6 Safe Options to Haul Wood When all You Own is a Car

[@stevee.3481]

Really good, thorough and thoughtful video. It’s very helpful to cover the safety aspect of something that looks as a simple task. Hopefully you will save someone’s life with it. Thanks again!

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

Thanks! I really do hope people see this and rethink how they transport materials - there is always a safer way to haul. Safety beats convenience every time, especially if it makes everyone safer. Thanks for sharing some feedback on the video!

[@nunyabusiness863]

Thanks for putting this up. I usually have the store chop it up for me. If no one is available i have my cordless circular and just do it on the lot. A contained load is important to me as well.

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

Right on! It’s a challenge to day the least, but definitely doable with the right mindset and ingenuity

[@kerfmaker]

Nice summary of ideas for hauling wood. One alternative approach to the on-site breakdown: instead of trying to cut precisely, use a cordless jig saw to cut to rough dimensions. This is quick and easy if you're willing to do finish cuts back in your shop.

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

Yep! I've done that before, just depends on the project and how much wiggle room you have with components

[@eliporter3980]

Thanks for sharing this. I'm new to woodworking and never considered breaking down materials at the lumber yard.

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

Glad to help

[@kurtgainz]

Thanks for sharing the safety statistics. So many content creators leave out the risks.

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

You're welcome! Glad you found it insightful

[@kenbred46]

Find a place to break down the goods at the local Lowes would be the hardest part. Especially if you have to plug in a track saw.

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

yep, I have a cordless tracksaw now - quite handy

[@kazeishere]

Thanks Ben. Really appreciate you making this video. LIterally just starting out and about to go to the lumber yard to buy and my question was how to transport the 4'x8' plywood. I have a Ford Explorer SUV but 4' wide doesn't go inside. Think its delivery or cut list at the dealership for me. thanks again.

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

Glad you found it helpful, Kieron.

[@sw-j2752]

Okay. I hate to admit it but this was a good video in respect to safety and making the beat choices.

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

Thank you! I’ve seen some really terrible tie downs in my area which prompted the video and research, plus it’s an obstacle I still have to deal with owning a car. Appreciate you dropping a comment, be safe out there!!

[@woodstream6137]

Fellow prius owner. Thankfully I'll only need to haul sheet goods for an occasional home repair. Perfectly willing to rent the store truck for an occasional project. Car is 14yo in the rust belt and frequent brake problems so the trailer iron may not be good for my suspension. I do have a cordless circular saw just in case

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

I've since purchased a truck now that I'm making motorcycle content, but still have the Prius for long distance trips (gas is still super cheap for 400 miles). A cordless circ saw can get around a lot of constrictions with vehicles

[@charly1333mtz]

As a Mazda 3 driver I appreciate this video thank you my brother in saw

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

Glad you found it helpful!

[@FyrFytr998]

I had thought about getting a trailer for my SUV. Glad to see it on the list of options.

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

It’s something I consider as well. I have a motorcycle and my dealer is about 3 hours away, so might be a worthwhile investment

[@aiden.martin]

Hi Ben looks like you removed the front seat there for hauling inside your car.. tried this myself (removing the passenger side seat) but that disconnects the airbag sensor I believe. Wondering if you had a workaround?

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

Hey Aiden. The front seat isn't removed, just leaned back. I removed the headrest, scooted the seat forward, then dropped the back rest all the way down. Didn't have to remove the seat.

[@roberteckert9699]

Enjoying your views and the content. Good luck with the channel.

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts!

[@yusuihang]

You really should have filmed yourself breaking apart sheet goods at the retail outlet. Where do you plug in the power cord from your track saw?

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

If you check out my instagram account, I have a highlighted story showing it. There are multiple outlets in the front of my supplier that I use

[@teac117]

No handvac for cleanup?

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

Recently I’ve started taking a small battery leaf blower with me which certainly helps!

[@rkgsd]

What brought me here is I'm trying to figure out if/how I can transport a few 12' 2x4's in/on a midsized SUV without paying the guys that hang out in the Home Depot parking lot.

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

good to know!

[@bobd.]

Good tips on hauling lumber safely. For those that don't want to go this route remember that most home centers have a pickup you can rent for reasonable fee. Where I am it's $19 for 75 minutes. For me being 15 miles from the home center that's more than enough time to load up, get home and unload, then return the truck before times up. The $19 rate is reasonable when you consider the alternative of doing damage to your car or losing a load while driving down the road and possibly killing someone. And delivery is available too. I know, no one wants to wait. got to have it NOW, and the old "I can do that myself" attitude takes over. But why buy a pickup just ot haul lumber a couple times a month? Save that money and rent a pickup when you need it or pay for delivery or buy a small trailer that you can tow behind your vehicle.

