Unloading a pallet WITHOUT a forklift

I recently got this awesome new table saw, but the heaviest box was much heavier than expected. At the store, they loaded it into my Honda Element with a forklift.
At home, I was able to unload it by myself with some tailgate ramps and a big ratchet strap. The whole process felt very safe and controlled, and did not require too much 💪.
(Also, it's so cool to use the cargo capacity of the Honda Element!)

[@ablanchi]

standing by your convictions doing this in sandals! haha!

[@Cyberdactyl]

My thought exactly. Sad if those pretty toes turned to hamburger.

[@CantrellMosley1]

Lol I was like in sandals now that’s skills 🤙🏾🙌🏾

[@thebeardedcountryman]

Can’t beat a pair of safety sandals when shifting 400lbs towards your feet 😂 love your videos btw 👍🏻

[@WagonLoads]

Yep, I was gonna suggest Steal toed Sandals. Maybe Amy can make some in her next video..

[@Ashtheseval]

awesome! exactly what i was looking for to figure out how to unload a pallet from my truck

[@royger2]

I’m planing to buy a Element and watched many videos about them this week. Yours are very inspiring to me, thank you!

[@sbarker8967]

Thanks for your video Amy. I was in the same predicament, when I found your video. I just unloaded mine using basically the same process. I loved the 2x4 bracing idea for the bottom of the ramp planks to make those much more rigid - that is what my setup was missing. I did not have a gate to attach the strap to, so I just drove two stakes in the ground to pull from. I had the strap adjuster on one side, and a come-a-long on the other side, which let me pull each side independently to keep everything lined up. The only thing I did different was to take it off the pallet, and just slide the box down. I also removed as much as I could from the box before I did it. Once it was on the ramp, it was pretty easy to slide and manuver down the ramp onto the ground without the come-a-longs.

[@occamsrazor1285]

This is going straight into one of my playlists. This will DEFINITELY be a useful procedure to have in my back pocket

[@markhorstmeier8734]

You didn't need it, but the cardboard box on the ground reminded me that cardboard makes a pretty good skid plate for moving heavy objects. It's omnidirectional, slides well on wood and carpet and can work on another layer of cardboard on concrete or rough surface. The heavy object will embed in the top layer but leave the bottom layer smooth. You can also bend the cardboard that extends out to keep the object from slipping and navigate small seams. Just something that I found helpful as an older, single guy when you can't get something heavy onto a dolly, you can usually rock or tilt the piece enough to slip some cardboard under the leading edge. This worked well enough for me to unload a heavy bandsaw and move it around my garage. The base would not fit onto a furniture dolly so my other option was to try to 'walk' it to its' space, but I didn't want to bounce it around. I had some thick cardboard, the normal box cardboard would not have been sufficient

[@barryomahony821]

Great tip to use cardboard, can use it on most surfaces wet or dry. Thanks!

[@JohnEich]

Nice job! When we started our makerspace, I had a lot of practice working with tools but almost none with moving them, especially the really heavy ones. I've really come to appreciate the skills, strategy, and forethought needed to move really heavy things. Loved the strap puller mechanism!

[@AmyMakesStuff]

Yes, I totally agree!!

[@lake5044]

0:24 Cat: "DON'T STOP PETTING ME! ALSO, USE BOTH HANDS!"

[@pervertt]

Inspirational stuff, Amy. I like engineers, such a practical lot. Some people who leave hardware stores with questionably loaded vehicles could certainly do with your advice.

[@bjorn.barton-pye]

Thank you Amy - you have just helped me solve a problem. I am buying some steel plate for a work bench top. It weighs 500Kg (1102 lbs) and my drive is too narrow for a truck to deliver it. The only option is the car and this solves how to get it out of the car safely! I will make one modification.... the bottom of the ramp will lock on to a dolly, which is a low platform with wheels on it. It will keep the steel off the ground and allow me to roll it into the garage. The ramps will lock onto the dolly by gravity, stopping it from rolling away while the metal is being slid onto it. But once the weight is off the ramps, the ramps will be able to be lifted away and allow the dolly to roll. Really helpful - thank you!!!

