In the era of rapid development of microelectronics and the conquest of outer space, construction stretchers, invented back in the days of the pharaohs, have not lost their relevance. They greatly facilitate many jobs and increase productivity.
Purpose of construction stretchers
This is a universal device that allows you to move various bulk cargo - sand, crushed stone, cement, etc. Using a stretcher, you can also remove debris from construction site, transport heavy objects, such as bricks, cinder blocks or ceramic tiles.
The use of this equipment requires the participation of two people, preferably with the same endurance. It is impossible to carry a loaded construction stretcher alone. Therefore, if you don’t have a partner, you will have to use a wheelbarrow or cart.
Types of stretchers
Depending on the material, stretchers are divided into three categories: plastic, metal and wood.
The first ones are intended mainly for bulk cargo. Most of these models are equipped with wooden handles. Their carrying capacity is no more than 110 kg. When working, it should be borne in mind that even the most durable plastic can crack or split from a careless blow, especially in the cold. At the same time, construction plastic stretchers have the advantage of light weight, which makes it easier to carry loads. If necessary, they can be used as a container for diluting paint and building mixtures.
Metal stretchers are more durable. They are adapted to move up to 200 kg of loads. Made from sheet iron. The handles of such stretchers are usually wooden, in some cases upholstered with iron. When working, you must take precautions, as the possibility of cuts on metal edges cannot be ruled out. The tin case is not cheap, and it is practically impossible to repair.
Construction wooden stretchers are also used for various household purposes. They are very easy to repair, and it is also quite simple to make them yourself. The disadvantage of such stretchers is their significant weight. Moving them even without a load requires a lot of effort.
Advantages of plastic stretchers
They are made of heavy-duty plastic and, unlike wood or metal, do not rot or corrode. Light weight combined with good capacity makes them indispensable, especially when carrying heavy materials.
The stretcher container is shaped so that the weight of the load being carried is distributed evenly. You can even move liquid solutions in it. Construction stretchers are equipped with wooden handles, which are more comfortable than plastic ones. In order to avoid the appearance of fungus or rotting, they are treated with a special compound.
To make stretchers, manufacturers use impact-resistant plastic that can withstand significant loads. This is reflected in the durability of the equipment and the absence of deformation during operation. Plastic stretchers are resistant to temperature changes. This allows them to be used in almost any weather conditions.
How to make a construction stretcher with your own hands
Situations arise when a stretcher of a certain size is needed for work, which is difficult to find in shopping centers. In this case, you can make them yourself. To do this you will need a board about 30 mm thick, galvanized metal sheet, fastening fittings and a set of tools.
Handles are cut out of the board, which are the basis of any stretcher. A cut-out up to 40 cm long is made at the bottom of the board to give it a shape that is convenient for gripping and to reduce the weight of the stretcher. Then a frame is constructed in the form of two boards, fixed transversely to the handles at a distance of about 60 cm from each other. This is done using self-tapping screws. The resulting frame is reinforced with steel corners on the inside.
After this, the flooring elements are attached according to a certain pattern. They are laid first along the edges, resting on the ends of the transverse boards and on the handles, and lastly the board is attached in the middle. A metal sheet is nailed to the bottom with mounting nails - and the construction stretcher is ready. It is recommended to place all fittings on the outside.
K category: Carpentry work
Making wooden stretchers
General work planning
Knowing how to plan bars exactly to specified sizes, you can make many different and necessary things, for example, a stretcher, a wheelbarrow (Fig. 1, 2). As always, you need to start by making a plan.
Having become familiar with natural samples and the technical drawing of the product, they select bars from which blanks can be sawed off for parts of the required length (Fig. 3). The blanks are taken with an allowance - slightly more the right size in length, width and thickness.
The sawn blanks are planed according to the dimensions indicated in the technical drawing. After such processing, the workpieces are marked along the length and the allowance is sawed off.
Rice. 1. Stretcher. 2 pcs
Rice. 2. Wheelbarrow
Rice. 3. Stretcher parts
Rice. 4. Assembling stretcher parts
Then they begin the final processing of the parts. Blanks for handles are rounded at the ends, and for blanks at side walls the bodies have rounded corners. All parts are sanded and connected to each other with nails and screws (Fig. 4). The finished product is sanded again.
Don't forget that before you tighten the screw, you need to either drill a hole in the part or prick it with an awl (why?).
