@NextLevelCarpentry genuinely curious just got my first truck. My guess is that it's not enough to counter the upward force? But I would think that the strap would apply enough downward force ?
@@mytrustysteed8476 Cool. A strap would be better than nothing but geometry and physics keep the strap from being a very good solution. Because the tie down hooks are generally down so low in the box, a strap looped around lumber and hooked to them is basically running straight across and parallel to the truck bed. This means the force is applied to the strap like a guitar string. Even a ratchet strap cranked tight will still stretch, allowing the lumber to bounce up and down. This is hard on the hooks too because they're probably not rated real high for that kind of force. If there was a way to anchor a strap in the truck bed near the center it would pull 'straight up' against the strap with exponentially less 'leverage' because the geometry is different and loads the strap against it's designed strength. The reason the strap by the tailgate works is because gravity keeps the load down so the strap only needs to keep it from shifting side to side which works well because force is applied sideways rather than up or down, much like tightening a guitar string while tuning compared to plucking it while playing. Hope my bizarre analogy makes sense and helps you haul long stuff in your first pickup safely...
Have to go pick up 3, 12 foot lvl's so I thought I'd google how to haul 12 foot lumber in a 5 foot bed before doing so.. You just saved me $80 for delivery.. That deserves a new subscriber, thank you!
Matt knows what he's doing. I work with him on a regular basis and he is one of those guys you just love being around. He has a wealth of knowledge, common sense, and good character. Keep the videos coming so we can learn from you!
Thanks for your supportive comment Bro... I really appreciate it! Means a lot to me considering some comments on this video. Brings to mind Mark 6:4 in a way, yes? Talk soon, once I get info on that large format tile 😀😎 Best, Matt
I keep the tailgate up so the boards sticking past the truck bed keeps are elevated and this keeps them from running into a bumper, grill, or hood on an approaching car.
What a great idea. I've been a contractor for 35 years and your never to old to learn. I got a lot out of this video. I'm going to build me a hand tool box, love the look of yours. The strap tie , awesome! Warning flag,,,DAMN!!! All this stuff so simple. ,Today I'll be more prepared than yesterday! Thanks for sharing. I'll be passing these tips on to all my buddies.
For those suggesting. I recently was in this situation not long ago. Tailgate was up still needed something to counterweight the load that overhangs the tailgate even while strapped down. I didn’t have anything an I had to have my wife drive while I sat on the lumber 🤦♂️. She got a kick out of it the whole drive home. Me, not so much. Great video and I will damn sure use this technique next time around. 👍👍👍
Gotta do whatcha gotta do, right Kurupt?! Even if our methods ARE legal, I'd advise thinking long and hard about asking my wife to sit on anything but a very light load... know what I mean?! Then again you may not want to tell her she's been replaced by a couple 2x4's either? 🤔🙄😎 Best, Matt
This summer I got rid of my 20 year old pickup with a 8’ bed and bought a new Colorado with a 5’ bed. It has been a challenge, not just for long items but also sheet goods.
If you got a shell with a 2 bars rack mounted on top, all the haste would go away. Plywood sheets & very long boards can slide up there easily and you just have to learn how to tie it down to not move. I bought a foot peg hook that goes on either rear door metal latch and I can climb up high to tie the front of the load down. In the back, I lower the tail gate & easily stand on it to tie the back of the load. 16 foot long boards are fine up there extending the whole length of my Tundra, no flag needed, it is up so high.
Thank you for the awesome tutorial. I moved four 12' 2x6s with my long bed truck using this technique they did not move at all, even travelling 30 miles of twisty hilly road. I only used 3 straps and it worked great. I had the boards low at the front and on the closed tailgate. One strap up front to lock them down, 1 strap at the tailgate locking them down there and one front to back diagonally across the boards. It made me look like I actually knew what I was doing at Home Depot.
You can weld up a bed extender of 3 or 4 feet that is slid into your ball receiver, make sure the receiver will mate with the extension. Much less trouble and I've used mine for many years
So what you're saying is that, rather than using a couple screws, scraps and straps, It's much easier to go out and buy a welder, metal cutting chop saw and drill press for fabricating the steel, spend a couple months learning how to use them proficiently enough to build a reliable Bed Extender, buy the special heavy duty Steel stock needed to build an extender and then spend rare time on nights and weekends rewuired to make the extender?! Wow. I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that you are a tenured professor of Economics at an Ivy League school? 🤣🤣
This is nothing short of BRILLIANT! I have to transport a dozen 14 ft 2x6's and was looking to avoid paying the $90 delivery fee. I only live 2 miles from the lumber yard and this system will totally work for me! Thanks for sharing this technique.
Glad to hear it, Ernie... you're EXACTLY the kind of viewer I made this video for! Thanks for commenting and happy hauling... hope you get to do something fun with the $90 you saved! Best, Matt
Nice setup. I do have a two axle utility flatbed trailer, though, that I haul behind my Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser. When I have smaller loads, and the top off the LC, I’ll use straps like you showed and secure the lumber to the roll cage. But when I need, like recently, to haul fifteen twenty foot 2X6 fascia boards home, nothing beats the trailer. Thanks for sharing. Daniel
I have had a short bed pickup since 2012 and although I love my truck, I have always shied away from transporting lumber longer than 8 feet. I just couldn't see how I could transport 12 or 16 footers safely. But this approach is well thought out and secure. As for the few knuckleheads whose greatest gift in life is negativity, ignore them. Those types always need to tear things down to make themselves feel better, and they aren't going to change. But, for those of us who have struggled to, or desire to, transport 12-16 foot lumber with a short bed pickup your demonstration is much appreciated. I will be using your approach when I redo my deck this spring! Thank you!
For a deck I’d just pay for delivery. I built a 16x16 a few years ago and it would have taken 4-6 trips with my truck. Plus spending all day picking through and loading is not something I want to do. My lumber yard won’t bring me bad boards either because they know they’ll have to change it out.
Heck no, I'd rig it up like you did. My point was for a large volume delivery should be considered. Enjoy your channel, keep uo the good work!@@NextLevelCarpentry
@@DaBuick Oh, OK, cool... point well taken. I've resorted to on site delivery more in recent years... especially for sheetrock! And decking is so heavy and floppy and slippery it almost always needs to be delivered 😯😎 Best, Matt
I use my mom's mini van for hauling stuff cause you can fit 4x8' pieces of sheet rock or plywood in it and even longer pieces of wood if you rest them on the center console between the drivers and passenger seat.
Always straightforward, practical advice, Matt. Thanks for sharing. Something I've done to take alerting those following of a long load is to make up a single trailer light, plug it into the hitch socket, and affix it to the load. I drive with my lights on, and whenever the brakes are applied, the already lit light on the end of the load is right in the face of those following. I'm also fond of activating my emergency flashers whenever people follow too closely. even without an overhanging load. The light on the end of the load also flashes when I do this.
That's a fantastic idea John, thanks for adding it... I'll pin your comment (for awhile anyways) for benefit of other viewers. I could see a small battery powered LED strobe like those used by cyclists being a good idea, especially in areas where traffic is more congested. It wouldn't sync with brake lights like yours but would be easier to set up. Best, Matt
@@NextLevelCarpentry I agree 100% Matt. The battery-powered strobe is a great idea. In fact, as a cyclist myself, I'd highly recommend a rechargeable rear bike light for this purpose. These waterproof wonders are very affordable devices ($5-$10), typically Li-ion and recharge via the same micro-USB adapter most of use already have in our vehicle. They're also small, making them very easy to store so one's always on hand. Some models, starting in the $25-range, even feature accelerometer-activated brake lights!
When vehicle lights are required to be illuminated, a light visible for 500 feet to sides and rear is required, not a flag. What most drivers use as long load warning flags, especially the crappy free ones given out at big box stores are nearly useless. They are ineffective when the vehicle is stationary, when wet are near-invisible from behind. Flags on vertical poles are less effective than horizontally hung ones. The required flags for commercial vehicles are 18" square . I like this style best: bit.ly/2Tt6WGl . A light duty version is a simple DIY project, but a trailer-hitch-wired marker light is better.