[@steventhechef1538]

Whilst not quite my problem you have given me inspiration to load an IBC onto my trailer. Thank you

[@shamsshams20261]

It's amazing, very simple but a very smart idea. Thank you for sharing.

[@kiwdwks]

Awesome job. You'll love the saw!

[@metamorphiczeolite]

Nice work! Thanks for sharing it.

[@danielelul]

Unbelievable, lady drops 400lb+ pallet BY HERSELF! You’ve earned my sub!! Be safe! Looking forward to more camper van ideas!

[@First_Class_Amateur]

You are the grand marshal of the simple machines parade. Three cheers for the incline plane and pulley.

[@dp01]

Impressive! just to build those ramps is already a project of its own for me. What a beast!

[@eugottabekiddin3772]

Super! Thanks for posting.... from another diy-minded element owner

[@GabrielMillerd]

Hi Amy, great video. I do this type of thing all the time and one of the best tools I use is a gravity conveyor, basically a small ladder with wheels instead of rungs, put it horizontally and your box moves effortlessly. You can find them used almost everywhere, even if you got a longer section you could leave it at home and fetch things out of the car easily.

[@AmyMakesStuff]

That’s a cool idea, thank you for sharing!

[@workfromhome598]

Great idea!! Thanks for sharing!

[@matthewjamestaylor]

Way to go! Thanks for sharing. Cheers.

[@rubyokosi6946]

Very Helpful Amy. ❤thank you

[@stephenholland6328]

Got this task ahead of me in a few days. I imagined it would work. Glad to see it in action!

[@GotThrillIssues]

engineers are so bad ass. Thanks for the share!

[@lancaster1550]

So smart and with such adorable dimples

[@JustMe-lp1em]

Great job!

[@iNetSpy]

I loved my 2011 Element as well... Both loading and unloading the pallet, one concern I may have had is the thin cable holding up the tailgate on either side... I subscribed to your channel, you're cool.

[@matthewduffy550]

Love your ramp ends design. Will have to make a pair. TFP!

[@AmyMakesStuff]

Thanks for watching!

[@Elizabeth-tb5oh]

Yes helpful. Very clever!! I have to hoist up a heavy load to my suv and then take out at the other end. This helped to watch.

[@AmyMakesStuff]

Glad to hear it is helpful! Good luck with your job and go team sandals! 😁

[@ramchillarege1658]

Fantastic. Congratulations. Brilliant.

[@tjle4900]

Great job, thanks for sharing!!!

[@AmyMakesStuff]

Thanks for watching!

[@howtodoitdude1662]

Nice job. 2 individuals with those forearm straps work great too.

[@davidharris2624]

❤ Great Job. Thank you 😊

[@SteinerHaus]

Well done! Impressive feat of material handling. The T-ramps are a well known design and the ramp-ends that you fabricated are a very good idea especially adding a long lip for the bumper. I normally carry a 45 year old Come-along and a couple of 4 inch straps for doing exactly what you did to get the load out of the Honda.

[@AmyMakesStuff]

Thank you!

[@craigprater4950]

This was *so helpful*. Thank you!

[@AmyMakesStuff]

Really happy to hear that 😊 thanks for watching!

[@axdicaire]

The wonderful game of “will this fit in my element”?!?!?!?! Usually it does 😂 Have to say though, I’ve never tested like this if the tailgate could handle this type of weight. Glad to know it can!

