Drag trays - how to appease your digging team...

tim.rose2

Active member
Just over a year ago whilst poking around Portland looking for some of the islands short and rarely visited caves, Myself, Sas and Richard thought it would be a good idea to start a dig in Showerbath Cave.  They wanted a drag tray...

So I built them a drag tray, it was perfect:
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Then they wanted a drag tray which wasn't rigid to help it go around corners / over lumps...
So I built them a drag tray, it was perfect:
42367717032_1e117e70b3.jpg

For obvious reasons this became known as 'the carpet'.

We moved to Hopeless Hole.  They wanted a larger drag tray which sloped upwards at the front so it would rise over nobbles in the floor...
So I built them a drag tray, it was perfect:
40028637350_f0900d5e58.jpg


Then they wanted a carpet which had 4 sides folder up rather than three...
So I built them a drag tray, it was perfect:
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Then they wanted a carpet with rope both ends to make it easier to return...
So I built them a drag tray, it was perfect:
40140965573_8923af746e.jpg


Then I suggested a return to Hopeless Hole this coming weekend.  Apparently it really needs a drag tray with wheels.
So I spent this morning building them a bloody drag tray and it had better be perfect:
47490442032_5f215b4162.jpg


What next?  If they think they're getting a drag tray with an engine they can bugger off.

In all seriousness, the carpet tile drag trays work really well, cost 50p each and can be assembled with a few cable ties in 10 mins.  There are 4 in existence, the original one still serviceable but definitely coming to the end of its life.  The wooden trays - well perhaps over engineered compared to just using one of those blue plastic drums, especially today's effort, but I enjoy farting around in the garage as much as the caving.  My only concern, is this the start of the down hill spiral that leads you to digging a Templeton?

Anyone else care to share drag tray designs / photo's - might give me some ideas for the next!
 

PeteHall

Moderator
Brilliant!  :clap:

I can't add anything to your excellent selection of drag trays. The only improvement I can advise is the track you drag it along.

I know some digs with rails, which do seem a little overkill, but maybe I'm just jealous!

I have used conveyor belt rubber successfully in a couple of digs. This hugely reduces the drag and hugely increases the lifetime of the tray. However it's heavy and awkward to install and remove, so better suited to a long term dig...
 

royfellows

Well-known member
I always used 5 gall containers with one side cut out. A friend added an embellishment by bolting a steel plate to the bottom to make them last longer.
There will be an underground exhibition of them at this years NAMHO
:LOL:

PS and if course the supermarket bitter lemon bottles. (insider joke)
 

Alex

Well-known member
I always assumed the conveyor belts I see in digs from time to time where for the digger's knees not the drag tray.
 

JasonC

Well-known member
Alex said:
I always assumed the conveyor belts I see in digs from time to time where for the digger's knees not the drag tray.

That too, but in a dig at the end of a low, rough crawl like Gargett Passage (Goyden), it made dragging trays back and forth a hell of a lot easier!


PS I love Tim's latest 'tray', but think it might be more suitable for kids to whizz down local hills in :)
 

tamarmole

Active member
I am a big fan of 25 litre containers with a side cut off.  The handle is handy for attaching hauling ropes to.
 

tim.rose2

Active member
Don't think kids whizz down hills any more do they?  I'd give it a go though!  Might be a little exciting as there's no steering.
I'm fairly confident the trolley will work - it's a flat straight tunnel.  The work at the sharp end will be done with carpets which will then be emptied into the trolley.  It's only 20m but it was getting very boring and felt hard work dragging piles of stone out.  Unfortunately there's a hell of a lot more to come out yet.
 

Maj

Active member
A couple of photos of the trug used in Plaster Passage, Railway Series in Thrupe Lane Swallet. The remains of the wooden rails were still evident until relatively recently when severe flooding washed them away. The trug has been recently restored by one of the early ATLAS diggers who is still actively digging with ATLAS.

Maj.
 

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Leclused

Active member
We build a monorail with drag tray in 2017-2018 in one of our project (and it is still hanging there)

There is a small clip from it on our FB page

https://www.facebook.com/jos.beyens/videos/1526210707496093/

You might need to become member from the group to see :)

Dagobert
 

Leclused

Active member
Leclused said:
We build a monorail with drag tray in 2017-2018 in one of our project (and it is still hanging there)

There is a small clip from it on our FB page

https://www.facebook.com/jos.beyens/videos/1526210707496093/

You might need to become member from the group to see :)

Dagobert

It seems not to be working :)

This is the address of our FB page : https://www.facebook.com/groups/scavalon/
 

tim.rose2

Active member
Loving the Thrupe trolley Maj.  Perhaps there should be a cave diggers 'museum' for things like that in some obscure chamber somewhere.

Well we tried out the trolley today.  Unfortunately it was only described as good but not perfect.  A mixture of rubbish B&Q lock nuts and a slight design flaw results in the wheels falling off occasionally - apparently that's not ideal.  Lunchtime modifications seemed to fix the problem at least temporarily.  Good job I had a pair of pliers and spanner in the car.  Permanent fix will be taken next time we're down there.  Perhaps then it will be declared perfect shortly after which the request for the next drag tray will most likely occur.

Otherwise, the trolley works really well, fits down the tunnel perfectly and has made life much more pleasant for Richard today...

47498155732_503373aef1.jpg
 
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