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New Building Category Request: Wagons, Carts & Trailers

 
pollinator
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I'm a little nutty about things with 2ish wheels that are to be pulled or pushed by bicycles, animals, and/or humans.

Let's say I want to post about a bicycle mico camper, where should I post? In nomadic housing or bicycles? What if that camper can also be pulled by a sheep or horse? Maybe it isn't a camper.

Rickshaws, carriages, wagons, micro campers, trailers, travois, handcarts, and chicken tractors I feel could benefit from a shared category.

Maybe transportation needs a section for trailers for people to talk about welding frames for larger vehicles.

I think there could be a lot of discussion on this topic area. So I suggest a Wagons, Carts & Trailers subcategory under building.


 
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If you can find 50 other threads about wagons, carts and other (non-bike, non-powered) wheeled things, we could probably make it! Do a search on google and here on permies, and you'll probably find a lot of threads about wagons and carts. Just post links to each thread here. The gear forum is pretty huge, and that's probably where a lot of them are hiding.

(There's a forum already for Transportation and Bicycles, but carts and wagons don't really fit too well in either and there might be enough threads about them to give them their own forum.)
 
Tj Simpson
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*cracks knuckles*

...

"Benny Hill theme" begins to play as the permies search bar lights ablaze while I add threads to my master list.


I'll be back with 50... maybe...

I can always make some, need like 70 more threads to progress from Pollinator anyway. XD

 
Tj Simpson
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I've collected 50 threads, arranged in order of relevance..ish

What I found interesting was there doesn't seem to be too much information here on permies about building horse-drawn carriages, wooden wheels, or traditional carts at all! Wow

There are a lot of wheelbarrow and walk-behind tractor posts which I didn't consider for this category but would fit well.

I found a lot of discussions where the solution was "Hey build X type of cart" even if the thread wasn't about it. I didn't include many of those unless the thread was small.

Most relevant:
https://permies.com/t/36322/solar-cart-solar-trailer-solarbago
https://permies.com/t/166227/Inspiring-homeless-nomad-shepherd-permie
https://permies.com/t/52053/bike-camper-DIY-micro-mobile
https://permies.com/t/31808/Bicycle-Towed-Gypsy-Wagon-Camper
https://permies.com/t/143137/Goat-Cart-Training
https://permies.com/t/116343/Good-long-distance-wheelbarrow-cart
https://permies.com/t/53867/Show-Hauling-Bike
https://permies.com/t/116371/innertube-size
https://permies.com/t/173599/Chicksaw-Rhodes-Eliot-Coleman
https://permies.com/t/50021/Finally-mobile-chicken-coop-person
https://permies.com/t/192236/permaculture-upcycling/Axles-Bike-Wheeled-Tool-Shaws
https://permies.com/t/19901/Chinese-Wheelbarrow
https://permies.com/t/73333/Chinese-chickshaw
https://permies.com/t/70406/presents-Ancient-Chinese-Wheel-Barrow#610357
https://permies.com/t/55649/Trad-Chinese-single-wheel-barrow
https://permies.com/t/108324/design-collapsible-wheeled-travois-emergency
https://permies.com/t/169043/Wheelbarrow-maintenance
https://permies.com/t/180120/Outdoor-kitchens-wheels
https://permies.com/t/186135/prone-garden-cart
https://permies.com/t/40540/caravans
---others/related/misc/discussion---
https://permies.com/t/42093/Tale-Wheelbarrows-Don-Buy-Plastic
https://permies.com/t/26546/Horses-horses-carts
https://permies.com/t/42096/History-Wheelbarrow
https://permies.com/t/871/garden-cart-big-inch-wheels
https://permies.com/t/102220/tech/Wheelbarrow-wheeled-cart
https://permies.com/t/172701/show-us-haul-wheelbarrow
https://permies.com/t/171596/Multifunctional-machinery
https://permies.com/t/177530/Peddle-gas-dirt-bike-pulling
https://permies.com/t/153025/Cool-muscle-powered-tool-diy
https://permies.com/t/87425/Mobile-ops
https://permies.com/t/51608/Sleeping-pod-ultimate-small-house
https://permies.com/t/174747/tech/Bennett-Buggies-Hoover-Carts-Horse
https://permies.com/t/107657/alternatives-regular-cars
https://permies.com/t/186131/reconcile-car-free-life-desire
https://permies.com/t/12921/Mobile-chicken-house-design
https://permies.com/t/43962/Cargo-Bike-Upgrades
https://permies.com/t/223844/Design-Auger-Trolley
https://permies.com/t/7038/winch-plow
https://permies.com/t/180905/permaculture-upcycling/Boat-travel-trailer
https://permies.com/t/177086/Interested-ideas-siding-mobile-chicken
https://permies.com/t/19945/cultivator
https://permies.com/t/3800/animal-care/Draft-animals
https://permies.com/t/2829/animal-care/moose-draft-animal
https://permies.com/t/67212/Garden-Monorail
https://permies.com/t/219806/Grading-wheel-tractor
https://permies.com/t/52999/Walking-tractors-David-Bradley-discussions
https://permies.com/t/179755/Wheel-hoe-worth
https://permies.com/t/25675/Tractors-luxury
https://permies.com/t/36111/Electric-Powered-Wagon-Ideas
https://permies.com/t/51650/transporting-hay-bales-tractor