[@AmyMakesStuff]

😁

[@lookdownthispathto]

Gidday Amy, I stumbled onto your site with fortuitous serendipity searching for 1 man (i should say person) lift techniques then, watched more of ya vids. What a pleasure to observe such a highly capable operator. Your -seemingly extensive- skill set is very well acquired & whomever you trained up with has to be appropriately satisfied. Tis rewarding to sit back and Admire the capabilities, ingenuity, precision & industrious of someone better at it than me. There seems to be no single word for it in English but there's the Hindi(?) Hindu term of “Mudata” that fits here - i.e. taking pleasure from watching the success of another. You’re utube site has the 'Inspirational' factor for us blokes - AND (especially importantly) birds. To witness a petite, pretty woman displaying engineering capabilities beyond her years is rare and delightful. In my time on the tools female apprentices were rare. Those that could survive the (often cruel) sexism in construction also battled against a near ubiquitous mindset that they were impossibly too weak to be in industry. It was a small achievement to (satisfyingly) teach a couple of girls how to utilise brains, balance, leverage & tenacity to produce the same work output as the ‘tough boys’. This was learned from working with a jockey sized mate of mine who constantly embarrassed us (apparently) stronger blokes by ‘thinking it through’ Vs instinctive mucho ‘gorilla’ grunting at the task@hand. I still pleasantly recall seeing a 20 year old apprentice electrician nonchalantly walk past a group of ‘tradie’ blokes with a 10’ wooden ladder correctly balanced and held upon her shoulder minutes after they’d been laughing & deriding her efforts to carry it. BUT!!!! - SANDLES & SOCKS! ? Around an industrial workshop! Yeah? I’V seen guys with an amputated foot from such thoughtless ‘OHnS’ laziness. And, having inadvertently conducted a personal longitudinal ” pain + injury” experiment by having -on separate occasions - a cement double 'bessa block' drop from circa chest high onto my toes - both with & without protective toe caps in place --- for ‘superior being’s’ sake woman, bloody-well get some appropriate protective foot wear for the workshop! Ya REALLY good at what you do so please don’t abruptly curtail all that via a thoughtless preventable,,, ‘WOOPS’. Such serious calamities stay with one for ‘restoflife’ - Does ya get that? There,,, pent-up exasperation now fully expelled - and the action was most cathartic for me personally plus, hopefully- wisely thought provoking for ‘U’. Thanks Vmuch for the excellent tips and enlightening techniques and please, by all means continue. Cheers, ;) M.

[@Naomi-Wu]

Really clever👍😊

[@ronie1337]

Excellent!

[@calao2288]

Thanks for sharing your video! Your video will help me. Thank you from Portugal - Europe

[@AmyMakesStuff]

Thanks for saying hi!

[@michaelvilain8457]

This video got you my subscription. And emails of this video to many of my friends who *aren't* engineers.

[@positivasiempre2095]

Love your voice and intelligence. 🤗

[@AnotherPointOfView944]

Nicely done, but steel capped boots next time!

[@odiesclips7621]

I love watching your vids! Odie

[@febav24]

Very clever 😊👍

[@dwoodog]

LOL!!! I just bought a new table saw too and I am in the exact, exact same predicament. Thanks for the video. One last thing I would have felt better if you had steel toe boots on.

[@richardreeves4756]

I had a 300 pound generator to unload alone. I just made a wide pad of patio cushions about 18 inches thick and pulled it out. It dropped about 12 inches. Total soft landing. Cushions compress and now you can tilt it onto a dolly. Zero damage to the foam cushions or genny and no drama. Have a 200 pound pallet coming next week will do the same. If you have a heavy load to put into a low bed like a pickup or SUV you can use leverage to get it up there but it has to at least reach the lower edge of the bed- then tilt and lift the lower edge. the more you can tilt it the easier it is. I put that genny in by myself like that but probably not something a smaller person could do.

[@barryomahony821]

Great technique using the fence posts! I'll wear boots though just in case 😂 Thanks for posting!

[@barryomahony821]

So how do I debox a 75kg cast iron stove 😂

[@AmyMakesStuff]

@barryomahony821 carefully!!!

[@MustacheVerra]

Smart & pretty. TY Amy.

[@ObiwanNekody]

Archimedes is a pretty great guy, coming all the way from Syracuse to help you unload a box.