I'm going to Lowes today to pick up some pieces of long lumber. I remembered this video from last year, so I'm finally put the knowledge to use. I don't know how many more times I will use it, but it is one tip that is good for a lifetime, however long that may be.
It should work well for you Russ... it always impresses guys at the lumber yard I go to when they see how well it works... hope you have many more opportunities to use it over many, many more years! Best, Matt
@@NextLevelCarpentry Oh, I know it will work, and with a short bed truck, there is no other way I could do it. I hope to use it many more times, but when you get to 71 (my birthday was yesterday) you start doing the math and face facts more instead of ignoring them. I used to buy stuff with a "lifetime" guarantee. Now, one year parts and labor could be good enough!
That's a neat tip with the strap. For years I've gone over the stack and through the tailgate slot and hooked on my bumper. It works but your method is much easier to setup. Thanks.
In the interest of safety, well done. That said, a practical faster method I have used many times is to keep the tail gate up and bridge the load from the gate to on top of the third brake light and strap down as desired. The secret is to place a floor mat between the lumber and brake light to protect the light and paint. My trucks have solid back windows, and I've used this trick many many times, even though I have a 16' flat deck trailer. I'm just happy that you're serious in securing you're load, nothing scares me more then the Saturday diy crowd at home depot. I once saw a home gamer ride away from depot with 5pc of 10' valley flashing on a Honda Ruckus.
I just stumbled across this video after trying to figure this very issue out for a short box Nissan Frontier! My bed is just 5ft (not counting the tailgate down) and I was working to bring home 16ft long 2x6 and 2x8s. I actually ended up doing this: got a hitch extender (I believe meant for kayaks) which added another several feet past the end of the tailgate. For the bed, I was fortunate in that the Frontier comes with a cargo rail on the bed floor, so was able to use those to secure the load against the floor up by the bulkhead (like you did with the scrap 2x4s). But where you did the loop strap, I ended up looping the strap down between the tailgate and bed, and went around the frame/trailer hitch and secured it to the bed floor. I also did a strap around the trailer hitch extender and another strap at the end just like you suggested. Honestly, as I never googled this, this video popping up in my feed really makes me think my phone is now reading my thoughts...
A great deal of effort went into the creation of this video and it's a good one. Good safety for the lumber hauler as well as traffic behind. Well done as usual.
You bet, Kurt... your application is the reason I produced this video: a one-time need to haul stuff that doesn't justify owning or renting a trailer but still allows safe/practical hauling😎
Knecht's is set up based upon a design created in the late 1890's by my great uncle Ben Foster. His 75 Foster Lumber Company yards were set up so wagons could drive down the middle and pull the lumber from the bins onto the wagon. Foster Lumber Company was in business from 1879 until 1965. Some family branches have continued as they purchased their yards from Foster Lumber Company. The yards were located from Grand Junction, CO on the west to Kansas City on the East and South Dakota & Oklahoma on the north-south axis. Really like the home spun, professional approach to your work. I am a beginner wood worker having spent my career in sales & marketing. God bless.
Love the backstory Neil... there's something in Knecht's genetics that allows them to survive and excel in a 'big box' environment which I admire. Glad you like the content here at Next Level Carpentry. BTW if you haven't seen this sawhorse video it features more reasons why I really like the team at Knecht's: ruclips.net/video/cEUgNjT1nGU/видео.html Best, Matt
The fiberglass pole came secured in a little flat metal bracket thingy. I just welded the bracket to the back of the cheap c-clamp... works like a charm CSCS. Best, Matt
That's nice to hear Theo Jim... especially in contrast to comments from those who can't see the benefit of such a simple and effective method. Best, Matt
I was in Rapid City the same day. Beautiful day for February. But then South Dakota weather catches back up and the following day was freezing rain, wind and snow. By the time I made it home back east river Sunday it was a whiteout blizzard.
Slick ideas! Love the strapping tip. You really don't need to cut the scrap, just screw it down. As far as your warm weather in Feb, I understand but you really need to have that cold, wet weather to get y'all thru the summers. Good ideas, appreciate it
My new word for the day is “Dunnage”. Dunnage is inexpensive or waste material used to load and secure cargo during transportation. Thus today I’ve learnt Two Useful Things. Thank you.
Glad to know my use fits the definition on that BHC... even if it didn't it wouldn't be the first time I misused a term and suffered for it though😳. You're most welcome for the 'two useful things'! Best, Matt
I haul 16' beams and lumber in the back of my 8' bed all the time. I installed a HF crain with a HF winch mounted to the crain powered by the battery. The crain swings out grabs the end on the lumber securing and lift the load at the same time. Rigging is a small fraction of the time it used to take me .I no longer use straps, the crain does it all for me.
Not a bad idea at all Travis... thanks for adding it. I'd still be inclined to add a couple short screws to make sure some flex in the system doesn't dislodge it though... or maybe a bit of tie wire? Best, Matt
Love this idea, plus Travis's jack idea, so I just spent an hour modifying an old scissor jack with a couple holes in it's bottom plate for two 5/16 x 2-1/2 bolts four inches apart with wing nuts and small cross bar allowing it to clamp anywhere along the length of a 2x4. I ground 3 flats on the end of the jack screw to use any drill, while keeping the nut end for manual socket. I put a slot in the center of a 12" 2x4 to capture the other end of the jack and to bear on the lumber pile. Now there is no need for power tools. Don't use a hydraulic jack for this. They can leak by and lose tension.@@NextLevelCarpentry
@@darrowfortheprosecution1404 Everything is battery powered and cordless these days just like the impact driver he used in the video. Just plug in a socket driver and good to go.
I have a rack on top of the shell on the back of my short bed Tundra = got all that when I bought this Tundra used. I found the rack super helpful as I can put up to 20 foot long boards on top & they are so high up that I don't even have to tie a flag on the 5 feet sticking out of the back. Plywood slides up on the rack easily also. I never knew how useful that rack would be until my replacement truck came with one..
No such thing as overkill If you’ve ever had to pick up a load of lumber out of a busy intersection like I did when I was a know it all cub.....lesson learned Nice idea 👍
That is "why didn't I think of that" brilliant. Been holding off picking up two 12 foot 4x4s for a project because I didn't want to rent a trailer. Now I can pick them up this weekend.
Should work like a charm for that long-haul project! Do pay attention to local laws and regulations in case they're more stringent regarding load extension beyond the tailgate/bumper where you live. Best, Matt
Good stuff Matt. I’ve never seen this technique before and it’s impressive. It seems like no one takes the time anymore to secure their load adequately. Maybe I’m old fashioned but I still care about getting my lumber home without having an anxiety attic the entire drive.
Cord... life's too short to be stressing about a dicey load, right? Sounds like you probably share my disdain for bungee cords... makes me cringe when I see stuff lashed with them that shouldn't be... and I always give wide berth when I encounter a bungeed load out on the road! Best, Matt
I was on vacation last October (2018) and visited Rapid City, South Dakota (among other places in the area). The weather was unseasonably nice then too, it was a great visit!!! Btw, thanks for the informative video!!!!
And in October 2013 the Atlas blizzard ripped through here... left us without water for 6 days and without power for 10. LOVELY... most of the time! 😲😬😀😎 Best, Matt
Nice tie-down job! The vertical piece doesn't need to be cut. You can just run a couple screws through it and into the horizontal crosspiece. Not as strong, of course, but a couple screws aren't going to shear off and you can keep reusing the riser.
@@rekostarr7149 What I mean is instead of cutting the vertical piece to fit underneath the crosspiece, leave it long and stand it up vertically right beside the cross piece. Pull the cross piece up a bit and at the same time run a couple of screws through the vertical piece into the crosspiece. That way it will still apply downward pressure onto the lumber you're transporting, but you don't have to cut the vertical piece.
@@JDeWittDIY that's so fking smart dang it. I just bought an adjustable support rod instead and made the crosspiece permanent. guess I could add another crosspiece and do what you just described while waiting for the rod.