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

Appreciate the insights, Bob! That is a really reasonable rate and one that I wish I had locally. I've certainly been in the 'rush' mentality to run to the store to get what I need (forgot!). Now I plan everything out and only make one trip. Do you even bother with bulking or do you just buy enough material for the project at hand?

[@bobd.]

@@BenMarshallDesigns I try to keep a couple sheets of plywood in 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 around plus some 3/4 popular and a few 2x4s. That way I have some stuff to tackle a small job. I also salvage as much as I can (maybe too much) but you have to be careful not to take up too much space in the shop with materials that you think are worth hanging on to but will end up never using. That's where I'm at now after 30 years and trying to reduce inventory as much as possible to get the clutter out of the shop.

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

@@bobd. yep, holding onto leftover materials is always a struggle. One can always think of something to use it on, yet rarely does. Unless I plan on making it right there on the spot, I get rid of it - it piles up too quickly. I don't like having excess clutter in my shop, what I have right now even bugs me although it's not that much, just random stuff I've put on FB marketplace waiting to be sold.

[@WYO_Dirtbag]

Yeah, I wish the Home Depot, Lowes, or Menards offered rentals here. I am stuck with Uhaul. Really sucks.

[@bobd.]

@@WYO_Dirtbag I thought every store rented pickups. I don't think I've ever been to one that didn't.

[@kunst_photography]

I recently had to get rid of my truck and downgraded to a small sedan so will be most likely doing parking lot cutting. A few things I was curious about: One - I noticed your track saw is corded. Do places usually have a place for you to plug in your cord? Two - What do you do about Dust and has any of the facilities ever complained about it? Three - If using a Circuler Saw and Guide for ripping a 4x8 sheet, do you have any suggestions if the Guide isn't an 8' guide?

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

Hey Kato. Most of the lumber dealers in my location have outlets available, however I recently upgraded to the TSC55KEB (cordless), so that's not an issue anymore for me. I've always asked to plug up and cut first each time before I cut. When I had my corded tracksaw, I would bring a battery powered blower to move the dust around. Ripping without an 8' guide is tricky, If you have one edge of the guide that is truly straight, you can perhaps cut a little more than half way, then use a small square to line up and carry the cut the remainder of the distance. This is all theoretical, but that's how I would attempt to try it were it me. Hope this helps!

[@krisrafael3122]

Thank you for this video, Ben. I am strongly considering the trailer option. Would you recommend it particularly for Prius?

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

I think if you have the proper hook ups and don’t want to buy a truck, a trailer is likely a viable option!

[@jackjohnson4717]

I love the idea of this but I haven’t done it in the past because I’m not sure who I should ask if I can plug in and rips down sheets. Do big box home centers let you do this on their property? If I owned the property, I would not invite that liability risk.

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

I've broken down lumber behind my big box store before, however I didn't check with them before doing that and it wasn't that much material to begin with. For my plywood supplier, I always check with them before doing it, especially right in front of their parking lot. They have a few cross cut stations set up inside the warehouse that customers can use, so it's not that big of a deal to rip it in the parking lot. Most of their customers are contractors and they see a need for it. I plan on picking up the Festool TSC55 (battery operated) soon, so that should cut down on my need for their electricity and it has really good dust collection and I can be further from the store to break it down.

[@jackjohnson4717]

Ben Marshall I definitely regret not getting the battery powered version of my track saw for that very reason. I’ve got a Mazda 3 hatchback and that would have just made my live way easier for sheet good pickup

[@chowly]

Fantastic video with excellent logic on doing things in the best interest of safety and smart longterm investments in yourself. I too own a Prius, and people always doubt it’s capacity, but fold the passenger seats down and you can fit all the 8’+ material your projects desire!

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

Yep! I recently fit a door I built inside my Prius but folding all the seats down. Is it more time consuming? Yes! However we all have constrictions, I’m sure I’ll get a truck eventually, but I’m not willing to take on debt just to have one. I appreciate the kind words. What kind of projects are you typically making?

[@nukestrom5719]

Real deal is transporting 12-16 ft lumber. You can't cut them because you need the entire piece. Even when you pay $79 dollar delivery fee to order from big buck store, they most likely deliver warped and twisted lumber. I abandoned several projects because of this transportation issues

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

Yeah, I think there comes a point where you just need a truck. And unless you can borrow one, then it may be time to pick one up. Still haven’t bought one yet, but I’m getting close to that point

[@Singlefinsurfingforlife]

Just by a Chevy work van easy to load sheets of plywood and dry wall

[@theone614]

My tool box consists of two sharpening stones, a saw 4 chisels a small metal hammer a small rubber/plastic mallet, 3 handplanes 2 of them wood, a hatchet, and a tape measure.

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

What hand planes do you have?