Some YouTube channels (that have been mentioned in threads):

This one about a permie living out of a sheep-pulled bicycle microcamper (30k subs):
https://www.youtube.com/@123Homefree

This one about building bicycle campers/trailers/solar trailers (130k subs):
https://www.youtube.com/@paulwelkinsdiy


Throughout the search, there were threads with discussions I could spin off into their own thread or contribute ideas that have not been brought up.

I think there is a community for these topics, just not a great category to ask questions or brainstorm ideas.
 
Nicole Alderman
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Good finds!!! I think we've got enough threads there that can have Wagons And Carts as it's primary forum, and the rest will have it as a secondary forum. I'm going to ask the rest of the staff about making it, and see if they have inputs into names for it. I know Paul likes having forum names be short and sweet (usually two words, rarely three), so we'll need to figure out a concise name that captures the meaning.

I'm thinking "Wagons, Carts & Trailers" might be too long? If anyone has ideas of shorter names, please post them!
 
Tj Simpson
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I wonder what the technical difference between a wagon and a cart is.

Is a wagon pulled and a cart pushed?

Might have to search the dictionary a little maybe there is a shorter word for both.
 
Nicole Alderman
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Yeah, I like picking terms that show both new and old technology, as well as pushing and pulling contraptions.

I've got:

    "Wheelbarrows and Wagons" (both pushing and pulling, and bonus points for alliteration!)

    "Trailers and Wheelbarrows" (pushing and pulling, and feature the trailer which is decidedly new, compared to wagon which isn't as much used any more).


Wheelbarrow is a really long word, though!

Is a wagon pulled and a cart pushed?

Might have to search the dictionary a little maybe there is a shorter word for both.



I think carts get pulled? As in, "Don't put the cart before the horse." But, mine carts can be pushed, so maybe they can go either way? What other hauling contraptions get pushed rather than pulled?
 
pollinator
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Wheelie thingies ?  lol

 
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I love trailers - absolutely indispensable!  I've built a number of these. ALL are tilt-beds. And all are crafted from an exercise treadmills (excellent frame tubing and they litter second stores for cheap).

P1060735a.jpg
tilt bed tractor trailer built from a treadmill
P1060736a.jpg
tractor trailer tilted up
P1060738a.jpg
lock mechanism and prop of a home built trailer
P1060739a.jpg
view underneath a trailer built from a treadmill frame
 
Eugene Kenny
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Stripped 'exercise' treadmill frame, ready to be cleaned-up & built. Measures 63.5" x 24".  This one labeled "Cross Walk"....
P1060741a.jpg
treadmill frame stripped before being built into a trailer
 
Tj Simpson
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The type of "thing" in this category according to me would be any wheeled equipment that is not self-propelled meaning it is human/animal powered, or towed by something smaller than a car.

The thing could have a fixed hitch, pivoting axle/handle, or handle(s).

The thing may have a covered top or open sides and is probably less than 100 sqft in area.

But then there are things like the travois and plow that might be dragged behind a person or draft animal, those may or may not have wheels. Maybe it's on skids/skis.


So what is that thing called? I gave an AI that description and it suggested:
"Non-Motorized Conveyances" but that is quite long so I asked for something shorter and got "Wheeled Gear".
 
Tj Simpson
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Eugene Kenny wrote:Stripped 'exercise' treadmill frame, ready to be cleaned-up & built. Measures 63.5" x 24".  This one labeled "Cross Walk"....