I've been needing to transport some 16 foot 2x6's in my short-bed Silverado out to our ranch property and agonizing over whether to buy a 16 foot trailer, have it delivered, or purchase an overhead rack for my truck (which I would hate), but you've solved my dilemma with this content. Many thanks!! Thumbs Up!!
Thanks for letting me know! FWIW this is still the best solution for one-off long hauls IMHO but I also have a 'hitch extender' I made. It works great for stuff like floppy 16' composite decking or 4x12 drywall so I see it as an in-between measure that keeps me from needing the trailer or roof rack you considered.
Thanks for the good tip Sir. I still think its faster and safer to just strap any long stock or ply sheets to the roof rack cage, so you use the total length of your own truck to easily carry 20' pieces or longer, avoiding that overhang. Plus, on the roof rack cage, you have a leveled and flat surface to work with...
Seems like a small scissor car jack could be modified to use in the front instead of cutting and drilling a board in a parking lot. I'll be using the other great tips in future lumber runs.
Oh my God. First, thanks for the advices. Very useful. Second, you look and sound just like my grand dad, who passed away a couple of years ago. I wasn't expecting to be so emotional...
I needed this! Thanks! I'm using a 12' trailer and recently hauled 16' lumber. I managed but not without a lot of headaches. Your process with the straps I think is just what I need.
I added a bicycle strobe tail light to my flag. They are only about $12, reasonably bright, and easier to see than the flag in certain lighting conditions.
I believe for it to be "properly" secured according to DOT you would need to use two straps, one going on each direction pulling against each other around rather than the twist in your strap. I would also secure the boards to each other to keep them from clapping together as you drive. Less of an issue with shorter pieces as these. And you forgot to shake the secured load and say, "yep that's not going anywhere" before calling it finished lol. It must be an important step, everyone does it.
LOL!! My dad was a contractor and later a superintendent of sub developments. I grew up on "the job site". He would say that EVERY TIME word for word including the "yep" LOL! I even say it when I secure my loads just out of habit. This had me rolling. Thanks for the laugh and for reminding me of great memories. I had no idea it was an industry-standard saying.... just thought it was something my crazy dad said :D Something my dad didn't teach me that I learned fairly recently is this: If you work construction or ANY job that has a lot of garbage, scrap, etc. that has to be hauled off, buy a DUMP TRAILER! I remember helping my dad a bazillion times through my youth, to get all the scraps of construction materials and garbage, out of the flatbed trailer with plywood on all sides so you could load more. My god, it was brutal work, especially on the hot and sunny days. I bought a Big Tex 14' x 4' high walls dump trailer and it's worth every cent! The look on the other construction workers/etc. faces when I just stand there and press a button and dump the whole thing is PRICELESS! It saves so much time and back-breaking labor, I will NEVER do that again. I buy storage units at auction and sell what I find. This also produces an incredible amount of stuff that won't sell, which equals GARBAGE in my mind. I take a full load in this trailer at least once a week and I just LOVE it. It's a MUST HAVE piece of equipment for any "do it yourself" kind of guy.
Why not just leave your tailgate up, then strap the load down. No way it would slide out, and it raises the lumber up higher, so less likely to rear ended by knucklehead drivers.
@@sripavanv but it WILL bounce around Pavan... the front of the bed is the end of a lever with the lip of the tailgate acting as the fulcrum... basic physics explains it all! Best, Matt
Ive tried that before, what you recommend Mystic, and with several pieces of 4'x8' plywood. The stuff is dicy to haul around. If you use this concept, the plywood stays flat and any long lumber is secured in the truck. There is NO substitute for a well secured load.
Thanks... plan ahead a bit and think through your particular application and I think you'll find this useful and effective like I do Roger... Best, Matt
Nice, and simple. I can see some potential issues, and it's too much work, but I like the minimalist engineering of this method. I subscribed for the "instagoogle twitface" line, very funny!
@@Creator_Nater Ahhh, I see... in that case bear in mind that when you burn a candle at both ends it starts to melt in the middle and isn't sustainable. I sincerely hope you can make adjustments to balance out your life. Thanks for subscribing... even if it was due to a line I stole from someone else's comment😀😎 Best, Matt
I love the ingenuity for a one-time haul, but if you think you may haul long pieces more often, a truck bed extender is only $60 (at Harbor Freight). Oh, and I love your flag.
Great tip... I didn't know you were in Rapid City... that's my hometown. I knew there was some reason why I like watching this channel. ;) My family homesteaded outside Sturgis in the 1800s and still operates the homestead ranch.
Works great Rick... I already have a robust bed extender but don't deploy it unless it's necessary. I use the same flag for both though as you're right; it's quite handy. Best, Matt
Neat approach, simple is always good. My only thought/mod would be using another one of those 2x4's lying on top of your timber at the point you screw the torx fitting through the bottom of your "T". Increases the area of displacement/compression on your lumber and saves defacing the timber you've just bought. Very much like the fact you used a Larks Foot bight to cinch the timber down, minimising lateral and vertical movement. Makes me despair when I see people tying many, many convoluted knots to secure stuff to vehicles in the UK equivalent of Home Depot. Factoid: A single knot can actually reduce the effectiveness of your strap/rope by up to 50%. Less is more. Its as relevant when loading your truck or setting a climbing anchor or faffing about on a boat. Equally important is the angle your straps (anchors) are on either side of your truck bed. The more obtuse your angle the more load is increased on each of your straps, which can be significant when you've got a few hundred pounds of timber. The sweet spot is around 20 degrees. This image from the American Alpine Institute explains it really well. --> goo.gl/images/ocRFzK Not trolling, not criticising my friend, just doing what your doing and expanding our collective knowledge! Really enjoy your work and look forward to them saw horses PS I'll get my coat... :-)
Great comment BadYossa... others have asked why I don't use a strap in front and experience from rock climbing tells me it doesn't work but your explanation nails it... thanks! I didn't know the 'knot' is called a Larks Foot bight... but now I do! As I was editing the video I realized I should have included your suggestion about putting another scrap on top of the pieces to avoid the screw hole but it was too late in the production process to add it... but you have here... thank you again! Your comments are most welcome, even if you disagree with me on a point... 'expanding our collective knowledge' is what it's all about, and it's all the better when presented tactfully like you have. Best, Matt
@@NextLevelCarpentry Thank you for your generous response! I subscribe to a variety of interesting channels, such as yours, peeps like ThisOldTony etc, because, despite being quite proficient in many diverse things, I'm receptive to seeing stuff that improves upon what I "thought" I knew. When I see videos like yours, I appreciate the fact you are taking considerable time and effort to simply "put stuff out there" and I learn so much from people, like you, that are happy to share their knowledge, to help us raise our game, which often might be simply a way of doing something more efficiently, saving money or stopping me from doing something dumb that could cause (another) injury! I'm actually a Chef, but have always had a keen interest in engineering/fabrication/carpentry etc. I spend more time on channels like yours than watching Food channels. Go figure! :-) Best regards Rovin
If you put your tool box on the front of the load and used a second strap it would give you the desired angle to the fastener in the bed of the truck making the front strap effective to hold the load down in the truck.
This is the very first video of your that I've seen. It just popped up in my feed so I checked it out. You are both informative and helpful in your explanations.. I give it a thumbs up and a sub, gonna check out some more of your content now lol
Sweet AJ... may I recommend this sawhorse video: ruclips.net/video/cEUgNjT1nGU/видео.html even if you don't want or need sawhorses like these you might appreciate the stress test shown near the end. Best, Matt
Thanks! I’m new for wood working and have been trying to figure out how to transport long pieces of lumber of 16-20’ pieces of lumber for home improvement. I love this idea and it will definitely save me time and money from renting a trailer or paying for delivery. Liked and subscribed!
