Three years ago, my friend and I built a tool that has since become pretty indispensable around here. We just used it to haul straw from the barn out to the garden. Before that we were moving limbs from fir and pine trees we took down. I’ve even hauled railroad ties with this thing.
Yes, it’s a garden cart. But not just any garden cart: it’s the super durable, customizable, build-it-yourself Whizbang Garden Cart.
There are other carts on the market, namely this one from Carts Vermont, which is a good cart, but the Whizbang has an edge (I’ve used them both).
What Makes the Whizbang Garden Cart so Great?
- Durable: Because the frame is all wood (and you can use higher quality plywood), and include 1 x 4’s and 2 x 4 angle braces in the undercarriage, as opposed to tubular aluminum, this is a very durable cart. (http://gardencartblog.blogspot.com/2007/05/whizbang-is-one-tough-cart-heres.html)
- Repairable: Again, because the frame is built of wood, you can fix any damaged parts yourself. To their credit, Carts Vermont does sell replacement parts.
- Customizable: Thanks again to its overall stoutness, and the vertical 2 x 2’s in the corners of the cart, the Whizbang can be modified. One addition I would like to make is a sort of lightweight enclosure that locks in on top of the cart. This would make hauling lightweight materials like straw and hay that much more efficient. I can also see the cart transformed into a very maneuverable mobile chicken coop.
- Do-It-Yourself: This could be a positive or a negative depending on how you look at it. On the negative side, you have to build it (or pay someone else to). On the upside, you get to build it, which brings its own set of rewards: improve your carpentry skills, create something you will value more because you built it, save money and resources salvaging materials or using what you already have on hand.
Here are some photos from the book (click to enlarge) :
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[image link=”” linktarget=”_self” image=”https://thetoolmerchants.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Whizbang-Book-Cover.jpg” alt=”garden cart”]
[image link=”” linktarget=”_self” image=”https://thetoolmerchants.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Whizbang-Book-Sample.jpg” alt=”garden cart”]
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The detailed plans for this cart cost around 15 bucks, and can be found here (scroll down to find the cart plans), at Herrick Kimball’s website. He has a number of other nifty homestead products of his own design and creation. Happy hauling!
Note: I have no affiliation with Herrick Kimball other than being a paying customer. My intention with this post is simply to share a great tool that I hope will serve you, not to earn a commission.