need a long axle there for an electric motor setup.

The best way to cut the pipes is with the cutting disc on an angle grinder. But a metal saw will do the job too. Cut the rods to the desired length. It doesn’t matter whether you cut them at right angles or at a 45-degree angle. Lay the pieces out on a flat surface and secure each joint with a magnetic bracket before welding.

The areas to be welded must be clean to ensure good contact and strong welds. Clean them with an angle grinder!

Weld carefully (and don’t laugh at my welds).

If you're good at welding, you should seal the open ends of the pipes. Otherwise, you can buy end caps at the DIY store.

To stabilise the frame against shear forces, the corners should be reinforced with cross-braces. You now have the main frame.

For the tyres, we still need mounting brackets. To make these, take two angle brackets and cut and file notches into them, slightly wider than the tyre axles and about 3 cm deep. Make sure that all four pieces are the same size. Together, the two angles form a sort of fork into which the wheel’s axle can be slotted.

Attaching the drawbar to the frame is still a bit tricky. A straight drawbar is somewhat impractical because the load can slide backwards when lifting. An upward angle of 15 degrees has proven effective.

I tried a folding drawbar (that's why my mounting looks a bit strange), but it proved to be very impractical when working.

I can see two options for the end of the drawbar: a ball or a cross-piece. I’ve opted for the cross-piece; it’s more practical to handle and allows two people to pull it. This also allows you to give it a little push using your hips and your full body weight.

Once all the welding is complete, all the joints must be ground down. While doing so, check the strength of the welds again.

Of course, you can let your imagination run wild, but a protective coat of zinc paint would be a good idea to keep the cart in good condition for as long as possible.

Once the paint is dry, you can fit the tyres. Insert the axle into the fork from below and tighten the nuts.

A support for the frame still needs to be made. You could also add more metal bars. As I don’t want the cart to get any heavier, I’ve opted for wooden slats. Of course, you could also use a wooden board. But the surface would be smooth, and the goods being transported might slip off.

We drill a few holes in the frame to secure the slats from left to right. We then screw the slats in place from front to back.

You can use the load area as it is, place large plastic tubs on it, or cover it with a sheet.

Now you cart is ready for use. I hope it saves you a lot of effort and back pain. Enjoy!