Thanks for the like and sub Rick, welcome. While I use this method for hauling 16' stuff without worry I think that's about the length limit for a short box truck. Unless you have a full 8' box plus tailgate I think you'd be better and safer just paying for delivery. If you've got 20' LVLs or I-joists to haul I'd figure out how to build the delivery cost into my bid or budget 😁😉😎 Best, Matt
@@Gonzilla5150 I have an extender setup I welded up some years back. It works great for 'floppy' stuff like Trex decking and 12' sheetrock. I imagine if you bought one from Harbor Fright it would work if you don't haul too many at a time... the extenders work good for flexible stuff but physics keep them from working well with heavy stuff. I use the cross beam and vertical block to stabilize the front of long stuff with or without the extender and I think you'll like how solid it is. You sound like you're able to figure stuff out well enough to know what works and what doesn't. Money saved on a delivery charge for a questionable load would be quickly spent if you loose a load on the road! 😢😎 Best, Matt
John, that twine is the first and last resort for the unprepared. Had to use it few times myself. Matt's idea here is really useful and safe - the product of wisdom and experience.
@@ARepublicIfYouCanKeepIt makes you wonder what's with that twine, right? I guess it's good for securing things like paper towels and such in the back seat of an SUV... as long as the windows are closed! Best, Matt
I too worked Summer's as a young man for my uncle who owned a small town lumber company in N Indiana. Looking back it was Honestly the best job I ever had. Your hauling video as all your video are just using some simple well thought out logic. I learned quickly how to tie down / secure lumber using rope and concrete blocks, yikes. Rapid City's fortunate to have you an old pro carpenter / woodworker.
How do you have people not like this video. Haters for sure. Nothing in this video is cause to dislike. Nothing unsafe about this video. Keep up the good work Next Level Carpenter.
This is not for everyone, for example, I love the wealth of information. But I cannot apply this video without modification to my truck which is totally different. But I love the principle idea.
I like the flag clamp and the makeshift bed clamp. I don’t haul lumber all the time but when I was building my deck I tied the red tape on the end of boards always worried its going to fly off.
Excellent little trick. Thank you for sharing. Love your channel. I'm 35 years old and have been doing this since I was 16. I hope to call myself a master carpenter one day. Let me know when that usually happens haha. Thanks again
Glad you like Next Level Carpentry videos Jack... thanks for commenting. Keep on keepin' on and mastery will sneak up on you. I think it happens the day it dawns on you that you're forgetting more than you're learning LOL Best, Matt
Better check your local laws. Usually, you can't have anything extending beyond 4 feet from the rear of the truck. 16' and especially 25' would be illegal in every State.
Agreed... anyone considering using this should make themselves aware of local laws. Equally important is to make sure anything being hauled is strapped in securely because even for legal loads you'll have issues if you loose a load, right? Best, Matt
Use a bed extender hitch. $80. 5 foot bed and a 16 foot canoe. Wide enough for plywood narrow enough for pipes. 500 lb capacity. Free flag when ordered on Amazon.
@@NextLevelCarpentry, If I were speaking from personal experience ... would I be able to convey it to others? Actually, my comment was a rebuttal to another, and not directed at you. I thought the suggestions offered in your video were good. No doubt, you've seen the results of others, who failed to properly secure lumber. I have seen guys picking lumber up from a busy intersection, and reloading their truck, in a rather sheepish manner. (Those are the students, who were making paper airplanes, during Physics Class.)
Why not use another strap in the front of the bed like you already did instead of cutting and screwing the block in the front?
Give it a try and find out why...
@NextLevelCarpentry genuinely curious just got my first truck. My guess is that it's not enough to counter the upward force? But I would think that the strap would apply enough downward force ?
@@mytrustysteed8476 Cool. A strap would be better than nothing but geometry and physics keep the strap from being a very good solution.
Because the tie down hooks are generally down so low in the box, a strap looped around lumber and hooked to them is basically running straight across and parallel to the truck bed. This means the force is applied to the strap like a guitar string. Even a ratchet strap cranked tight will still stretch, allowing the lumber to bounce up and down. This is hard on the hooks too because they're probably not rated real high for that kind of force.
If there was a way to anchor a strap in the truck bed near the center it would pull 'straight up' against the strap with exponentially less 'leverage' because the geometry is different and loads the strap against it's designed strength.
The reason the strap by the tailgate works is because gravity keeps the load down so the strap only needs to keep it from shifting side to side which works well because force is applied sideways rather than up or down, much like tightening a guitar string while tuning compared to plucking it while playing.
Hope my bizarre analogy makes sense and helps you haul long stuff in your first pickup safely...
@@NextLevelCarpentry great explanation 👍. Really appreciate it, thanks
@@mytrustysteed8476 Merry Christmas!
Have to go pick up 3, 12 foot lvl's so I thought I'd google how to haul 12 foot lumber in a 5 foot bed before doing so.. You just saved me $80 for delivery.. That deserves a new subscriber, thank you!
Wish I read this comment before I did the $80 route LOL
Matt knows what he's doing. I work with him on a regular basis and he is one of those guys you just love being around. He has a wealth of knowledge, common sense, and good character.
Keep the videos coming so we can learn from you!
Thanks for your supportive comment Bro... I really appreciate it! Means a lot to me considering some comments on this video. Brings to mind Mark 6:4 in a way, yes? Talk soon, once I get info on that large format tile 😀😎 Best, Matt
I agree.
I keep the tailgate up so the boards sticking past the truck bed keeps are elevated and this keeps them from running into a bumper, grill, or hood on an approaching car.
What a great idea. I've been a contractor for 35 years and your never to old to learn. I got a lot out of this video. I'm going to build me a hand tool box, love the look of yours. The strap tie , awesome! Warning flag,,,DAMN!!! All this stuff so simple. ,Today I'll be more prepared than yesterday! Thanks for sharing. I'll be passing these tips on to all my buddies.
That strap trick is amazing. I’ve been doing it wrong for YEARS! Learn something new every day. Thanks!!!
Crazy, isn't it Jim?! But don't feel bad... I did it wrong for more years than I've been doing it 'right'! 😯😀 Best, Matt
For those suggesting. I recently was in this situation not long ago. Tailgate was up still needed something to counterweight the load that overhangs the tailgate even while strapped down. I didn’t have anything an I had to have my wife drive while I sat on the lumber 🤦♂️. She got a kick out of it the whole drive home. Me, not so much. Great video and I will damn sure use this technique next time around. 👍👍👍
Gotta do whatcha gotta do, right Kurupt?! Even if our methods ARE legal, I'd advise thinking long and hard about asking my wife to sit on anything but a very light load... know what I mean?! Then again you may not want to tell her she's been replaced by a couple 2x4's either? 🤔🙄😎 Best, Matt
This summer I got rid of my 20 year old pickup with a 8’ bed and bought a new Colorado with a 5’ bed. It has been a challenge, not just for long items but also sheet goods.
If you got a shell with a 2 bars rack mounted on top, all the haste would go away. Plywood sheets & very long boards can slide up there easily and you just have to learn how to tie it down to not move.
I bought a foot peg hook that goes on either rear door metal latch and I can climb up high to tie the front of the load down.
In the back, I lower the tail gate & easily stand on it to tie the back of the load. 16 foot long boards are fine up there extending the whole length of my Tundra, no flag needed, it is up so high.
@@longlifeprinters9 I just made a rack to support stuff above the wheel wells with the tailgate down. Cost was maybe $20.
Thank you for the awesome tutorial. I moved four 12' 2x6s with my long bed truck using this technique they did not move at all, even travelling 30 miles of twisty hilly road. I only used 3 straps and it worked great. I had the boards low at the front and on the closed tailgate. One strap up front to lock them down, 1 strap at the tailgate locking them down there and one front to back diagonally across the boards. It made me look like I actually knew what I was doing at Home Depot.
This has got to be the most helpful video I've seen on how to transport long lumber. Thank you!
