Ergonomic Log-carrier

As my inherited log-carrier was 1 1/2 ft. wide and high, with a handle perpendicular to the path, it was very uncomfortable to carry when full.
I decided to make a new one to save my back, and with half the width and almost double height, handle along the path it would be much easier. The make is quite straightforward, with material you probably have at hand.

Pick a piece of wood of your choice and plane it; I used pine 1 1/2 in. thick.
Rip it in 1/4 in. strips and plane them if you wish.

You will need 16 spacers. Glue a strip on each side of a 2x2 scrap piece and chop it in 1/2 in. slices, and you have spacers that will not stick to glue squeeze-out.

Screw two boards at 90 degrees angle to a piece of board.

Position the eight short strips roughly at their places on the template, and after the first long strip, add the first 7 spacers.
Continue laying out the other 3 long strips with spacers between.

Now you lift a strip at a time and add glue at the crossings.
Return the strip and continue with the rest,

Place a board on each of the long strips to distribute the pressure on all glue-points and clamp until dry.

Then you make the other side the same way and trim the sides.
Mark the center of the 4 bottom crossings and the two corner crossings at the top and drill for dowels.

Now that your sides are ready, cut a 1 in. stick in 6 pieces the length you want between the sides, 8-10 inches, and 1 longer for the handle
Drill both ends for dowels, easiest done in a lathe.

Carefully measure the distance between the centers of the two upper holes of the sides, where the handle is to be positioned, and transfer to the handle stick.

To make a nice-fitting handle, you need a jig, that you make from a short piece of 2x2 that you first drill through half, then turn 90 degrees.

With the handle inside the jig, drill the end half-round cavity. The center of the drill should be right above the mark, so you have to add a mark that corresponds to the side of the jig.

Then you drill the other side half-round. This is the tricky part, to have both the correct length and the same angle.

The handle is also drilled in the ends for dowels, and 2 of the sticks are drilled in the middle to receive those.
After gluing the dowels, clamp and let dry.

After gluing the dowels, you mount all the sticks on one of the sides.
Then continue gluing the other side.

The long strips should face inwards for easier loading with logs.

Clamp together, and this artefact is complete.

Fill it with logs, and carry with joy.
It will look nice by the fireplace too.