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Hella Dollies?

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Lu-Max

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Jan 8, 2014
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745
I recently moved a smallish ~800# welding table using two HF "1000# Dollies", they ended up looking like this:

Hella-Dolly-12_resize_resize.jpg


The "heavier duty" blue ones from HF aren't much better, I've snapped the wheels off of two of them.

So I got some 2' square x 3/8" 6061, 1" x 1/8" 6061 angle, some BF casters and hardware, a bit of anti-slip tape, and made my own "Hella Dollies". It'll take a lot to snap these in half.

The AL had super-sharp edges so I took them off with a flapper wheel.

Hella-Dolly-11_resize.jpg


Countersinking is boring.

Hella-Dolly-10_resize.jpg


Then added some 'channels' on the bottom to keep straps from slipping or interfering with the casters.

Hella-Dolly-09_resize.jpg


Hella-Dolly-08_resize.jpg


Casters; one dolly has fixed plus locking swivelers, the other swivelers plus locking swivelers.

Hella-Dolly-07_resize.jpg


Hella-Dolly-05_resize.jpg


Hella-Dolly-02_resize.jpg


And after a quick wipe with acetone, some anti-slip tape.
Pro tip? Be sure to keep the sticky side away from your arm hair. :eek:

Hella-Dolly-04_resize.jpg
 
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Boilerhouse

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Mar 20, 2012
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Muskoka
Very nicely done. I make my own dollies too but yours are way better than mine. Probably my biggest mistake is cheaping out and buying casters that are too small. Hard to roll and even the slightest bit of debris acts like a wheel chock.
 
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kazlx

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Oct 30, 2012
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Location
Tustin, CA
You would have been fine spreading the load instead of putting the edge right down the center on the dollies. FWIW, I think the Home Depot Milwaukee ones are way nicer and only $20. I have a ton of them and use them all the time.

That being said, the new ones you built are dope as hell.
 
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Lu-Max

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Jan 8, 2014
Messages
745
kazlx said:
You would have been fine spreading the load instead of putting the edge right down the center on the dollies. FWIW, I think the Home Depot Milwaukee ones are way nicer and only $20. I have a ton of them and use them all the time.

That being said, the new ones you built are dope as hell.
Click to expand...

Actually I had them each on one edge of the table base, but as they went up the ramp into my temporary shipping container the added stress snapped at least one wheel off of each of them, then continued pulling (gotta get them into the container) snapped the wood. Either way I won't be buying any more, the wheels on them are horrible.
 
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OldNeons

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Dec 27, 2011
Messages
462
Location
Midwest
The only thing those cheap dollies are good for is setting stuff on once it's IN the storage container or warehouse. If you are lucky you can roll it a few feet to one side or the other to get to something behind it there.....
Very nice work on the custom built dollies. I have been EXTREMELY happy with the dollies from Snap-loc www.SnapLoc.com I've had 4 of them for 9 years now - they are not cheap but I'm guessing you'd buy them before you'd remake more - LOL..... I know I'd pay double what they cost without batting an eye - and maybe triple. I like them that much. Square tube steel frame with molded resin body and quality casters. They are rock solid, non skid surface, built in e-track fittings for straps (a super bonus). The best feature is they will take the weight and still roll nicely - through the grass, on the gravel road, over the door threshold, into the trailer, you get the idea. No, I don't work for them - it's just a great product!
 
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kkroger

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Apr 21, 2013
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1,143
We used to just build an Angle Iron frame around the wood ones. Making sure the Casters sit on the steel... You would be shocked what we put on them...
 
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cgrutt

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Mar 4, 2016
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8,179
Nice! I recently repurposed an old treadmill frame for a similar purpose. I like yours better, LOL...

40558392562_823c09434c_c.jpg
 
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Lu-Max

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Best use I've ever seen for a treadmill (followed closely by laundry rack).
 
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pgk

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Feb 14, 2018
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Location
St. Johns MI.
Nice job LU-Max those look pretty stout, pun intended. :) Have you had a chance to test them out yet?


Pete
 
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Willie Makeit

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Dec 30, 2013
Messages
906
i moved a 1967 C10 around on a set of those cheap HF dollies for about 7 years. Worked fine and ended up giving them to a friend who put another truck on them after i was finished with them. <shrug>
 
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Ch3No2

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Nov 27, 2009
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356
LuMax...nice job...may I ask where you got the casters from?
 
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dutchgray

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Sep 28, 2014
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Location
Dorset. England.
That is a very nice dollie.
I made one by gluing and screwing two pieces of 1" marine ply I had left over and bolted some casters I had on. Could have done with better casters but I had them, it is quite heavy in its self though.
Not seen a cheap commercially available dollie I would actually want, they are all too light duty, got to spend some money to buy one worth having.
 
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bad_idea

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Jun 11, 2011
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Location
Pasquotank, NC
I made an aluminum flat dolly for use in the garage a few years back. Very handy. I like the addition of the angle for straps. Don't like non skid on them though, would be concerned about it tearing things up. I haven't had too much trouble with things sliding off of my dolly. Then again, I don't push things up a ramp on it. I use mine just for moving things around the shop on a flat, smooth floor.

I also have (4) of the HF cheapies and they have held up ok. I had not considered using them for moving a car around. I will have to give that a shot, see how that goes.
 
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