[@neuromanglers]

nice welds. I bet you would really enjoy having a trailer, I use mine often for large items and unload with a chain hoist or engine hoist, depending on the situation. I enjoy your videos

[@AmyMakesStuff]

Thank you!

[@AndrewSpencer2]

Great idea! I put a 13hp ride on mower in the back of my Element once, sure could have used those fancy ramps!

[@AmyMakesStuff]

Oh wow! How did you end up moving it?? Just for fun, while the pallet was on the ramp, I used the winch to test lifting it back up and it seemed really doable. But I would probably need to anchor the winch off the front seats to have enough room to pull the pallet all the way in.

[@AndrewSpencer2]

I lifted the front mower axle and sat on the tailgate, then had to squirm out from between the two front wheels. Then I alternated between ratcheting the front with a comealong and lifting the back. I keep a little Kito chain hoist in one of the rear pockets of my E for just such occasions. I think AvE did a review on it, one of my favorite tools.

[@AmyMakesStuff]

@@AndrewSpencer2 That looks like a nice chain hoist!

[@nathanking2484]

Thanks for sharing :)

[@kickpublishing]

There are times when the delivery charge is worth every penny. That said I admire your ingenuity

[@jcims]

Curious if you could credit anything in your childhood to how resourceful you are today. It's one consistent thing I see in your uploads. Great job getting this thing unloaded, and congrats on a nice new tool for the shop!

[@AmyMakesStuff]

Thats very kind of you to say! I should tell my parents, it would make them happy. They gave me free reign in the family garage and lots of freedom to try things and break stuff. In high school I was able to channel a lot of that energy to my FIRST robotics team.

[@jcims]

@@AmyMakesStuff Very cool, thank you! In trying to help my own children find their resourcefulness it seems like a mix confidence that you'll find a way blended with the desire (or need) to find it. FIRST is such a wonderful resource to get out of household tinker projects and into real objectives and all of the teamwork and collaboration required to get them done.

[@CP-du3ci]

I am impressed the tailgate took the weight

[@AmyMakesStuff]

I was poking around a bit on the Honda Element Owner's club for this. People report having three 200 lb guys sitting on the tailgate, so it seemed reasonable that this should work. I think it helps that this kind of moving stuff doesn't involve suddenly dropping a bunch of weight onto the tailgate.

[@CP-du3ci]

@@AmyMakesStuff Certain exceeds my expectations, especially when all the weight was on the very edge of the tailgate.

[@SurelyLightFoot]

It doesn’t seem to off for it to be able to carry the load. It seem to be made in the same fashion as a normal tailgate albeit shorter so there is less leverage on the trunion( can’t remember the spelling, it’s the pivot point.) I’d guess it would really come down to what the cables are rated for.

[@kellee1722]

I'm really surprised at the sturdyness of the tailgate too since I recently learned the payload capacity for the elements is only 675lbs 😱

[@sgtsmitty]

The ancient Egyptians would like to have a word regarding your ingenious unloading techniques, of large and square heavy things. Furniture factory I held a summer job at used a SawStop for smaller parts. They were very surprised to find that things such as black melamine and other dark colours of laminate would trigger the break cartridge. They had issues with black acrylic as well. It became best practice to touch the blade, with the blade powered down, with what you intended to cut and watch the sensor light by the power paddle to see if it was triggering the sensor. Still glad this system is a thing.

[@AmyMakesStuff]

Oh wow! Thanks for sharing this great tip, that is good to know!!

[@steveapc]

Impressive!! :)

[@jungleb]

You are a inspiring legend

[@jungleb]

Truly

[@GTAW8]

Love your creativity 👍

[@davidandrews8566]

Triumph of the will 👏

[@rafaelonate428]

LOL! I'm looking for videos on how to unload a heavy pallet at home off my truck, I find your video and come to find out we're trying to unload the same thing haha

[@AmyMakesStuff]

🤣

[@atom_gray]

brilliant. 👍🏻

[@whatsgoingon1011]

well done

[@malcolmdavis8465]

Wow smart!

