Building a wooden cart, how to choose the correct wood?

[solexious]

Hello all,

I'm planning on making a wooden cart, like a medieval shop stall with wheels and a covering.

It seems plans for these are thin on the internet, but I think I have an idea how to build this. My main stumbling block is all of my builds have been theatre sets for indoors. This cart while it won't live outdoors 24/7, it needs to stand up to being used in the weather. Can/should I use regular untreated pine etc to build this like an indoor set and then treat the wood, or start with hardwood/treated wood? If the first option, what would you recommend I treat the wood with.

Cheers!

Sol

p.s. bonus points for any cart making tips or plans

 

[marcros]

I would use softwood and paint it.

 

[marcros]

Is it this type of thing? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Retail-sales ... 1227654080

 

[solexious]

Kind of, but bigger and more rustic.

Ideally I don't want to paint it as it would be a bit out of place. Is there any particular wood stain you would recommend?

 

[MikeG.]

If you use unpainted untreated softwood then your cart will start rotting within a year or 18 months. If that is OK for you, then it is certainly the cheapest option. There is so much shaping of timber in a cart that treated timber won't be treated by the time you've shaved away the surface, so if you want a long/er lasting job you should be selecting a durable hardwood, or perhaps something like larch or cedar. Personally, I'd be looking at sweet chestnut, as oak is getting so expensive now.

If you do actually build this, I'd be interested in a detailed WIP of the wheelwrighting.

 

[bourbon]

Are you a re-enactor by any chance? We have thought of using carts, and there is at least one on the Wars of the Roses circuit. to be useable they need to be large, heavy and too big to move around without a horse! We had made a small hand cart to transport our bread oven that was made of oak, But we used fake wheels. If you need authenticity, look to be spending around £300 per wheel for a proper made one ( there are still companies in the UK that can still do it) Good luck with it!

 

[Just4Fun]

look to be spending around £300 per wheel for a proper made one

I am surprised it isn't more when you consider the time and skill that must go into making a cart wheel.

 

[Droogs]

If you don't want to tackle the wheel yourself then this chap (Ian Grant) is rather good, been on the go as a wheelwright since 1976. He's made replacement wheels for royal coaches and RHA guns:

Name: Fife Wheelwrights
Address:
He Workshop, North Callange Farm
Postcode/City:
KY15 5TU Cupar
County:
Fife Scotland
Phone:
01334 653868
Mobile:
07875 428449

above info is freely available and posted publicly elsewhere..

edit: You may also want to watch - EngelsCoachShop on youtube and excellent channel by a traditional coach builder:

https://www.youtube.com/user/EngelsCoachShop/videos

 

[nev]

Maybe you don't need proper (pricey) spoked wheels? a couple of thick planks and a metal hoop if you need to...

 

[thetyreman]

I'd use a durable wood like oak or chestnut as mike suggested,


didn't they use ash in the past? partly because of the steam bending properties

 

[solexious]

Are you a re-enactor by any chance?

Close, this will be for LARP ("re-enacting", but totally fantasy rather than history), so I do have a large amount of wiggle room, but there are still lines not to cross. (modern screw or bolt heads clearly on display etc would be a bad thing.)

Maybe you don't need proper (pricey) spoked wheels? a couple of thick planks and a metal hoop if you need to...

As much as I would love real spoked wheels I think I need to go down this route just for budget more than anything.

I'd use a durable wood like oak or chestnut as mike suggested,

Seems like that's the consensus. Would anyone have tips as to the weight difference going down this route? Also any good London suppliers for getting these woods in for the project?

Cheers

Sol

 

[AndyT]

Would anyone have tips as to the weight difference going down this route? Also any good London suppliers for getting these woods in for the project?

Cheers

Sol

I recently made a garden chair in sweet chestnut, to match an earlier one I had made in oak. (Build thread here adirondack-style-chair-in-sweet-chestnut-t113356.html.)
I can't quantify it but the chestnut is noticeably quite a lot lighter than the oak, though still strong and stiff in normal cross sections. It behaves itself well when being worked - not splintery, no difficult reversing grain. And it's cheaper to buy, so it gets my vote.

 

[custard]

Also any good London suppliers for getting these woods in for the project

West London try Moss & Co, not the cheapest but consistently superb quality,

https://www.mosstimber.co.uk

For mid market quality and mid market prices try SL Hardwoods,

https://www.slhardwoods.co.uk