Here is the general work plan for making a stretcher:
1. After reviewing the technical drawing, sample, select necessary materials, tools.
2. Make two handles.
Rice. 5. Heating of stretcher handles according to size
3. Make legs.
4. Make the body of the stretcher.
5. Assemble the product and sand it.
6. Disassemble the sample into parts.
7. Measure the length, width and thickness of all parts.
8. Select blanks for the parts of the stretcher from the sawn bars.
9. Calculate the total length of all the walls of the body.
Stretcher handles
First, the bars for the handles must be cut to the dimensions (width and thickness) indicated in the technical drawing. Then the blanks are marked with a pencil, ruler and square. Mark the length of the handle (leaving allowance for sawing) and the places where the block needs to be rounded.
Very often there are defects at the ends of the bars. Therefore, marking must be carried out so that these defects can be removed (Fig. 5). The parts are sawed off in a miter box.
Rice. 6. Rounding handles in workbench clamps
The ends of the handles are rounded using a plane. The block is fixed on the workbench, as shown in Fig. 6.
First, thick chips are removed (Fig. 7, a), and then thinner and thinner (Fig. 7, c). When rounding the corners of the block, you need to turn it all the time, especially when removing thin shavings. Try to plan the handle so that it is round at the ends.
The second handle for the stretcher is made in the same sequence.
Rice. 7. Rounding the handles of the stretcher:
Special attention should be given to processing rounded surfaces. After all, the round handle is very comfortable to hold in your hand; when working, scratches and calluses will not appear on your fingers and palms.
The handle fixed in the clamps of the workbench is covered with cloth-based sandpaper and, moving it, the part is cleaned across the grain (Fig. 8). After this, the block is wrapped in sandpaper and the part is processed along the fibers (Fig. 9).
A well sanded handle is round in shape and has no scratches, protrusions or corners. The quality of work is checked by carefully examining the manufactured part and comparing it with the sample.
Fig.8. Cleaning the round handle with sandpaper
Rice. 9. Sanding the round handle with sandpaper on the pillow
Below is a work plan for making a pen:
1. Select the pieces and cut them to size.
2. Mark the length and outline the border of the rounding of the parts.
3. Saw off the allowance along the length of the workpieces,
4. Round the ends of the handles with a plane.
5. Clean the parts with sandpaper.
Body
The body of the stretcher is very similar to the body of a dump truck, which does not have a tailgate. The body is assembled from four parts: three walls and a bottom. Two walls are slightly longer than the third, and the width and thickness of all walls are the same.
Before you start manufacturing body parts, you need to carefully read the technical drawing and sample and draw up a work plan.
Rice. 10. Rounding the corners of the side walls of the stretcher body: a - marking according to the template; b - corner heating; c - corner rounding
First, the workpieces are selected and planed exactly to size (width and thickness). Then the bars are marked along the length and the allowance is sawed off in a miter box. Have more long workpieces you need to round the corners. Mark the rounding points according to the template.
You can round the corners with a chisel and a file. But it is better and faster to cut the corners with a saw, and then round them with a chisel and file them (Fig. 10).
All parts are carefully sanded and the body is assembled. First, the side walls are connected to each other with nails, and then the bottom is nailed to them. After this, the entire body is sanded again.
Work plan for the manufacture of the stretcher body:
1. Select materials and plan workpieces of a given size.
2. Mark the length of the parts and saw off the allowance.
3. Mark the rounding points of the side walls according to the template and round the corners.
4. Clean the parts with sandpaper.
5. Connect the side walls with nails.
6. Connect the side walls of the body with the bottom with nails.
7. Clean the body with sandpaper.
Product assembly
All the main parts of the stretcher (handles, legs, body) are made. All that remains is to connect them together, and the stretcher is ready.
Nails and screws will be required to connect individual parts and stretcher parts. The body is attached to the handles with nails 1-5-20 mm long, and then with screws of the same length. You can use screws with countersunk and half-round heads. The legs are secured with screws 25-30 mm long. Remember how to correctly connect parts with screws.
Stretcher assembly:
1. Mark the places for driving nails and screwing in screws, connect the body and handles together.
2. Connect the legs and handles with screws.
3. Clean the stretcher with sandpaper.
4. Cover finished product drying oil or varnish.
- Manufacturing wooden stretcher During the spring cleaning period garden plot, have to use large number inventory. Stretchers are no exception, however, not everyone has them. Thus, it is better to make a stretcher.
If you need a service like medsantrans.ru, you can call online special transport with trained personnel. In order to make a stretcher yourself, you can use available materials: boards and sheets of iron.
These items will definitely be found on the farm, and we will use them to make stretchers for the garden. It is advisable to trim the boards a little so that they are shaped like handles. If possible, process it with a plane and then sand it thoroughly.