[@anewhouse108]

Nice work! Great thinking using the fence posts as a mount for the strap

[@gorak9000]

That was a nifty thought with the ratchet straps to the fence posts. I need to move a heavy VMC in my garage once I get it fixed up, that's a nifty method to do it. Might need to use chains though, not sure the ratchet straps I have would have a load rating high enough to move a 6 ton machine. But I guess it doesn't take anywhere near 6 tons to move it laterally when it's sitting on machine skates!

[@somebodyelse6673]

More important than being able to move it, is being able to STOP it. Your concrete doesn't have to be much off level to get that 6 tons moving & building momentum. Amy had a good plan to keep her machine from getting out of control, and with 6 tons you very much need to consider that before gravity makes a tragedy. Stay safe!

[@CorvidianSystems]

I was a little disappointed you didn't floor it with the pallet strapped to the posts and try to pull the van out from under it like the tablecloth trick, but this was much smarter than that would have been. Yay engineering! 🤓

[@AmyMakesStuff]

I did do that once when unloading a big chunk of tree!!

[@CorvidianSystems]

@@AmyMakesStuff 😍😍😍

[@DDD-vt9yb]

You have some skills young lady along with a can do attitude.

[@avroml]

That's what I call inGENIOUSity ;)

[@devbandy9004]

amazing

[@johnnylee8194]

Like your can do resourceful spirit!

[@aros007z]

Love it, your a badass girl…. Subscribed!

[@petermastenbroek5264]

Hi Amy, I admire your clever solutions to whatever problem comes up, but be careful anyway, as your surely very comfortable sandals won't give your feet any protection in the unlikely (as you studied the job before you started) but still possible case it doesn't go the way you wanted it to go. Atb, Peter.

[@cushte4996]

Hi Amy! You nearly 15k subscribers! I like your cat. If you are ever in Ireland I could get you a job, the pay is light but the craics good! Take care and stay safe from the corona

[@AmyMakesStuff]

😂 I hope to see Ireland one day! Stay safe as well!

[@yogibeer9319]

You are smarter than the average bear! 🐻 👍🏼 AWESOME video!

[@Portergetmybag]

Genius. I once bought a 800lbs table at auction and four loked dudes chucked it in my truck bed like it was a stuffed animal. When i got it home I realized I was screwed. I tied straps to my carport beims and put a strap in the front and drove out with the table hanging in the air. It stayed swinging in place for months till My neighbors had a party with enough people to help me get it down lol. I’m not AS dumb these days (i think?)

[@AmyMakesStuff]

What a fun party activity! 😂😂

[@TheWeekendMedic]

Doing nearly the same move today and came here for inspiration. Consider anchoring your ramps to the car, ideally with a ratchet strap. Dropping a ramp midway would be scary

[@wojomojo]

Smart!

[@fitzdevlin]

think i'd have done the same despite some misgivings about the strength of any one rib of the pallet; looks like an above avg. quality pallet, straps hugging the strongest part (full 2x4), at least 18 nails plus the downward force of the box over the length of the nailed slats, and 400lbs is a reasonable load. also, those ramps, those gorgeous gorgeous ramps! 125%!!!!! 8D

[@JonWuClimbs]

Two reasonably strong guys could lift it. Three people could lift it easily but the ramp is way cooler. Good job and thanks for sharing.

[@bwake]

Jonathan Wu You’re right, but the transition pulling it out far enough that they can get to it might be kind of tricky. The ramps worked.

[@Naomi-Wu]

I get dudes to move heavy stuff but it always feels like cheating. It's much cooler she found a way to do it herself👍

[@tvtime1]

i am a simple man. i see your video. i give it a like!

[@ManuelBTC21]

You're not kidding anybody. You trained that cat to jump up at the right moment. I'm sure it's expecting treats. Not even mad.

