Need to fabricate a hand towbar

Metal Shop
#1

I have a cart that has this T-handle on it for lugging it around. It’s way too short to use comfortably and I need to cobble a new one together. Imagine trying to dig a hole with a three foot long shovel. It’s like that.

It appears to be 3/4” fairly thin walled square steel tube. Questions:

  1. Where would be the best place to buy some tubing like this? I’d need about 5 feet of it.

  2. Can anyone help me weld the T handle at the top?

Edit: This handle happens to have a curve in it but the replacement can be straight. I don’t care.

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#2

Metals4u or metal supermarket will have short pieces of round or square tubing. I rarely accept payment but can make an exception in this case, my bid for the job is a freezedried ice cream sandwhich.

3 Likes
#3

I’ll give you 12! What flavor(s)?

#4

If that was my cart, I would not replace the handle.

I would find some square tubing which slip fits over the existing tubing, cut the handle somewhere in the middle and make an extension.

Less work plus you can remove most of the handle for storage.

4 Likes
#5

It’s not a bad thought but the cart itself is HUGE and doesn’t really lend itself to storage. If I took the scope off I think it would all actually take up the same amount of space.

The handle attaches with a clevis pin and can be detached easily for transport.

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1 Like
#6

Lets extend the handle, is it 3/4" square tubinhg, we coould get 1" that should slip over it if we cut it below the existing handle.

1 Like
#7

Looks like rain so I’m free tuesday night. Wed night would also work.

#8

I can come up on Tuesday night. I’ve been so checked out for the last couple of weeks.

I don’t actually like the curve on the existing handle because it scrapes on the ground and it also introduces a vertical component of pulling. I wish I could show you what I mean.

#9

If it scrapes now, lengthening it would make it more likely to scrape.

But unless it is actively making ground contact, the upward component should only depend on the angle from its connection to the cart, to the handle when used.

The ground scraping does sound like a reason to either convert to straight, or at least reduce the curve. A longer handle should reduce the upward force when in use.

#10

The upward component is exacerbated by its short length. It’s such a short handle, you end up pulling “up” as much as “forward”. (I realize that’s basically what you said)

Actually second grip a little lower would be useful for jumping a curb but in general, I think longer is better for this.

#11

@mdredmond did you get steel? I could be there 6:30 or later.