Gantry build

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Hello:  First welding project...a Gantry!  Perhaps I should have started with the usual welding bench; however, I needed the gantry first.  So, here goes!  CAUTION:  bolts are used in many locations throughout my build.  The gantry is designed to be disassembled moved between my shop and my BIL's shop.  If bolts offend you, please STOP here and look no further.  Materials:  pallet rack uprights, 4X10 12 lb/ft beam, 8 in wheels, 3/16 sheet, 1 X 3/16 square tube, 2X2X3/16 Angle.AC225 tombstone used.Most Horizontal welds are  1/8  701X  rod @ 90 Amps.All vertical welds are 1/8 6011 rod at 75 amps.10 ft between uprights, lower edge of beam is 11 ft AGL.Photo #1:  early stages with major components in place.#2:  upright with support beams#3:  Finally a closeup shot of a weld!!!  #4  Stabilizing tie rods Attached Images
Reply:Photo 5:  clevis#6 upright and clevis attached#7 Upper cleat#8 lower support beefed up with angle Attached Images
Reply:#9 lower support boxed in#10 upper support close up#11 Upper support boxed in#12  How long will it hang in there?Now I gots to paint it. Attached ImagesLast edited by danomite33; 11-21-2010 at 11:16 AM.
Reply:thats a good idea..ive got few of them racks around..brand new ones..i like it
Reply:Looks pretty cool. Your welds would worry me...You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else. Albert Einstein
Reply:jreynoldswelding:  Your welds would worry me... Yes, I agree.  When I become more proficient, I will have to fix much of this project.  Probably easier to start over with new material as opposed to fixing it.   Hopefully the gantry will last long enough to finish my SA200.  After some paint, though I have to build a bench, and saw table.  More opportunity to practice.Thanks.
Reply:Originally Posted by danomite33jreynoldswelding:  Your welds would worry me... Yes, I agree.  When I become more proficient, I will have to fix much of this project.  Probably easier to start over with new material as opposed to fixing it.   Hopefully the gantry will last long enough to finish my SA200.  After some paint, though I have to build a bench, and saw table.  More opportunity to practice.Thanks.
Reply:that'll definitly get the job done. nice load test.
Reply:T. R.  - Thanks, the load test was also one of the driving reasons to build the gantry:  to move the leg machine without having to disassemble it again.  Load test and move complete!!  As noted above, my welding lacks credibility but, I have a few more projects where I hope  to gain greater proficiency.  I tried to enroll in a welding class at the local college; however, either I was out of town when the class was offered or, I'm in town and no class offered.  In frustration, I bought a book, watched some internet videos, and read items from this forum.  In short, my respect and appreciation for those who can weld has increased beyond words.  When I go to fix my trailer hitch, I'll take it to the Pros to make certain the hitch is fixed properly.
Reply:I think that I would feel better having stabilization also, from the uprights to the ends of the i beams that the wheels are on too. Especially with ugly welds. If you roll something (and have weight on it(which you will sooner or later)) and the wheels stick in a floor crack the load may go beyond centre and topple it.Miller thunderbolt 250Decastar 135ERecovering tool-o-holic ESAB OAI have been interested or involved in Electrical, Fire Alarm, Auto, Marine, Welding, Electronics ETC to name a just a few. So YES you can own too many tools.
Reply:Sorry but a gantry that you will work under is not a recommended first welding project.Apart from your welds I would also be concerned about the "pallet racking", which is designed to support a static load, not a moving and swinging load.  I would think the racking may fail at or below the angle brace where the rigid upper section is joined to the moving lower part.  I would expect the most probable failure to be in the longitudinal direction (toward either end).  The structural steel "looks" heavy enough and seems to be excessive compared to the strength of the vertical supports.  I would worry that cracking may occur in the vertical supports and lead to sudden collapse.An unrelated suggestion would be to weld a "foot" support underneath the beam next to where the casters are attached, about an inch or less from the floor so that if the caster(s) fail, the vertical support will only drop that distance."The reason we are here is that we are not all there"SA 200Idealarc TM 300 300MM 200MM 25130a SpoolgunPrecision Tig 375Invertec V350 ProSC-32 CS 12 Wire FeederOxweld/Purox O/AArcAirHypertherm Powermax 85LN25
Reply:Notrite:   I really like your idea of adding a foot.  In fact it is a great idea which will help me survive my hobbies...4 legs coming up! The issue of the rack being robust enough:  I agree the rack has significant limitations as a rolling lift.  However, the rack legs are designed for a large static vertical load.  I simply want to lift an item straight up; then, place that item on a pallet or skid of some type.  The leg machine used as the test load was set onto a rolling skid.  Given a nonmoving limit, better welds and 4 added feet, I think it will do fine.
Reply:90 amps for 7018 is pretty cold, go to 3/32 with 90 amps and your welds should improve.UA Local 598
Reply:I've been waiting for someone with nuts to say that this is a really unsafe project.  One of y'all did.The fact that this thing will only be used for static loads (yeah, right) is misleading.An off balance load will put stress on the uprights, whether the load is moving, or not.  The pallet rack uprights simply aren't strong enough.  Any load is a dynamic load......period.  Or at least, it has the potential of becoming a dynamic load."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:I'm no expert BUT     have to agree with farmersam ANY load can become a moving load,without warning!!! mite want to move that propane tank out of warms way too. would hate to hear about to possible results, Most gantrys I have seen have bases much wider then your design, while I think it's great to try and build one yourself, maybe coping a proven design would be more prudent. Good luck but be safe always!SA 200square wave 175 proairco 250airco dip pacsouth bend lathemilling machine
Reply:heres an a frame I built so i could move stuff around the shop by myself.It also has a trolley that travels on the beam with the chainfall. Attached ImagesLast edited by T.R.; 11-24-2010 at 08:11 PM.Thermal arc raider 10,000 proESAB multimaster 260300 amp ac/dc heliweldhobart handler 140lincoln LN 25 wirefeedermiller spoolmate 200profax sp 200ramsond cut 50dy plasma cuttercampbell hausfield 30 gallon air compressor
Reply:Any object designed for "lifting loads" is only as strong as it's weakest component.Looking at the casters used, it would appear that they are ill selected for the application.  Unless I'm really off base, those casters are rated for about a 700# load.  Add in the dead weight of the base structure, and you don't have a lot of "capacity" left.Let one caster fail under load and your "dead load" becomes a "live load" very rapidly.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:It's a good basic project, so  long as you keep in mind the concerns (All valid) that have been mentioned. For lifting a sensible light load and moving a cart/ chassis under it, and lowering it?? Good deal. For using the gantry as a swing device to rotate and move a project around while welding, painting, etc??? Keep the weight very low, and look to lateral supports to keep things from going from static to falling on you. Thanks for the ideas it brings out in people.And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:Looks nice but them welds scare the living crap outta me..... I think you need to do a proper load test like FarmerSamm said, or even not use it until you can weld properly, but if you are going to use it just make sure no one else is in its path incase it lets go...Tons of hand tools mostly KingchromeArc welderMiG weldersO/A setupMany grindersair compressorsmany air toolsIndustrial drill pressTwo Forkliftsmany more toolsMan has his will, but woman has her way.- Oliver Wendell Holmes