That kind of information is exactly why I want a forum for this stuff, I have never seen a treadmill trailer frame and probably wouldn't have thought of it myself. I bet there are 100 other ideas like this.
 
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I never knew that I wanted to learn about carts but here I am.
 
Eugene Kenny
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Nicole Alderman wrote:I'm thinking "Wagons, Carts & Trailers" might be too long? If anyone has ideas of shorter names, please post them!

Homebrew Haulers?
 
Nicole Alderman
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Some ideas from the other moderators:

Wheelies?
Move it?
Haulers?

From Paul:

non-motorized stuff?
would "garden carts" cover wheelbarrows and wagons?


Putting all these ideas together, maybe:

non-motorized wheelies?

When I hear "wheelies," though, I just think about doing wheelies on my bike as a kid.... Maybe

non-motorized haulers?

But that might bring up things like putting a pack on a donkey or dog to haul stuff....
 
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I like this idea thanks T. !

How about
Pushcarts and Trailers ?

Pushcart is another word for wheelbarrow, and trailer sort of covers other carts too.
 
Tj Simpson
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I like wheelies and homebrew haulers the best so far. I think it is good to not be too specific.



I attached my attempt at making a bumper sticker. Which I did in raster, may not be sharp enough.
wheelies.png
Wheelies Bumper Sticker
Wheelies Bumper Sticker
 
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Whatever the title I think many forums have more specific text just below the title explaining it further...
Like if 'carts and trailers' was the forum title then
'non motorized wheeled haulers' would be under that on the forum page itself.
 
Nicole Alderman
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T Simpson wrote:I like wheelies and homebrew haulers the best so far. I think it is good to not be too specific.



I attached my attempt at making a bumper sticker. Which I did in raster, may not be sharp enough.



You made the bumpersticker! You are amazing!!! Thank you!!!

(No one other than I, has offered to make a bumpersticker in like 8 years, let alone make one. This is awesome! I'll go see if the system likes it.)
 
Nicole Alderman
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Oooh, it looks like it's 2 pixels too big in each direction. It needs to be 30x30 pixels. Can you adjust the size to 30x30?

(And, yeah, making these tiny images is a fun challenge--it's hard to get them distinct at such a tiny scale! Thank you!)
 
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I like Haulers myself - homemade or otherwise. I'd prefer not to exclude at least electric powered carts, as many permies are elderly or disabled and they may need electric assisted carts to maintain their independence. Yes, I'd like the focus to mostly be animal power (last I looked, humans are in the Animal Kingdom), because there's huge benefits to going back there from the sustainability perspective, but my chickens just aren't big enough to haul anything useful and the geese would be way too busy telling the world about it to get the job done!
 
Tj Simpson
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Nicole Alderman wrote:Oooh, it looks like it's 2 pixels too big in each direction. It needs to be 30x30 pixels. Can you adjust the size to 30x30?

(And, yeah, making these tiny images is a fun challenge--it's hard to get them distinct at such a tiny scale! Thank you!)




Ok resized.

Images are best rendered with pixels in the powers of 2 and I inspected one of the other bumper stickers to see its size, format, and color info. Maybe the 2px is reserved for a border.

I hope it would look alright next to the others, ideally, it would be made in vector software, I just did it in paint.net
wheelies.png
[Thumbnail for wheelies.png]
 
Nicole Alderman
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You're right! I was wondering why 32x32 wasn't working, because I thought that's what I'd made all the other ones. It felt like the right number. But, when I went to upload it, there was a bit saying "Please upload small images only." Silly me didn't realize that was ALWAYS there, and that it wasn't telling me the image was too big.

Anyway, I just installed your first version. Right now, it's linked to the Gear forum, but I'll switch the link once we decide on a name and I make the forum.
 
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“Pulled & pushed”.  “Got wheels?”  “Wheels on foot”
 
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TJ Simpson, your wish has been granted! Come on over to our new haulers forum to talk about rickshaws, wheelbarrows and wagons!
 
pollinator
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Just for wheeled vehicles?
No sleds?
 
Nicole Alderman
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I think sleds made a lot of sense for that forum. And with the name of "Haulers," it'd include things like sleds that help you haul things.
 
Jeremy VanGelder
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craig howard wrote:Just for wheeled vehicles?
No sleds?


That's a good point, Howard. I just added "Sleds and stoneboats" to the forum description. It is all about things that help you move other things to where they need to be.
 
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