[@AmyMakesStuff]

😂 it was an unexpected surprise!!

[@woodersonandmelbatoast6043]

The whole time I’m thinking “god, she’s cute…please don’t let her become footless” 😂 to ballsy for me 🙌🏿

[@Crokto]

really cool, but id avoid putting myself between a heavy object and the ground if theres nothing but friction to keep yourself safe. ive seen a few near misses along similar lines

[@yahaaa1343]

" I could call friends and muscle it out but i've a better idea " Let's engineer the F out of this. Nice trick, good vid. Thanks.

[@nospam-hn7xm]

WOW . . . Beauty. Brains. Handy as a button on a shirt. What more could a guy ask for?

[@BarackBananabama]

Now I know how they build the Pyramids. They used cats. Millions of them!

[@PixFail]

Couldn't get my eyes off the cat XD

[@dennisferron8847]

Reminds me of getting the large Harbor Freight toolbox out of my Element. I ran a strap from the toolbox to a fixed object, and drove the Element out from under it. I was trying to do the "whip a tablecloth out from under a table setup" trick - but bigger. The toolbox was in the vehicle upside down, wheels in the air. It was supposed to land straight down on a platform I set up under the tailgate, a piece of plywood on jack stands. Instead of coming to rest on the platform it bounced off the springy plywood like a trampoline, flipped 180 degrees in the air, and landed upright in the yard on its wheels. Task failed successfully?

[@AmyMakesStuff]

😂 so awesome!

[@mattlittles4483]

I’m super impressed. What area are you in?

[@mrmosk2011]

If I was the Pharaoh, you were hired to build the pyramid. :) Excellent example of brain vs. muscle.

[@zyzzyva303]

Cool. Though I thought you were going to McGyver it with just straps. 😂

[@dianeleblanc2970]

I even had them boondox tall wheels installed and they worked great except they popped track up and kayak came crashing down. It couldn't put up with weight of trolling motor and 40lb marine battery. I'm almost 60 and lifting either end to put on tailgate gave me black and blue marks on arms and legs. I don't want a trailer. Would love to know how you could do this but for a heavy kayak.

[@Richard-wk9le]

Another way of doing this is with a floor jack and a inner tube and you can use the jack to change your oil or a Tire and the inner tube to float down the River

[@sunnyyshc]

I would worry about the weight capacity of the lower trunk door in this setup when you are moving sth heavier next time, especially in the leverage position that most of the weight is handing on its edge. Either you are very confident in your car or your ability to fix it if the door drop. Anyway, I enjoy your videos and subscribed! Good work!!!!

[@prismagraphy]

That weight would be roughly the same as two adult males sitting on the tail bed. It SHOULD be fine, but yeah I wouldn’t add significantly much more.

[@lynnd627]

I thought the same thing.! How does that trunk door not collapse. And my lift gate back lifts up so I'm even avoiding that issue .But I'm still queasy.

[@SF-fm7ov]

Nice. I was a little concerned that your ramps might slide off with the load. You might figure out some way that ratchet straps or some other waycould be used to secure them from the bottom to your car. After seeing this video, I am sure you will find a way.

[@Warkive]

I didn't see any top pin holes on the ramp brackets, so I'm curious how you kept the ramp butted up against the gate as it was sliding forward? Is there something out of frame at the base of the ramps pinning them in place?

[@AmyMakesStuff]

Turns out friction alone was enough! Because the pallet has clearances for pallet jack forks, the pallet isn’t actually in contact with the ramp until it’s also resting it’s weight in the ramp. (I was worried about this though and was prepared to run a ratchet strap from the ramp to my rear wheels)

[@Warkive]

@@AmyMakesStuff Ah, in my case though the distributor told me it would be just the box without the pallet, which seems weird and probably unlikely but I wanted to plan for that just in case. But your idea for strapping to the rear wheels is a great solution if needed. Thank you!

[@AmyMakesStuff]

Good luck!!

[@Nono-hk3is]

Oh its a baby!