I need a materials list

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http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=41188I tried to look at to see how its made, but its a catalog/website only item.  I'd like 8'-10" wheels that are usefull over rough ground/gravel driveways. I don't need it to telescope, fixed height would be fine. I'd buy a trolley but the frame seems a little pricey at $600. it will be used to pull small gasoline engines (ford 300s, 460s) no heavy diesels, but maybe a 3cyl perkins once in a while. No long high drag lifting like pulling a well pump.I have a O/A setup and Miller Bluestar 145Last edited by Aric; 07-23-2006 at 01:05 PM.
Reply:Buy the solid-core tires (I often see them in yellow,) not the pneumatics.  You'll forever be airing them and fix-a-flatting them if you go with pneumatic tires on that.  And some of the HF tires will never hold air for very long no matter what you do.
Reply:Aric, ............. It's my own opinion, but I'd stay away from that HF gantry crane. I don't trust any of the lifting products that HF offers. They are cheaply built and are dumped on the American market. For the money you'd pay for that, you could build your own and have a lots better product.You talked about lifting Ford 300's and 460's, well I've removed, rebuilt and installed many 460's and 429's and they're NOT SMALL and their weight is pretty close to 700#. I would be a little leary of having something weighing that much hanging from something that is cheaply built and having a rating (which is very questionable) of 1000#. I'd rather be safe than sorry.I don't mean to discourage you , but I'm looking at this from the safety factor, point of view.
Reply:Hi, I agree with diverbill. As for materials, you can build that for less than 200 bucks. For starters, I would get my I-Beam and some 2x3 rectangle tubing .125 wall or thicker if you want. Maybe 30 feet or so. Plan on spending around 3 bucks a foot for that. If you can, try to isolate what length pieces you will require and buy the long pieces. Then you can usually buy pieces under 8 feet by the pound, about .25 cents per.I think you could even come in under 150 bucks for the frame and wheels.It should certainly be better and stronger than the HF model.Bill
Reply:Don't worry, i'm not buying it.It looks like they cheaped out on the I-beam and just made 1/2 of it with 2 pieces of 2" angle iron. I guess I should of said light duty engines, I've been haying with a WWII 5 ton for a while this summer, and have spent a lot of time trying to keep that old 850cid Hurcules flathead running smooth. This project isn't going to be for lifting stuff like that. I'm NEVER pulling that engine.