From Wheelchair To Wheelbarrow

From Wheelchair To Wheelbarrow FARM HOME Miscellaneous “I needed a push cart to haul heavy loads around our yard but didn’t want to spend the money to buy one So I converted an old wheelchair ” says Merrill Smith Deer Park Wash He removed the wheelchair seat and back then built a plywood box that fits inside the wheelchair’s wheels The box measures 4 1/2 ft long 24 in wide and 1 ft high A pair of wooden handles off an old wheelbarrow bolt to one end of the box with short lengths of radiator hose forming handle grips The edges of the box on both sides are topped with angle iron The floor was salvaged from an old restaurant table and consists of plywood covered by 2-in thick formica The grill from an old refrigerator forms a dump gate on front where it’s hinged at the bottom and secured by a chain at the top “I’ve used it to haul everything from concrete blocks to yard waste and grass clippings With the small caster wheels on back I can maneuver it anywhere ” says Smith “The floor is 2 in thick so it’ll handle anything I use a cable attached to the wheelchair’s brakes to stop The brakes work great especially when I have a heavy load “The wheelchair’s big wheels form a balance point so when I lift up on the handles the box dumps like a truck The formica floor is slick so stuff slides right out ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Merrill Smith 6389 W Whitmore Hill Rd Deer Park Wash 99006 ph 509 276-6626; smithmountain@wwdb org

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