manual front loader

[rgsparber]

I plan to soon have a large pile of 3/4" diameter rock in front of my home and need to move it to the back. The standard procedure involves a shovel and a cart or wheelbarrow. My problem is that the lifting and twisting action while using a shovel will likely re-injure my back.

Got me thinking about ways to do this job with no lifting even if it means more trips. My rough idea is to use an extra wide hand truck as a starting point. I would then take a piece of sheet metal and form it into a curved form similar to a front loader bucket. The bottom edge would bolt to the front edge of the hand truck plate. The top edge would bolt to the vertical bars. I would then weld on side plates. To prevent the hand truck from falling over while I fill it (by raking), I can have a bar attached at the top of the hand truck. This bar would telescope and have a sharp point on the end. It would pivot at the top.

Swing it out, extend until it locks into the ground, and then start raking in the rock.

Nice pipe dream. Before I start making it I'm looking for problems with the idea.

All of us are smarter than any one of us. Hopefully people will lend a hand here.

Thanks,

Rick