From one Matthew to another: thank you! Best, Matt
You can weld up a bed extender of 3 or 4 feet that is slid into your ball receiver, make sure the receiver will mate with the extension. Much less trouble and I've used mine for many years
So what you're saying is that, rather than using a couple screws, scraps and straps, It's much easier to go out and buy a welder, metal cutting chop saw and drill press for fabricating the steel, spend a couple months learning how to use them proficiently enough to build a reliable Bed Extender, buy the special heavy duty Steel stock needed to build an extender and then spend rare time on nights and weekends rewuired to make the extender?! Wow.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that you are a tenured professor of Economics at an Ivy League school? 🤣🤣
This is nothing short of BRILLIANT! I have to transport a dozen 14 ft 2x6's and was looking to avoid paying the $90 delivery fee. I only live 2 miles from the lumber yard and this system will totally work for me! Thanks for sharing this technique.
Glad to hear it, Ernie... you're EXACTLY the kind of viewer I made this video for! Thanks for commenting and happy hauling... hope you get to do something fun with the $90 you saved! Best, Matt
Nice setup. I do have a two axle utility flatbed trailer, though, that I haul behind my Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser.
When I have smaller loads, and the top off the LC, I’ll use straps like you showed and secure the lumber to the roll cage.
But when I need, like recently, to haul fifteen twenty foot 2X6 fascia boards home, nothing beats the trailer. Thanks for sharing. Daniel
Hey Daniel, can I borrow your trailer for the next 'oversized load' I need to haul? 😁😎 Can't beat a trailer for some jobs, that's a for-sure!
I have had a short bed pickup since 2012 and although I love my truck, I have always shied away from transporting lumber longer than 8 feet. I just couldn't see how I could transport 12 or 16 footers safely. But this approach is well thought out and secure. As for the few knuckleheads whose greatest gift in life is negativity, ignore them. Those types always need to tear things down to make themselves feel better, and they aren't going to change. But, for those of us who have struggled to, or desire to, transport 12-16 foot lumber with a short bed pickup your demonstration is much appreciated. I will be using your approach when I redo my deck this spring! Thank you!
It's pretty quick and slick once you get used to it Garry... hope it works for you as well as I think it will! Best, Matt
For a deck I’d just pay for delivery. I built a 16x16 a few years ago and it would have taken 4-6 trips with my truck. Plus spending all day picking through and loading is not something I want to do. My lumber yard won’t bring me bad boards either because they know they’ll have to change it out.
@@DaBuick the question is: would you pay for delivery of 4- 1x4x12' ?
Heck no, I'd rig it up like you did. My point was for a large volume delivery should be considered. Enjoy your channel, keep uo the good work!@@NextLevelCarpentry
@@DaBuick Oh, OK, cool... point well taken. I've resorted to on site delivery more in recent years... especially for sheetrock! And decking is so heavy and floppy and slippery it almost always needs to be delivered 😯😎 Best, Matt
I use my mom's mini van for hauling stuff cause you can fit 4x8' pieces of sheet rock or plywood in it and even longer pieces of wood if you rest them on the center console between the drivers and passenger seat.
Always straightforward, practical advice, Matt. Thanks for sharing.
Something I've done to take alerting those following of a long load is to make up a single trailer light, plug it into the hitch socket, and affix it to the load. I drive with my lights on, and whenever the brakes are applied, the already lit light on the end of the load is right in the face of those following. I'm also fond of activating my emergency flashers whenever people follow too closely. even without an overhanging load. The light on the end of the load also flashes when I do this.
That's a fantastic idea John, thanks for adding it... I'll pin your comment (for awhile anyways) for benefit of other viewers. I could see a small battery powered LED strobe like those used by cyclists being a good idea, especially in areas where traffic is more congested. It wouldn't sync with brake lights like yours but would be easier to set up. Best, Matt
@@NextLevelCarpentry I agree 100% Matt. The battery-powered strobe is a great idea.
In fact, as a cyclist myself, I'd highly recommend a rechargeable rear bike light for this purpose. These waterproof wonders are very affordable devices ($5-$10), typically Li-ion and recharge via the same micro-USB adapter most of use already have in our vehicle. They're also small, making them very easy to store so one's always on hand.
Some models, starting in the $25-range, even feature accelerometer-activated brake lights!
When vehicle lights are required to be illuminated, a light visible for 500 feet to sides and rear is required, not a flag. What most drivers use as long load warning flags, especially the crappy free ones given out at big box stores are nearly useless. They are ineffective when the vehicle is stationary, when wet are near-invisible from behind. Flags on vertical poles are less effective than horizontally hung ones. The required flags for commercial vehicles are 18" square . I like this style best: bit.ly/2Tt6WGl . A light duty version is a simple DIY project, but a trailer-hitch-wired marker light is better.
What 'limp flags'?
To each their own, I guess...
I'm going to Lowes today to pick up some pieces of long lumber. I remembered this video from last year, so I'm finally put the knowledge to use. I don't know how many more times I will use it, but it is one tip that is good for a lifetime, however long that may be.
It should work well for you Russ... it always impresses guys at the lumber yard I go to when they see how well it works... hope you have many more opportunities to use it over many, many more years! Best, Matt
@@NextLevelCarpentry Oh, I know it will work, and with a short bed truck, there is no other way I could do it. I hope to use it many more times, but when you get to 71 (my birthday was yesterday) you start doing the math and face facts more instead of ignoring them. I used to buy stuff with a "lifetime" guarantee. Now, one year parts and labor could be good enough!
That's a neat tip with the strap. For years I've gone over the stack and through the tailgate slot and hooked on my bumper. It works but your method is much easier to setup. Thanks.
I like you, man. Good common sense stuff. I did 10’ trim pcs by running through my rear sliding glass window into
the cab.
In the interest of safety, well done. That said, a practical faster method I have used many times is to keep the tail gate up and bridge the load from the gate to on top of the third brake light and strap down as desired. The secret is to place a floor mat between the lumber and brake light to protect the light and paint. My trucks have solid back windows, and I've used this trick many many times, even though I have a 16' flat deck trailer.
I'm just happy that you're serious in securing you're load, nothing scares me more then the Saturday diy crowd at home depot. I once saw a home gamer ride away from depot with 5pc of 10' valley flashing on a Honda Ruckus.
That or get a backrack to protect the truck body.
I just stumbled across this video after trying to figure this very issue out for a short box Nissan Frontier! My bed is just 5ft (not counting the tailgate down) and I was working to bring home 16ft long 2x6 and 2x8s. I actually ended up doing this: got a hitch extender (I believe meant for kayaks) which added another several feet past the end of the tailgate. For the bed, I was fortunate in that the Frontier comes with a cargo rail on the bed floor, so was able to use those to secure the load against the floor up by the bulkhead (like you did with the scrap 2x4s). But where you did the loop strap, I ended up looping the strap down between the tailgate and bed, and went around the frame/trailer hitch and secured it to the bed floor. I also did a strap around the trailer hitch extender and another strap at the end just like you suggested.
Honestly, as I never googled this, this video popping up in my feed really makes me think my phone is now reading my thoughts...
A great deal of effort went into the creation of this video and it's a good one. Good safety for the lumber hauler as well as traffic behind. Well done as usual.
Used this to haul some 16’ 2x6’s in my Tacoma. Worked like a charm! Thank you!
You bet, Kurt... your application is the reason I produced this video: a one-time need to haul stuff that doesn't justify owning or renting a trailer but still allows safe/practical hauling😎
Why not use a second tie down strap at the front? Great info thank you.
Knecht's is set up based upon a design created in the late 1890's by my great uncle Ben Foster. His 75 Foster Lumber Company yards were set up so wagons could drive down the middle and pull the lumber from the bins onto the wagon. Foster Lumber Company was in business from 1879 until 1965. Some family branches have continued as they purchased their yards from Foster Lumber Company. The yards were located from Grand Junction, CO on the west to Kansas City on the East and South Dakota & Oklahoma on the north-south axis. Really like the home spun, professional approach to your work. I am a beginner wood worker having spent my career in sales & marketing. God bless.
