DIY 80/20 Aluminum Small Rolling Cart Plans

DIY Small Aluminum Cart – everyone needs them!

For the office, for the workshop, for the home – these compact and lightweight workhorses work everywhere. In the garden, in the greenhouse, in the garage - anywhere things need to stay put or go places with you.

But why just buy one, when you can make your own? The heavy-duty 80/20 aluminum construction in the above design is meant to handle all that daily stress. With four rolling wheels and a transparent acrylic top, this small cart is functional, minimalist, and stylish.

Ideal for: carting, organizing, gardening, offices, small business, and more.

Ready to start building your own? This DIY project takes just a few short steps to complete. See below to get started.

‍

80/20 aluminum small rolling cart 3D render

80/20 aluminum small rolling cart 3D render, second view

80/20 aluminum small rolling cart 3D render, third view

Create Your Own Rolling Cart: DIY Guide

Step 1

Good carts need solid frames. So, we’ll start there.

For this step, you’ll need:

Four 20” T-Slot Rails
Four 25.5” T-Slot Rails
Four 23.5” T-Slot Rails
Sixteen Aluminum Angle Joints

You’ll probably want to complete this step by installing all the Angle Joints on the vertical rails first, before connecting the upper and lower frames. This method makes it a little easier to hold and balance everything while installing the connectors.

First, obtain four 20” T-Slot Rails. Then, install two Angle Joints at each end of the rail, as seen in the diagram (4 total per rail).

Now you’ll want to lay out the lower frame of the cart on your working surface. Just place two 23.5” rails and two 25.5” rails on it in the shape of a rectangle. Now, you can install the vertical rails one-by-one.

After you have the vertical rails in place, it’s time to install the upper cart frame. You can do this by placing the upper T-Slot Rails into position one-by-one and connecting them to the appropriate Angle Joints. If you need to, grab a rubber band or flex tie to hold each rail in place while connecting it.

Good job! Now that you’re done with the frame, just make sure to tighten all the connectors in order to ensure that your cart is solid and strong.

‍

Step 2

Handles, wheels, and end caps.

You’ll need:

One Pull Handle
Four Wheels
Eight End Caps

Your handle and end caps should install quickly. And of course, feel free to place your handle wherever you’d like to!

To help with installing the wheels: it might help to just flip the lightweight frame upside for this step, instead of trying to hold the whole frame up in the process.

Don’t forget the end caps!

‍

Step 3

Almost done!

You’ll need:

One 2’ x2’ Acrylic Panel
Four Solid Panel Hangers

For this step, we strongly recommend attaching the hangers to the top frame first. This will allow you to exactly position the acrylic panel in the correct position for pre-drilling (if needed), and/or for attachment.

The exact methodology here is up to you, but it might also help to turn the frame upside-down or on its side to facilitate attaching the panel.

Please note: acrylic can sometimes crack if too much pressure is applied in a small area. So please, take care when completing this step, and don’t overtighten the hangers.

And that’s it!

Whew, that was a lot of work. Feel free to give yourself the DIY award of the day.

And please, enjoy your new cart!

‍