It is recommended to round them to make them easier to hold in your hands. Using nails, you need to nail a sheet of iron at the base. When working in the garden, you can, for example, use a bucket to carry from place to place what is needed for gardening work. However, it is not very advisable to wear them; it may happen that you need to rake out leaves and old grass all day. And many people forget to get a cart. This is why stretchers are made.
When making stretchers, the boards can be slightly cut on the sides, where you will drive the nails. When the stretcher is ready, when using it, you must remember that there is no need to pull out the soil from the site. Let it remain in the garden, as it forms a fertile layer of soil. So, you have prepared a stretcher for gardening.
- Do wooden comb not so difficult if you have the opportunity to work on woodworking machines. First of all, we need a board, even if not edged, the thickness here is also not
- Many people have an eternal problem at home - shoes lying around in the hallway. Usually, when the whole family returns home in the evening, all the shoes get tangled underfoot. Therefore, to avoid such cases, it is necessary
- Today, progress does not stand still and there are many ways in which the life and work of summer residents and gardeners can be made easier. Of course. Everyone knows that plants need constant
- Alpine slide can become one of the most fascinating elements of your garden. This type has appeared landscape design recently, but has already gained its popularity. Approach to the structure
- Carrying firewood from the woodpile to the stove is unavoidable work. However, it is not the easiest. Some carry them in an armful, clutched to their chests, others weave boxes from wire, others sew canvas stretchers... I found
The most gentle way to transport victims is to carry them on a stretcher. If stretchers are not available, they can be made from scrap materials. You should learn how to make them in advance.
A stretcher can easily be made from two poles and blankets or sheets, a raincoat, a piece of tarpaulin, a mattress cover, two bags, one or two coats, straps, ropes, wires and similar material.
The more options for simulating a sanitary stretcher are known to students, the sooner in a difficult situation they will find best way carrying the victim.
It is advisable at school to make educational models of stretchers (scale 1:10), created from all kinds of available materials, and display them for inspection by all students. This will develop ingenuity and resourcefulness in students.
Methods for making sanitary stretchers from a variety of available materials are described in publicly available textbooks, books, brochures, and on Internet sites.
Carrying victims on stretchers is hard work, so it is natural to want to replace carrying with removal: in the summer - on wheeled devices, and in the winter - on sleds (drags). Models of these devices are made to the same scale as the stretcher models. 
To make it easier to carry victims on a stretcher, a stretcher strap is used, which relieves the load on the hands of the porters and transfers the weight of the stretcher to the back muscles. The labor productivity of porters when using a stretcher strap increases on average by two times. The stretcher strap can be sewn from durable cotton fabric (tarpaulin). It is a double belt 3600 mm long and 65 mm wide. with a metal buckle at the end.
Construction stretchers have been used for repair, household and domestic purposes since the times of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs, and at the same time they have not lost their relevance in the era of space flights, innovations and microelectronics.
Stretchers - basic definitions
No matter how rapidly technological progress develops, it is not able to completely abolish the manual carrying of goods. Perhaps this will happen in the distant future, when there is a place for robots in every household, but today such a prospect looks fantastic. And ordinary stretchers are more than realistic and quite universal.
Using a stretcher, stones, ceramic tiles, bricks for laying fireplaces, cinder blocks for building walls, and generally any piece of building materials are carried. They are convenient for transporting various bulk cargoes - from cement and sand to pebbles and crushed stone. On a stretcher you can remove debris from a construction site, leaves, grass and roots from personal plots. They are used for unloading feed, fertilizers and as a mobile container for many other household tasks.
Using any stretcher requires the work of two people with relatively similar strength and endurance. If you don’t have a partner, you will have to use a garden cart or wheelbarrow as widely as possible - it is simply impossible to use a stretcher alone. Unless you carry them in an unloaded state and move them from place to place, which is unlikely to help in repairs or construction.
Types of construction and utility stretchers
According to the material of manufacture, construction stretchers are distinguished between plastic, metal and wooden:
- Plastic stretchers - strictly speaking, only the main container is made of plastic, and the handles of many models are made of wood. They are usually used for carrying bulk cargo, since they do not spill out of such stretchers. The maximum load capacity reaches 100-120 kg. Unfortunately, the most durable plastic can split or crack from one careless blow, and you will have to purchase the tool again;
- Metal stretcher. Their container is made of sheet metal (with or without a steel frame), the handles can also be upholstered in metal. They have maximum strength and a load capacity of up to 200 kg. However, the cost of a tin body is very significant, and its suitability for repair is low. It is easy to cut yourself or injure yourself on such stretchers during work;
- Wooden stretcher. Convenient for any construction, repair and economic purposes, they are easy to make yourself and easy to repair if necessary. Among the disadvantages, one can note the large weight - moving even an empty device will require more effort than carrying a metal or plastic “colleague”.