Love the backstory Neil... there's something in Knecht's genetics that allows them to survive and excel in a 'big box' environment which I admire. Glad you like the content here at Next Level Carpentry. BTW if you haven't seen this sawhorse video it features more reasons why I really like the team at Knecht's: ruclips.net/video/cEUgNjT1nGU/видео.html Best, Matt
Looking forward to Journeyman Sawhorse
Your way of wrapping the strap around the lumber is so obvious now but I never thought of it before. Thanks :)
You're sure welcome Tom... amazing how much difference it makes, isn't it? Best, Matt
@@NextLevelCarpentryhahaha my dumbass. The amount of times I’ve run the strap around to where it slides….. 🙄
Crazy how that simple little twist makes all the difference isn't it?!
Thanks for an informative video. What I want to know is how you secured the fiberglass flag pole to the c clamp. Thanks
The fiberglass pole came secured in a little flat metal bracket thingy. I just welded the bracket to the back of the cheap c-clamp... works like a charm CSCS. Best, Matt
Great idea! As a fellow carpenter from Indiana, I appreciate all your videos!
Great method. Just tested it in my short bed and it works awesome, thanks!
Always and i mean always, there is a good piece of advice in your videos. Once again, thank you for sharing your knowledge.
That's nice to hear Theo Jim... especially in contrast to comments from those who can't see the benefit of such a simple and effective method. Best, Matt
I was in Rapid City the same day. Beautiful day for February. But then South Dakota weather catches back up and the following day was freezing rain, wind and snow. By the time I made it home back east river Sunday it was a whiteout blizzard.
Yeah and it was -11 only 4 days later... AAHHHHHH!! Amazing we survive in a land where merely the weather can kill you, right?! Best, Matt
I'm going to used that strap trick so much ☺😀
Glad you see it as useful Elphoenix; I use it on everything from lumber to ladders and mountain bikes.
Slick ideas! Love the strapping tip. You really don't need to cut the scrap, just screw it down. As far as your warm weather in Feb, I understand but you really need to have that cold, wet weather to get y'all thru the summers. Good ideas, appreciate it
My new word for the day is “Dunnage”. Dunnage is inexpensive or waste material used to load and secure cargo during transportation. Thus today I’ve learnt Two Useful Things. Thank you.
Glad to know my use fits the definition on that BHC... even if it didn't it wouldn't be the first time I misused a term and suffered for it though😳. You're most welcome for the 'two useful things'! Best, Matt
Well, I learned today that learnt is actually a word.
Genius solution. When you posted this video, I didn't have my truck. Now that I do, it is greatly appreciated.
Thanks for this! The tip for strapping them down at 3:20 really helped out.
Use the same tip for securing ANY load, long or not!😎
I haul 16' beams and lumber in the back of my 8' bed all the time. I installed a HF crain with a HF winch mounted to the crain powered by the battery. The crain swings out grabs the end on the lumber securing and lift the load at the same time. Rigging is a small fraction of the time it used to take me .I no longer use straps, the crain does it all for me.
So simple yet so ingenious. Thank you for sharing.
Used this method today and it worked perfectly. Thank you!
Glad to hear it Matt... no surprise because I use this method frequently but you're quite welcome😎
I'm thinking a scissor jack, instead of having to cut the spacer. Then use impact with socket to adjust the jack.
Not a bad idea at all Travis... thanks for adding it. I'd still be inclined to add a couple short screws to make sure some flex in the system doesn't dislodge it though... or maybe a bit of tie wire? Best, Matt
Love this idea, plus Travis's jack idea, so I just spent an hour modifying an old scissor jack with a couple holes in it's bottom plate for two 5/16 x 2-1/2 bolts four inches apart with wing nuts and small cross bar allowing it to clamp anywhere along the length of a 2x4. I ground 3 flats on the end of the jack screw to use any drill, while keeping the nut end for manual socket. I put a slot in the center of a 12" 2x4 to capture the other end of the jack and to bear on the lumber pile. Now there is no need for power tools. Don't use a hydraulic jack for this. They can leak by and lose tension.@@NextLevelCarpentry
@@francismccabe3265 sounds like you're all set... nice! Best, Matt
Don't forget the air compressor to run the impact wrench Travis.
@@darrowfortheprosecution1404 Everything is battery powered and cordless these days just like the impact driver he used in the video. Just plug in a socket driver and good to go.
Great tutorial.. I do have a quick question though. Could you not just use the same strap method on the tie-downs closer to the cab?
You could but it might slide back and out of the front strap. Better to anchor it just in case a strap fails.
Thank you. It's great when smart men share some of their wisdom for the rest of us.
You're quite welcome... Always nice when someone appreciates the effort... Best, Matt
I have a rack on top of the shell on the back of my short bed Tundra = got all that when I bought this Tundra used.
I found the rack super helpful as I can put up to 20 foot long boards on top & they are so high up that I don't even have to tie a flag on the 5 feet sticking out of the back.
Plywood slides up on the rack easily also.
I never knew how useful that rack would be until my replacement truck came with one..
Uhmmm... good for you?
No such thing as overkill If you’ve ever had to pick up a load of lumber out of a busy intersection like I did when I was a know it all cub.....lesson learned
Nice idea 👍
Been there, done that. Lol
That is "why didn't I think of that" brilliant. Been holding off picking up two 12 foot 4x4s for a project because I didn't want to rent a trailer. Now I can pick them up this weekend.
Should work like a charm for that long-haul project! Do pay attention to local laws and regulations in case they're more stringent regarding load extension beyond the tailgate/bumper where you live.
Best,
Matt
Good stuff Matt. I’ve never seen this technique before and it’s impressive. It seems like no one takes the time anymore to secure their load adequately. Maybe I’m old fashioned but I still care about getting my lumber home without having an anxiety attic the entire drive.
Cord... life's too short to be stressing about a dicey load, right? Sounds like you probably share my disdain for bungee cords... makes me cringe when I see stuff lashed with them that shouldn't be... and I always give wide berth when I encounter a bungeed load out on the road! Best, Matt
I was on vacation last October (2018) and visited Rapid City, South Dakota (among other places in the area). The weather was unseasonably nice then too, it was a great visit!!! Btw, thanks for the informative video!!!!
And in October 2013 the Atlas blizzard ripped through here... left us without water for 6 days and without power for 10. LOVELY... most of the time! 😲😬😀😎 Best, Matt
Nice tie-down job! The vertical piece doesn't need to be cut. You can just run a couple screws through it and into the horizontal crosspiece. Not as strong, of course, but a couple screws aren't going to shear off and you can keep reusing the riser.
can you elaborate? you mean the vertical piece can just remain angled? I don't have cordless saw so this info is important to me.
@@rekostarr7149 What I mean is instead of cutting the vertical piece to fit underneath the crosspiece, leave it long and stand it up vertically right beside the cross piece. Pull the cross piece up a bit and at the same time run a couple of screws through the vertical piece into the crosspiece. That way it will still apply downward pressure onto the lumber you're transporting, but you don't have to cut the vertical piece.
@@JDeWittDIY damn fam that's smart asf!
@@JDeWittDIY that's so fking smart dang it. I just bought an adjustable support rod instead and made the crosspiece permanent. guess I could add another crosspiece and do what you just described while waiting for the rod.
@@JDeWittDIY I think he does it this way because you don't have to hold the pressure while screwing it in, but I made the same observation as you.
found this channel recently but this guy is next level good. I'm learning tons
I've been needing to transport some 16 foot 2x6's in my short-bed Silverado out to our ranch property and agonizing over whether to buy a 16 foot trailer, have it delivered, or purchase an overhead rack for my truck (which I would hate), but you've solved my dilemma with this content. Many thanks!! Thumbs Up!!
Thanks for letting me know! FWIW this is still the best solution for one-off long hauls IMHO but I also have a 'hitch extender' I made. It works great for stuff like floppy 16' composite decking or 4x12 drywall so I see it as an in-between measure that keeps me from needing the trailer or roof rack you considered.
Thank you for the awesome tip ! Tried it today, it worked amazing!
Glad to hear it Kyle... thanks for commenting! Best, Matt
Just bought my first truck. This helped a lot thanks!
