Building a replica of an old hand truck

[bluetalisman]

I've been nursing this idea of creating a replica of an old-school hand truck I saw somewhere, like the kind you'd see in warehouses or on farms decades ago. Now I dont know whether to go with traditional steel and wood, or modern materials to keep the weight down because the design is gonna be simple enough already. Also, I'm not sure if I'd use it heavily or just keep it around as a functional piece of shop nostalgia, but the project has been on my mind. I think I prefer the look and build of those old ones, they feel sturdier and more authentic than most of what you can buy new today.

So I need suggestions and thoughts on what can work and wont work and whether its gonna be worth the effort compared to tracking down an original

 

[s3s@m3_]

@bluetalisman bro, if you prefer the feel of the old ones, you should absolutely go with traditional steel and wood. The added weight is part of the authentic feel, they were built to be sturdy and last forever.
Modern materials would likely sacrifice that vintage look and feel, and if it's more of a display piece, the weight won't even be a factor. This project is about the feel and the look, not about shaving off a few pounds

 

[wabak23]

Finding a good vintage hand truck these days can be a real challenge, and most of them need a serious makeover. You might end up spending just as much time and money. But the cool part about building your own is you get to customize it exactly how you want it.