The standard dimensions of construction stretchers relate to the dimensions of the cargo container and are 20-30 cm deep, 50-60 cm wide and 70-90 cm long. The total length of the handles lies in the range of 150-160 cm, so that it is possible to turn the stretcher when loaded on flights of stairs.
Why do self-production ordinary stretchers, if this product is not in short supply for hardware stores? Firstly, because retail chains usually offer plastic and metal stretchers. The former have an unacceptably short service life, and the latter have a very significant cost.
Secondly, there is often a need to make a stretcher of a specific size, but it is difficult to select the entire set of finished dimensions. Thirdly, when making a wooden stretcher yourself, you can build a transforming device (which no store will offer you). Let me outline the guidelines for such a design in full detail.
How to make a wooden construction stretcher with your own hands?
From materials we will need a board 25-30 mm thick, a thin sheet of galvanized metal and an extended set for woodworking - a hacksaw, a jigsaw, a screwdriver, a drill and fastening fittings.
How to make a wooden construction stretcher with your own hands - step-by-step diagram
Step 1: Cutting out the handles
Curly handles are cut out of a board 10-12 cm wide and 3-4 cm thick, which will serve as the basis for all stretchers. The middle part of the board remains unchanged, and a small chamfer is removed from the edges on top, and a deep cut is made from below, to a length of 35-40 cm on each side. This reduces total weight handles, they are given a shape that is convenient for gripping. It is best to apply the pattern of future cutouts on both boards according to the template and strictly adhere to it when processing. The more accurate the size of both handles, the more convenient it is to use the finished stretcher, since they will have an equilibrium balance. Cut out the handles carpentry workbench, securing them securely in a vice or wedges.
Step 2: Assembling the stretcher base
Taking two boards exactly the same width as the uncut handles, we fix them at a distance of 50-65 cm from each other, constructing the frame of the future stretcher. The length of these cross boards determines the width of the stretcher and is 50-60 cm. Fastening of the cross bars is carried out with self-tapping screws with a length of 60 mm, in increments of 3 cm, on a flat surface, checking the squareness of all nodes. When the cross boards are fixed, they must be reinforced with four steel corners with the inner (invisible) side of the frame. It is better to choose corners with long “shelves”, which have 3-4 mounting holes on each side. Additional accessories will give the entire structure high strength and allow it to carry loads weighing more than 100 kg.
Step 3: Build the deck
Boards with a thickness of 25 mm or more are laid on the finished frame, and this is done according to a strictly defined procedure. On one side, the flooring boards are exactly “flush” with the dimensions of the stretcher, but on the other, they should protrude about 5 cm beyond the dimensions. Two boards are attached first from the ends of the flooring - they rest both on the handles themselves and on the transverse boards. Fastening is carried out with self-tapping screws with a length of 50 mm, with a high frequency of installation steps - at least 3 cm between screws. The following flooring elements are attached only from the end parts, where the handles lie under them. Middle board you will have to cut it exactly to length and place it in the resulting groove, securing it with at least one screw on each side.
Step 4: Raise the sides and arrange the bottom
Now you can fasten two short sides and one long one - the one on the leveled side of the flooring. For the sides use a board with a thickness of 20 mm. It is most convenient to attach the sides to steel corners, and from the outside - if the fittings are located inside the stretcher, it will become clogged with bulk cargo, it can easily be damaged by massive bricks, etc. A sheet of galvanized metal is placed on the bottom, cut exactly to its size. Galvanized fastening is carried out using short mounting nails with wide hats, in increments of 10-12 cm. At the same stage, it is convenient to put special rubberized attachments on the handles at a distance of 2-3 cm from the ends, so as not to damage the hands if the loaded stretcher accidentally hits an obstacle.
Step 5: Making a folding side
The final stage of independent “stretcher construction” is associated with the manufacture and fastening of the folding side. This part is useful when transporting light and bulk cargo, especially over long distances. A board of small thickness (from 15 mm) and length is tried on the open side of the flooring; its width may slightly exceed the height of our stretchers. Rotary hinges are attached to the protruding end of the flooring and the mobile side. Along the edges of this side it is worthwhile to provide fittings for fixing it in the folded state - latches, hooks, etc. This is an approximate “recipe” for how to make a universal stretcher from wooden planks. If carrying bulk cargo is not relevant for you, then stage 5 can be omitted - bricks, cinder blocks and bags of cement can be moved with one open side, which even makes loading and unloading easier.