[@sarahk.466]

I admit, I clicked because of the hilarious video picture....but the video it's self was good too!

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

You’ve fallen for my deceptive marketing efforts!!! MUAHAHHAHA!

[@mangolighters]

@@BenMarshallDesigns I’m still laughing, bro is an artist

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

@@mangolighters 🤜🏻🤛🏻

[@motorsme5370]

5:40 Holy smokes, that Honda on the bottom right... Its like a guillotine O_O

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

Right?! Doesn’t take much to go through a windshield with lumber AND a car traveling at high speeds, which is why staying off highways is a big way to reduce risk. Do a google image search, ‘plywood through windshield’, completely bonkers!! Thanks for watching!

[@EmpereurFrancois]

the overhanging from the front is 1 meter in front and 2 meter in the back (you need to put a red flag) in Qc. It'S the same in most place I think. on my car the allowed roof load is 180 pounds. Not much, but enought for a few sheet O__O

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

Good to know!

[@drewkroeker]

Holy shit, I had no idea what a track saw was when I started watching this video and now I need one in my life. My sloppy circular saw cutting is no longer acceptable. Well done sir! :D

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

Lol!! Welcome to the deep depths of woodworking!! The TS-75 was the first festool I purchased - as soon as I knew what it could do, it was a slippery slope to purchasing other tools!

[@chrishayes5755]

great talk. im about to strap that shit onto my carolla with no roof rack and drive it 4 mins back home 😂 it's off to the junkyard soon anyway and no highway to worry about

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

YOLO

[@GoLongAmerica]

I don't ever plan to bring all of that equipment with me in my vehicle. In my mind, a cordless circular saw and a rafter square should do the trick. Otherwise, great safety tips.

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

A rafter square for ripping a full sheet of plywood??

[@GoLongAmerica]

@@BenMarshallDesigns OK you’re right. Right now I’m building a fence, and I was thinking about cutting 2x6’s, not plywood. Your video did convince me against hauling lumber on the roof of my Prius.

[@angelaflinn2988]

Nice festool add though LMFAO

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

Yep, can't wait to get paid millions for this!! MUAHAHAHHAHA

[@HAL-dm1eh]

Very informative video and while I wouldn't hesitate to cut some 1x's or 2x's down with a handsaw or cordless to fit in my car, I'm sure some Karen in the Home Depot parking lot would love to report me for hooking a cord up to the store and going all out with a track saw like that.

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

lol! Karen's are meant to be angered!

[@AmberAntGad]

“Gang rip” … If that’s a technical term I hope someone comes up with a different one.

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

Humans are lazy and want shortcuts: “We’re going to stack multiple pieces of material and cut the same dimension in one pass.” technical term - gang rip

[@angelaflinn2988]

or you could just have the store cut them down to rough dimensions LOL

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

That may be possible at some stores, however the cutting station hasn't been operational at my local Lowes for almost a year now, and the dealer I get plywood from doens't have a ripping station, only a miter saw for stock lumber.

[@theofficialgreenkane]

Video should be 7-8 mins long.

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

But then you wouldn’t have left this epic comment

[@torosuner]

Really weird video with very few images of things.

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

There’s 30 images every second

[@jimc3786]

Not a good video if you are looking for immediate and inexpensive options. . .

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

uh huh!

[@drawingbox1987]

Hello ben🌱🌱🌱🌱🏃👣👣👣

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

hello

[@jesper1406]

Surprised you didn't show how to tie my shoes... Next to useless information. There's only content for a short here. Waste of my time...

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZDapoWwaLmGpNE

[@chrishoonbag8844]

Get to the point....

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

I agree

[@ANGIEB52]

🤭🤭

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

;)

[@Venom-nk8nd]

,🇵🇬🇵🇬

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

interesting

[@rocksolid8798]

Quit when he said Prius

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

Winners don’t quit

[@xylos16]

you talk wayyy too much. next time dont waste time, just get in to talking and showing how to accomplish the task.

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

That’s why I include time stamps in all my videos, so you can skip to the core segments of each video

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

@@Learning5515 thanks!

[@Iknowyoumadnow]

Lmaooo they have to give their life history

[@TrebleForTheBass]

Number one problem- you own a Prius. Go move to California, hippie

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

Tell me how you really feel…

[@AnythingGodamnit]

I'm confused as to why securely strapped lumber on a roof rack is less safe than loose lumber inside the vehicle. Any sudden stop or violent force will send the loose lumber flying, likely right through your window and into another vehicle. At least the secured lumber stands a chance of staying put.

[@BenMarshallDesigns]

Because lumber on a roof doesn’t need a sudden stop or violent force to send it flying. I would say the chances of personal/property damage are higher with lumber stored on a roof vs stored inside. If there is a concern, then secure on the inside.