Custom Carts- is this a thing?

[CrowLegs]

I built two carts by modifying golf bag carts. The first was a simple two-wheeled Bag Boy that I added a Magellen backpack to. It worked pretty good for minimal effort. The second one was based on a three-wheeled cart. I added a cut-down milk crate that held a Lat64 Pro bag up high. That cart was fantastic on the course. The three wheels made it extremely stable; the weight shifted automatically when it hit obstacles. The discs were all up high and easy to get to, no bending over needed. There were two drawbacks: no where to sit down, and it was very bulky even when folded up.

I eventually bought a Zuca compact cart, and love it. It's a great size, has the seat built in, and is easy to transport. I don't know how I'd improve on it if i built my own....

It's a fun project for sure, but there's also something nice about using a product that was designed for that specific use....

 

[davetherocketguy]

I built two carts by modifying golf bag carts. The first was a simple two-wheeled Bag Boy that I added a Magellen backpack to. It worked pretty good for minimal effort. The second one was based on a three-wheeled cart. I added a cut-down milk crate that held a Lat64 Pro bag up high. That cart was fantastic on the course. The three wheels made it extremely stable; the weight shifted automatically when it hit obstacles. The discs were all up high and easy to get to, no bending over needed. There were two drawbacks: no where to sit down, and it was very bulky even when folded up.

I eventually bought a Zuca compact cart, and love it. It's a great size, has the seat built in, and is easy to transport. I don't know how I'd improve on it if i built my own....

It's a fun project for sure, but there's also something nice about using a product that was designed for that specific use....

The built in seat is huge for me and my 46 year old and overweight frame lol. I could never figure out a way that I liked to incorporate a seat into the golf pull cart that I had. Ended up just carrying a stool everywhere.

 

[PMantle]

 

[DoWork]

It's a fun project for sure, but there's also something nice about using a product that was designed for that specific use....

I absolutely buy into this, but after looking at carts I can't believe what they cost for how little there really is to them. Also I suffer from a perfectionist brand of OCD that is extremely powerful, and I'm a cheap dad now so the builder in me says "For $200+ I could build something way better" or "I could build that for a fraction of the price" etc. aaaaaand that is basically how I over complicate my entire life.


I truly just want to build myself a badass offroad version of a trolley dolly that is tailored to discs, appropriate accessories and cold beverages. I think that foldout seat design has a ton of merit, but is too flimsy to be useful in our sport.

Time will tell if I ever get enough of a break to even attempt a build, but I'd love to take a swing at one. It looks really cool in my head.

 

[Hyzflip10]

For a solution to the seat issue, I attached a pvc tube to the frame to hold my stool. It is there when I need it, and is easy to remove and attach.

 

[Doofenshmirtz]

I have been a custom fabricator my entire adult life . . .

Obviously this got me thinking about making custom carts. The designs that are out there now are generally mass-produced stamped aluminum and quite honestly pretty spartan for the amount they cost. Also the wheels are pretty much all BS, the carrying capacity is meh, and the additional consideration shown in design and build is far from inspiring IMO.

Does anybody make handmade one-off carts in low volume? . . . Your thoughts?

I make carts, including the ones that PMantle included pics of. I made three more last year and will likely be making that many this year. They are all Tig welded Aluminum. My thoughts:

Wheels: Zuca has it about right. For a pull cart, 12" wheels are plenty large enough. Because the direction of pull is about 45° upward from horizontal, that diameter will easily roll over logs of the same diameter. Weight is your enemy and the 12", plastic spoke, 1/2" diameter axle wheels are just about perfect. You can buy them online for about $17 each, Zuca charges about double that. If you order them in bulk, you can get them for a few dollars each. Larger diameter wheels are easier to pull but are also heavier and bulkier.

Material: My personal cart is made from Shedule 40 aluminum pipe. It is overbuilt and heavier than it needs to be. The newer ones that I have made are made from 1/8" sheet and lighter-gauge round and rectangular tube. I'm managing to get them lighter and lighter. Again, Zuca makes some very smart trade-offs in their design. All the carts that I have made are bag carts. I like the idea of being able to use the cart and pull the bag off and carry it if the terrain isn't cart friendly. I don't need a seat, so I don't build one in.

Size. The wider the wheelbase - the more stable the cart, of course, and the easier to pull it over obstacles as well as the more difficult to make it fit in a trunk or in the rear of the passenger compartment. Large wheels also decrease storage options.

There are so many trade offs that, as long as the cart is well made, it's kind of silly to be too critical of anyone else's design decisions, especially if their carts are popular.