Thanks for the good tip Sir. I still think its faster and safer to just strap any long stock or ply sheets to the roof rack cage, so you use the total length of your own truck to easily carry 20' pieces or longer, avoiding that overhang. Plus, on the roof rack cage, you have a leveled and flat surface to work with...
Agreed... IF you have a roof rack cage 😀😎 Best, Matt
@@NextLevelCarpentry good point sir!
AWESOME. Thanks for the tip. I'll definitely keep the same gear in my truck from now on. Great information sharing.
Just realized that i need a cordless saw, solves alot of problems quickly.
And a cordless leaf blower. They work great to blow yard waste out at the compost center
Thanks for this! Using your method, I was able to take 12 foot Trex fascia home in my Chevy short bed.
Thanks for the review on this and kudos for hauling Trex which can be pretty tricky cuz it's so flexible👍😎
Seems like a small scissor car jack could be modified to use in the front instead of cutting and drilling a board in a parking lot. I'll be using the other great tips in future lumber runs.
Oh my God.
First, thanks for the advices. Very useful. Second, you look and sound just like my grand dad, who passed away a couple of years ago. I wasn't expecting to be so emotional...
Brilliant tip with the strap!
Crazy how something so simple can make such a big difference, right? Hope you find this helpful... Best, Matt
Never thought of trying it that way.
@@robertheinkel6225 Give it a shot and tell me what you think... works great for me every time. Best, Matt
I needed this! Thanks! I'm using a 12' trailer and recently hauled 16' lumber. I managed but not without a lot of headaches. Your process with the straps I think is just what I need.
Great video & like your tie down technique. Thanks!
Anytime that I have a insurmountable lumber issue, I turn to NLC and you never disappoint. Many many thanks
Many, many welcomes Liam... always glad to help others along their journey!
Best, Matt
I added a bicycle strobe tail light to my flag. They are only about $12, reasonably bright, and easier to see than the flag in certain lighting conditions.
Great idea Cecil... thanks for adding it to the dialog here! Best, Matt
The info your providing on this channel is so valuable....thank you so much for sharing your wisdom
You're most welcome Scott... thanks for watching! Best, Matt
Love the shirt!
Not everyone 'gets the joke' but it's still fun to wear 'em, right? Thanks for adding a comment here! Best, Matt
It’s hilarious!
That's useful.
I hope you're enjoying nice spring weather again this year.
Thank you, from a native SD boy.
A nice spring this year too... I know I'd miss RCSD if I had to leave!
I believe for it to be "properly" secured according to DOT you would need to use two straps, one going on each direction pulling against each other around rather than the twist in your strap.
I would also secure the boards to each other to keep them from clapping together as you drive. Less of an issue with shorter pieces as these.
And you forgot to shake the secured load and say, "yep that's not going anywhere" before calling it finished lol. It must be an important step, everyone does it.
I'll have to speak to my extensive video production team and find out why they had me leave out such an important step Robert! 🤣😀😎 Best, Matt
LOL!! My dad was a contractor and later a superintendent of sub developments. I grew up on "the job site". He would say that EVERY TIME word for word including the "yep" LOL! I even say it when I secure my loads just out of habit. This had me rolling. Thanks for the laugh and for reminding me of great memories. I had no idea it was an industry-standard saying.... just thought it was something my crazy dad said :D
Something my dad didn't teach me that I learned fairly recently is this: If you work construction or ANY job that has a lot of garbage, scrap, etc. that has to be hauled off, buy a DUMP TRAILER! I remember helping my dad a bazillion times through my youth, to get all the scraps of construction materials and garbage, out of the flatbed trailer with plywood on all sides so you could load more. My god, it was brutal work, especially on the hot and sunny days. I bought a Big Tex 14' x 4' high walls dump trailer and it's worth every cent! The look on the other construction workers/etc. faces when I just stand there and press a button and dump the whole thing is PRICELESS! It saves so much time and back-breaking labor, I will NEVER do that again. I buy storage units at auction and sell what I find. This also produces an incredible amount of stuff that won't sell, which equals GARBAGE in my mind. I take a full load in this trailer at least once a week and I just LOVE it. It's a MUST HAVE piece of equipment for any "do it yourself" kind of guy.
You sir, saved me time, money and probably a couple of lives on the road with this information, liked and subscribed, thank you!
You're quite welcome... glad to help! Best, Matt
Well, i would like to see more of that cordless toolbox.
Martin
Maybe some day mrmajestic... but you've seen how long it's taking me to get to the promised Journeyman's Sawhorse build though, right? Best, Matt
Thank you for posting this..... I especially appreciate the strapping tip!
Why not just leave your tailgate up, then strap the load down. No way it would slide out, and it raises the lumber up higher, so less likely to rear ended by knucklehead drivers.
And you recommend that setup for a dozen 2x12x16'ers? 😲😬 yikes!
I have the same question. Why no do as mystic says? As it’s going to be strapped it should not bounce arround.
@@sripavanv but it WILL bounce around Pavan... the front of the bed is the end of a lever with the lip of the tailgate acting as the fulcrum... basic physics explains it all! Best, Matt
I guess you can wedge it toward the rear of the box also to really control any bouncing except for the overhanging end.
Ive tried that before, what you recommend Mystic, and with several pieces of 4'x8' plywood. The stuff is dicy to haul around. If you use this concept, the plywood stays flat and any long lumber is secured in the truck. There is NO substitute for a well secured load.
Good tip to know. I have that problem with my short bed. Thanks for the video. Will give this a go.
Thanks... plan ahead a bit and think through your particular application and I think you'll find this useful and effective like I do Roger... Best, Matt
Nice, and simple. I can see some potential issues, and it's too much work, but I like the minimalist engineering of this method. I subscribed for the "instagoogle twitface" line, very funny!
Thanks for the sub Creator Nater, but if THIS simple method is 'too much work' it seems like your work-ometer needs to be reset!🤔😀😎 Best, Matt
Next Level Carpentry My workload needs to be reset! I only sleep 20min/night!
@@Creator_Nater Ahhh, I see... in that case bear in mind that when you burn a candle at both ends it starts to melt in the middle and isn't sustainable. I sincerely hope you can make adjustments to balance out your life. Thanks for subscribing... even if it was due to a line I stole from someone else's comment😀😎 Best, Matt
thank you so much - tremendous way to move long pieces of floor boards
I love the ingenuity for a one-time haul, but if you think you may haul long pieces more often, a truck bed extender is only $60 (at Harbor Freight).
Oh, and I love your flag.
Great tip... I didn't know you were in Rapid City... that's my hometown. I knew there was some reason why I like watching this channel. ;) My family homesteaded outside Sturgis in the 1800s and still operates the homestead ranch.
Small world, Chip. Happen to know any Hardy's or Tribby's from the area? Best, Matt
Looks like it works, but I would just get a bed extender and attach to your trailer hitch. I do like the flag.
Works great Rick... I already have a robust bed extender but don't deploy it unless it's necessary. I use the same flag for both though as you're right; it's quite handy. Best, Matt
I have a two piece bed extender that I keep in the back of my truck. Easy to use whenever needed, legal in all fifty states and very inexpensive.
That's helpful to know. Also, where did you get the safety flag? Maybe you can instruct us on how to make one? Thanks!
Neat approach, simple is always good. My only thought/mod would be using another one of those 2x4's lying on top of your timber at the point you screw the torx fitting through the bottom of your "T". Increases the area of displacement/compression on your lumber and saves defacing the timber you've just bought. Very much like the fact you used a Larks Foot bight to cinch the timber down, minimising lateral and vertical movement. Makes me despair when I see people tying many, many convoluted knots to secure stuff to vehicles in the UK equivalent of Home Depot.
Factoid: A single knot can actually reduce the effectiveness of your strap/rope by up to 50%. Less is more. Its as relevant when loading your truck or setting a climbing anchor or faffing about on a boat. Equally important is the angle your straps (anchors) are on either side of your truck bed. The more obtuse your angle the more load is increased on each of your straps, which can be significant when you've got a few hundred pounds of timber. The sweet spot is around 20 degrees.
