How to build moving/lifting devices to save my back?

[wardbob]

I just signed up to this site. Hi, everyone! I will go by "wardbob."

I've injured my back several times and need to make devices that will allow me to move and lift heavy things by myself. (1) Want to make a cart to support my auger and let me crank it up and down with a manual boat winch so I can put in 40 8" holes for fence posts this summer. I'm thinking of starting with a $29 on sale Harbor Freight cart. (2) Then, I want to make another cart that I can use to crank heavy objects into my van and to take them out. Maybe it could be done with the same base. (3) Also need to make a temporary ramp to crank a couple big window AC units out of the basement. I built an electric winch-based shingle lifter last year to lift shingle onto a large garage, but the roof is low so I carried the shingles up in small batches and never used my lift! A bit heavy and too long for the basement stairs, though. I can mod it to work.

Seeing and reading about other folks projects will get me moving on my jobs. It's been a cold, wet, muddy, and windy spring here in northern Ohio and I want to get going on my outside projects!