Homemade Milk Crate Kayak Cart
Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 12:24 am
Here's is a simple kayak cart I made by incorporating the milkcrate as the frame of the cart. When not used as a cart, the milkcrate can be used as a milkcrate (?) in the tank well. The frame post turns into four rod holders.
The only items you need to stow when you reached your destination is break down the PVC T-cap, the wheels,shaft, two washers, pin and tennis balls.
Here is the material cost:
one - Milk Crate ??
one - 1 1/2 inch x 10 feet PVC pipe $4.29
four -90 degree elbow $0.56 each
four -T-connector $1.29 each
one - 1/2 inch aluminum bar $3.98
two - washer $0.09
two - Cotter pin $0.56
two - 13 1/2 inch plastic wheel $4.00 (or 12 inch with bearing $9.95 each)
one - Strap ??
Total $24.97 (Aug 2007)
The wheels are from Northern Tools, everything else are from HomeDepot.
The plus of the design is that it's a very simple design. It's also simple to build. The 13.5 inch wheel is bigger than anything I've seen out there. You can also cut the shaft longer and put 4 wheels instead of two to give you more stability and to give you the ability to go over soft sand.
The minus of the design is that you do need some tools to cut the PCV pipe, 1/2 drill bit and drill to put holes in the pcv pipe, the side of the crate and the tennis ball, 1/16 inch drill bit for the cotter pin hole in the shaft. You also need pcv cement.
Because the wheels a only about 15 inch apart, it's not as stable as store bought cart but as long as you keep that limitation in mind when you carting the kayak around, you should be ok.
It does well in deep grass. I can go over the curb with a good pull. I have not tested it in deep sand.
NOTE: The wheels on the pictures are the 12 inch wheels. I had since purchased the 13.5 inch wheels. The 12 inch wheels are $9.95 each. The tires are inflatable and there are ball bearings on the shafts. The $4.00 plastic wheels are hard plastic like lawn mower wheels with no bearings.
Videos:
Video No 1: Putting the cart together
Video No 2: Breaking the cart down
Video No 3: Going over curb
Pictures:
The only items you need to stow when you reached your destination is break down the PVC T-cap, the wheels,shaft, two washers, pin and tennis balls.
Here is the material cost:
one - Milk Crate ??
one - 1 1/2 inch x 10 feet PVC pipe $4.29
four -90 degree elbow $0.56 each
four -T-connector $1.29 each
one - 1/2 inch aluminum bar $3.98
two - washer $0.09
two - Cotter pin $0.56
two - 13 1/2 inch plastic wheel $4.00 (or 12 inch with bearing $9.95 each)
one - Strap ??
Total $24.97 (Aug 2007)
The wheels are from Northern Tools, everything else are from HomeDepot.
The plus of the design is that it's a very simple design. It's also simple to build. The 13.5 inch wheel is bigger than anything I've seen out there. You can also cut the shaft longer and put 4 wheels instead of two to give you more stability and to give you the ability to go over soft sand.
The minus of the design is that you do need some tools to cut the PCV pipe, 1/2 drill bit and drill to put holes in the pcv pipe, the side of the crate and the tennis ball, 1/16 inch drill bit for the cotter pin hole in the shaft. You also need pcv cement.
Because the wheels a only about 15 inch apart, it's not as stable as store bought cart but as long as you keep that limitation in mind when you carting the kayak around, you should be ok.
It does well in deep grass. I can go over the curb with a good pull. I have not tested it in deep sand.
NOTE: The wheels on the pictures are the 12 inch wheels. I had since purchased the 13.5 inch wheels. The 12 inch wheels are $9.95 each. The tires are inflatable and there are ball bearings on the shafts. The $4.00 plastic wheels are hard plastic like lawn mower wheels with no bearings.
Videos:
Video No 1: Putting the cart together
Video No 2: Breaking the cart down
Video No 3: Going over curb
Pictures: