Best Vehicle for Carpentry

[CAD Woodworking]

Hi Guys,
I'm pretty new to this trade, and im looking into getting a vehicle so I can go get my own timber and sheets as well as transport finished products to clients.

Debating between a van, jeep or a pick-up.

I have an idea that I would like something that can be used as work vehicle and a family vehicle with 4/5 seats.

Im sure this has been answered before but with so many models available these days maybe the answers will be different.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Tasky]

AFAIK, most vans are in a different tax bracket, due to the commercial nature for which they were designed.

Depends partly on what lengths of wood you'll be working with. Were it a purely commercial venture, I'd suggest something van-like or an Estate, that can have the passenger side seating replaced with a flat platform to get extra length in.

But as a family vehicle too, you'll probably be looking at an Estate. Jeeps tend to be quite small inside and pickups are more 2-seaters, with the double-cab ones sacrificing rear storage space.

 

[sunnybob]

Mercedes sprinter van
get a full sized sheet of anything inside. two passengers seats, and it goes like a rocket ship. What more could you want?
i dont see how you could get ANYTHING inside a jeep.

 

[owen]

I've worked out of a pickup, jeep and van. I can comfortably say I wouldn't go back to the pickup or the jeep. The van wins hands down. So much easier for transporting tools and materials, and you get three seats too.

 

[mbartlett99]

Having recently driven from Miami to Savannah (500 miles) in a Jeep I can honestly say I have never hated anyone more than the designer of that godawful junkbox. As to getting anything inside it - err no, just no.

Skoda Yetis have a decent rep as load shifters and an Audi A6 estate is pretty good (nice and flat) but getting a full sheet transported pretty much means a Sprinter.

 

[custard]

There's a couple of the people carrier type vehicles that are popular with furniture makers because the rear seats are completely removable, without the seats they'll take an 8' x 4' sheet plus the great majority of commissions that you're ever likely to receive.

4X4 type vehicles, like Discoveries, don't have such a good reputation for woodworkers (at least amongst the furniture makers I know) because getting sheet goods up onto the roof rack when you're single handed is harder work, don't forget that a single sheet of 18mm MDF weighs about 40 kilos! If you do intend on using a roof rack then an estate car makes hoisting and securing the load quite a bit easier.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I think this is a 'no brainer' and I agree with Sunnybob, get a Sprinter or something very similar. It needs to have a high top so that you can load full sheets into it and be able to stand up straight as it makes loading so much easier. Just don't go for the latest version of the Transit, it's a money pit PITA!! :roll:

OWK ccasion5:

 

[mr edd]

For carpentry/joinery/kitchen fitting/general building work as a sole trader, i think a van is almost essential.

I have had a number of work vehicles over the last decade or so but the absolutely most hopeless was a twin cab 4x4 navara. Great for the look of the thing but totally impractical.

Estate cars don't look as professional as a smart van, racked out. Also easier for nasty bar stewards to have a look at what tools you have before they smash a window and make off with your hard earned gear.

Vans around the size of a connect, scudo and upwards etc will fit most of the carpentry tools you might need, in fact as long as you can fit a six foot level in length most other tools can be put into custom made racking to allow for easy access, no wasted height space by laying tool boxes out on the floor of the van to enable material transport.

If you dont want to order most of your materials for delivery, tools are almost a secondary consideration in van choice.

However material transport capacity while loaded with tools i believe is the real consideration.

Average materials transported during the working week might include, 10 sheets of 100 kingspan insulation, or 3m + lengths of kitchen work tops, or 4m lengths skirting and architrave, 15 or so sheets of 18mm/25mm ply MDF, etc

And in my case i built my racking to allow a 900kg grab bag to be fork lifted into the back of the van over the rear axles.

If its plasterboard or MDF you dont really want to put it on a roof rack, or leave it there because there is not enough space to unload it all to job and can you still access your tools while the van is loaded?

For all of the above reasons i think if you work by yourself and don't have all day to wait about for a materials delivery something like a long wheel base Renault traffic is hard to beat with a decent roof rack.

Hope this helps

Time for my tea now!

Cheers Edd

 

[mr edd]

Love my LWB Traffic

 

[mr edd]

Just re read the op,

I would not try to mix commercial use with family transport,

You can get vans which offer rear seating (some of which are removable) with a tool area behind, but unless you step up to a very long wheel base your material transport capacity for carpentry will be severely limited by the seats, also important is a metal bulkhead, its discourages theft and prevents forgotten items/tools from being catapulted into passenger area in the event of an accident.

 

[AJB Temple]

I've been looking at this myself. I am not trade, but I do use a lot of stuff. I don't do a high mileage but as I have other business interests, waiting around for deliveries is a real problem for me. I am tempted by say a 5 -10 year old LWB transit, preferably with a high roof and and good sized side door.

 

[Adam9453]

SWB transit custom would be my van of choice. It can take an 8x4 sheet laid flat (which most other swb vans can’t). Plus there’s a neat hatch to slide longer bits under the front passenger seats which means you can carry bits Upto circa 3m long. Lovely to drive and was popular with my mrs so good for the family. You can get a crew van which has rear seats but I’d avoid those unless you have to have them. I think other family type vehicles just make it too annoying to lug materials and tools about. Much nicer just to throw it all in the back and not have to worry about taking out and storing seats etc. Van Van Van is the only choice 8)

 

[Homers double]

I have to disagree with mr edd regarding the double cab Navara, I’m on my 3rd Navara ( with hard cover on the back) and am on the waiting list for the new V6 Mercedes X class.
I am a general builder, carpenter, kitchen fitter etc, with a little adaption to the truck I can carry 8 x 4 boards in the back, ok it does stick out the back so you have to be wary of the weather, the most I’ve got in is 15 sheets of 12.5 mm plaster board.
I’ve made a platform which is supported by 4x2 permanently fitted side of the truck and 25mm ply shelf which is removable, the platform is level with the top of the tail gate. ( I’ll post a piccy tomorrow so you can see what I mean)
I am quite organised so most materials are delivered to site. Occasionally I’ve had to use a man and van service for delivery of stuff to a customer (probably 4 times in 20 years ) and I do have a trailer for sand, ballast etc.
I changed to the double cab pick up when I had 2 children at school and a baby to look after, my wife has always had good job and worked long hours so all the children stuff was down to me, fetching, carrying, school runs, after school clubs, football, ballet etc.
I’d always Used a transit van and really didn’t think I’d get on with a pick up, but I very quickly adapted, my daughter who was 10 at the time loved it, she absolutely hated my transit van, especially when I collected her from the school car park, she’s now 29 and drives a Toyota hilux for no other reason than she loves pick up trucks.

 

[mr edd]

Hi homers double

Fair enough mate, if you can get it to work for you, hats off to you, and it is a smart looking vehicle to do the job with.

The trouble i had was I just could not fit a quarter of the regular power tools and kit i carry on the van in the back of my old navara with a hard top, never mind a large mitre saw and massive dewalt stand, table saw, large vacuum extractor and portable thicknesser and then pick up the materials i needed never mind if i need to shift 10 accro's at the same time. My dad had a twin axle ifor williams trailer which i could have borrowed but parking that near a job in a city centre is a nightmare as i seem to recall the whole thing was over 30 foot long.

I work in mostly residential, some building sites, for the building sites its no problem to order the materials and if it turns up within a day or two of when they say it will and someone will be around to take delivery great, I have not been so lucky with residential jobs, i might only need for example 2 sheets of ply to box a small bathroom, so i can not wait around for a day for those to be delivered at 4.30 pm or expect the customer to wait around and deal with the delivery prior to me starting the job.

So the van makes a lot of sense.

I do my best to be as organised as possible, but.................

Like i said if a pick up works for you coolio!

I just can not work effectively out of one all of the time with the variety of work i take on.

Cheers Edd

 

[Harbo]

Rod

 

[Hot stuff]

I've got a Vito Dualiner, smart, comfy, economical and seats 5 with the seats down. Fold the back row forward and you've got a big load area or remove them altogether for even more space. Takes an 8x4 in the back , laid flat on a couple of stools to clear the arches.
Double side sliding doors as well let's you get at stuff easily wherever it is in the back.

 

[Geoff_S]

The thing with vehicles that are big enough to take materials is that they do tend to be vans, or vans pretending to be big cars, or big
cars pretending to be vans. Ultimately, they are all vans and drive like vans. Now that's OK, as long as your kids, and maybe even other passengers don't suffer from motion sickness on those long journeys.

 

[Chris152]

VW Transporter Kombi is a great van for both family and wood. With the seats in you can seat 5/6 in a safe and comfortable environment, and with the rear seats removed you can fit 8x4 sheets in laying flat. T4/ 5/ 6, depending on your budget.

 

[Grawschbags]

Used my brothers Vito a few times to collect 8x4 sheets. Fits them in no problem, lying flat between the arches. I thoroughly enjoy driving the Vito as well...

 

[Sawdust=manglitter]

I managed alright in my old Honda Civic