Carrying plywood by yourself is a pain. Here’s a helper that allows you to roll it around instead. Just clamp this caddy to the board’s edge, tip the sheet down onto the wheels and off you go.
The caddy will fit plywood that’s 1/2″ to 3/4″ thick. Its sides aren’t glued together—they just slide on bolts. I put 7″ lawn mower wheels on my caddy so I can roll it over an uneven driveway or my yard when I’m unloading plywood from my truck. Large wheels are ideal for a shop floor, too, because they roll easier than small wheels. Of course, you can use wheels of almost any size.
To make the caddy, temporarily nail together its three parts, flush at the bottom. Drill a 1/2″ hole for the axle through all three pieces, 1″ up from the bottom and centered between the ends. Drill two 5/16″ holes for the 1/4″ clamping bolts. Position the holes 2″ from the bottom and 2″ from each end. Disassemble the parts.
To assemble the caddy, slip a washer onto the axle bolt and slide the bolt through one wheel. Slip on a nylon bushing, then slide the bolt through the axle hole. Slip on the other nylon bushing, the other wheel, washer and two nuts. Lock the nuts together, leaving about 1/4″ on either side of the spacer. On the 1/4″ bolts, slip on a lock washer and a fender washer, then slide them through the 5/16″ holes. Slip on the other fender washers and thread on the jig knobs. —Ken Bailey
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Why does the caddy have a half inch spacer instead of a 3/4 inch spacer if you going to carry 3/4 inch plywood?
granolajohn,
This clever plywood caddy will work on 1/2″ and 3/4″ sheet goods. Makes sense that you would want it capable of pinching tight on 1/2″ goods also. Since you can adjust the tightening knobs, it will hold snug to either thickness with 1/2″ spacer, but “expand or flare out” enough to fit the 3/4″ as well, without being too tight or sloppy.