This image from the American Alpine Institute explains it really well. --> goo.gl/images/ocRFzK
Not trolling, not criticising my friend, just doing what your doing and expanding our collective knowledge! Really enjoy your work and look forward to them saw horses
PS I'll get my coat... :-)
Great comment BadYossa... others have asked why I don't use a strap in front and experience from rock climbing tells me it doesn't work but your explanation nails it... thanks! I didn't know the 'knot' is called a Larks Foot bight... but now I do! As I was editing the video I realized I should have included your suggestion about putting another scrap on top of the pieces to avoid the screw hole but it was too late in the production process to add it... but you have here... thank you again! Your comments are most welcome, even if you disagree with me on a point... 'expanding our collective knowledge' is what it's all about, and it's all the better when presented tactfully like you have. Best, Matt
@@NextLevelCarpentry Thank you for your generous response! I subscribe to a variety of interesting channels, such as yours, peeps like ThisOldTony etc, because, despite being quite proficient in many diverse things, I'm receptive to seeing stuff that improves upon what I "thought" I knew. When I see videos like yours, I appreciate the fact you are taking considerable time and effort to simply "put stuff out there" and I learn so much from people, like you, that are happy to share their knowledge, to help us raise our game, which often might be simply a way of doing something more efficiently, saving money or stopping me from doing something dumb that could cause (another) injury!
I'm actually a Chef, but have always had a keen interest in engineering/fabrication/carpentry etc. I spend more time on channels like yours than watching Food channels.
Go figure! :-)
Best regards
Rovin
If you put your tool box on the front of the load and used a second strap it would give you the desired angle to the fastener in the bed of the truck making the front strap effective to hold the load down in the truck.
That tool box is nice!!!! I like that more than the plastic stuff
This is the very first video of your that I've seen. It just popped up in my feed so I checked it out. You are both informative and helpful in your explanations.. I give it a thumbs up and a sub, gonna check out some more of your content now lol
Sweet AJ... may I recommend this sawhorse video: ruclips.net/video/cEUgNjT1nGU/видео.html even if you don't want or need sawhorses like these you might appreciate the stress test shown near the end. Best, Matt
Thanks for the tip on wrapping the strap around the load. I've been haul 16 ft lumber in my 6.5 ft bed and it doesn't move anywhere.
Learned something new today. Thanks!
Well thought-out. Simple (even I could do it) and seems risk-free.
Your advice is very good friend. Excellent.
Thanks! I’m new for wood working and have been trying to figure out how to transport long pieces of lumber of 16-20’ pieces of lumber for home improvement. I love this idea and it will definitely save me time and money from renting a trailer or paying for delivery. Liked and subscribed!
Thanks for the like and sub Rick, welcome. While I use this method for hauling 16' stuff without worry I think that's about the length limit for a short box truck. Unless you have a full 8' box plus tailgate I think you'd be better and safer just paying for delivery. If you've got 20' LVLs or I-joists to haul I'd figure out how to build the delivery cost into my bid or budget 😁😉😎 Best, Matt
@@NextLevelCarpentry what about with those extenders that go into the hitch? I need to pick up some 18 footers soon. Termites suck :(
@@Gonzilla5150 I have an extender setup I welded up some years back. It works great for 'floppy' stuff like Trex decking and 12' sheetrock. I imagine if you bought one from Harbor Fright it would work if you don't haul too many at a time... the extenders work good for flexible stuff but physics keep them from working well with heavy stuff. I use the cross beam and vertical block to stabilize the front of long stuff with or without the extender and I think you'll like how solid it is. You sound like you're able to figure stuff out well enough to know what works and what doesn't. Money saved on a delivery charge for a questionable load would be quickly spent if you loose a load on the road! 😢😎 Best, Matt
I hauled lumber for a local yard when a young man....man, would these seemingly minor ideas have made the job easier and safer!
Yeah... cringe every time I see twine and bungee cords being deployed for hauling.... AAAHHHRRRGGGGHHHH!! Best, Matt
@@NextLevelCarpentry And really kinda crazy that the big box stores all have that same measly twine on hand to "secure" loads.
John, that twine is the first and last resort for the unprepared. Had to use it few times myself. Matt's idea here is really useful and safe - the product of wisdom and experience.
@@ARepublicIfYouCanKeepIt makes you wonder what's with that twine, right? I guess it's good for securing things like paper towels and such in the back seat of an SUV... as long as the windows are closed! Best, Matt
I too worked Summer's as a young man for my uncle who owned a small town lumber company in N Indiana. Looking back it was Honestly the best job I ever had. Your hauling video as all your video are just using some simple well thought out logic. I learned quickly how to tie down / secure lumber using rope and concrete blocks, yikes. Rapid City's fortunate to have you an old pro carpenter / woodworker.
How do you have people not like this video. Haters for sure. Nothing in this video is cause to dislike. Nothing unsafe about this video. Keep up the good work Next Level Carpenter.
This is not for everyone, for example, I love the wealth of information. But I cannot apply this video without modification to my truck which is totally different. But I love the principle idea.
Great tie down technique! Nice to learn something new, I never seen a video like this simple and gets the job done.
I like the flag clamp and the makeshift bed clamp. I don’t haul lumber all the time but when I was building my deck I tied the red tape on the end of boards always worried its going to fly off.
That's exactly the sort of project where this method is most useful Leictreonaic... Best, Matt
Instead of the 2x4 support, maybe a spreader clamp tensioned up tight under the 2x4 crosspiece.
That is a great trick and I love the flag C clamp idea!
thank you for posting.
My god this works, BUT you could just by a truck bed extender that hooks into your hitch and is SO easy..
I HAVE one OzarkMan... but this is faster and easier IMHO. Best, Matt
Excellent little trick. Thank you for sharing. Love your channel. I'm 35 years old and have been doing this since I was 16. I hope to call myself a master carpenter one day. Let me know when that usually happens haha. Thanks again
Glad you like Next Level Carpentry videos Jack... thanks for commenting. Keep on keepin' on and mastery will sneak up on you. I think it happens the day it dawns on you that you're forgetting more than you're learning LOL Best, Matt
@@NextLevelCarpentry I appreciate your response. Haha well, in that case, I might be in the making of Master Carpenter! God bless, Matt.
I am more interested in the cordless toolbox
Unfortunately THAT video will be a long time in the making.... sorry! Best, Matt
Brilliant. I'm obviously not creative enough. Thanks for the inspiration.
Better check your local laws. Usually, you can't have anything extending beyond 4 feet from the rear of the truck. 16' and especially 25' would be illegal in every State.
Agreed... anyone considering using this should make themselves aware of local laws. Equally important is to make sure anything being hauled is strapped in securely because even for legal loads you'll have issues if you loose a load, right? Best, Matt
Use a bed extender hitch. $80. 5 foot bed and a 16 foot canoe. Wide enough for plywood narrow enough for pipes. 500 lb capacity. Free flag when ordered on Amazon.
Wrong sir, anything that sticks out more than 4ft needs to be flagged
I'm assuming that you never spit on the sidewalk in your life either.
I'm sorry I thought this was America 😂
Long lumber in a short bed pickup is worth a subscribe to your channel! Thank you, I can use this tip often.
Your good at putting a strap on
Practice, practice, practice, James! 😀😎 Best, Matt
Lmfao a "strap on"
There is always one in every bunch.
Probably due to that bowl of oddly fermented corn flakes he ate as a small child.
@@marshalllhiepler are you speaking from personal experience here? 😏😂
@@NextLevelCarpentry,
If I were speaking from personal experience ...
would I be able to convey it to others?
Actually, my comment was a rebuttal to another, and not directed at you.
I thought the suggestions offered in your video were good.
No doubt, you've seen the results of others, who failed to properly secure lumber.
I have seen guys picking lumber up from a busy intersection, and reloading their truck, in a rather sheepish manner. (Those are the students, who were making paper airplanes, during Physics Class.)
Just what I needed, Matt. Ingenious use of scrap lumber to make hauling long wood in a short bed. Very helpful video.
Cool. Even cooler the first time you try it with success 😁👍🏻