 

[wolfmandragon]

If i were going to use a cart, I would just modify a oxyactlene bottle cart. Proper size wheel...not the baby useless zuca cart wheels.
https://www.amazon.com/Steel-Welding-Hauls-Equipment-Terrain/dp/B06XBB6L8R

 

[DoWork]

I make carts, including the ones that PMantle included pics of. I made three more last year and will likely be making that many this year. They are all Tig welded Aluminum. My thoughts:

Wheels: Zuca has it about right. For a pull cart, 12" wheels are plenty large enough. Because the direction of pull is about 45° upward from horizontal, that diameter will easily roll over logs of the same diameter. Weight is your enemy and the 12", plastic spoke, 1/2" diameter axle wheels are just about perfect. You can buy them online for about $17 each, Zuca charges about double that. If you order them in bulk, you can get them for a few dollars each. Larger diameter wheels are easier to pull but are also heavier and bulkier.

Material: My personal cart is made from Shedule 40 aluminum pipe. It is overbuilt and heavier than it needs to be. The newer ones that I have made are made from 1/8" sheet and lighter-gauge round and rectangular tube. I'm managing to get them lighter and lighter. Again, Zuca makes some very smart trade-offs in their design. All the carts that I have made are bag carts. I like the idea of being able to use the cart and pull the bag off and carry it if the terrain isn't cart friendly. I don't need a seat, so I don't build one in.

Size. The wider the wheelbase - the more stable the cart, of course, and the easier to pull it over obstacles as well as the more difficult to make it fit in a trunk or in the rear of the passenger compartment. Large wheels also decrease storage options.

There are so many trade offs that, as long as the cart is well made, it's kind of silly to be too critical of anyone else's design decisions, especially if their carts are popular.

Thanks for the insight, I would definitely be using aluminum and TIG. I also don't mean to criticize anybody who manufactures one, I am just a tinkerer so I will always want to build the perfect iteration for myself.

 

[Doofenshmirtz]

If i were going to use a cart, I would just modify a oxyactlene bottle cart. Proper size wheel...not the baby useless zuca cart wheels.
https://www.amazon.com/Steel-Welding-Hauls-Equipment-Terrain/dp/B06XBB6L8R

If the the cart meets your needs that it is perfect for you. And it doubles to hold your welding/cutting gas bottles when you are not playing disc golf.

But here are a few cons with that set up:

1. Comparatively heavy. Aluminum carts, like a Zuca, are going to be much lighter and balanced better when bulling.

2. Comparatively Bulky. It might be perfect for you, but not for people with little storage space, small cars, etc.

3. Wheels are too big and pneumatic. Zuca cart wheels are pretty much the perfect size and (now) never need re-inflation and never go flat.

4. The lip on the bottom tray may or may not get in the way and/or prevent your bag from fitting.

5. Bottom tray is too low. One of the reasons I use a cart is not having to bend over so far to pick up discs. That cart basically sits a bag on the ground - assuming it is used as a bag cart.

6. The fact that it needs modification to work.

I think it needs mention again that Zuca carts are popular for a reason. They are very well designed. I don't personally like them due to the disc access, but designing and building my own carts has given me a much greater appreciation for their products.

 

[PMantle]

I think this is the next wave:

 

[Doofenshmirtz]

I think this is the next wave:

Adjusting the balance on those is going to be tough. But I like the top one.

 

[DarkAce1978]

I think this is the next wave:

Lol, you guys gonna play a round with Betty White or something?...Just joking. Good ideas but the courses I play seem to be too rugged for something that large. Half the time I don't even use my homemade zuca style cart because it's more work to haul over terrain.

 

[wolfmandragon]

I think this is the next wave:

I have seen one on one of the local short courses.....

 

[PMantle]

Lol, you guys gonna play a round with Betty White or something?...Just joking. Good ideas but the courses I play seem to be too rugged for something that large. Half the time I don't even use my homemade zuca style cart because it's more work to haul over terrain.

We have one really old guy, and I have been tempted to buy one for him just as a gag. Harbor Freight has them. He uses a baby stroller now even though he might throw 4 discs in any one round.

I tried a cart for a while-the one Doof made for me, but it's just not for me. I barely notice my Rebel on my back, and i can walk anywhere with it.

 

[DisconsinTx]

I built a ratrod...ish backpack cart out of an old bag boy cart and gave it some personal tweaks with existing materials (snap on tool box) I had. It can hold me sitting on i.t 6'4" 235lbs.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[wproct]

I think this is the next wave:

OMG!! I'm 73 and probably getting closer to this scene than I care to think about. Scares the crap out of me.

 

[jakebake91]

I have contemplated building a cart myself. Similar to the OP, I come from a manufacturing background. I'm a machinist in a Fab shop. Always looked at those carts and thought the price was insane for what you were actually getting.

Always thought the smaller dimensioned aluminum extrusions (https://www.tnutz.com) would make for an easy and light frame build.