A frame hoist

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I need to build an A frame style of hoist to roll around the shop.  I have a 2 ton loadstar electric hoist to go on it.  I am wondering if anyone has some pictures of how they have done there own hoist projects that are movable.  I would like the beam height to be about 12 feet the hoist hangs down 4 feet fully closed (side note does anybody know if you can adjust this?)  I would like to be able to pick items like buckets and so forth up off the floor and then also have enough room to manuver them on my work tables which are about 36 inches to 40 inches high.  I really dont need a lecture in max weight issues and potential failures as I understand the importance of all these issues and am an avid fabrictor and always overbuild anything that I do.  I would however like to bounce some ideas around with anyone that is willing to talk on the subject.  Thanks for your time and ideas in advance!www.burdettenetworks.com
Reply:Not all that complicated. The biggest issues will be having the material sized for your load, having decent wheels to roll with, and having enough bracing so it will not collapse when you try to move it.Take a look at what Wallace has and you should be able to get a majority of your questions answered.http://www.wallacecranes.com/prods.htm.No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Your hoist has a upper and lower limit switch that counts the links on the chain. You want to adjust them so your chain stops prior to the unit (and before the chain falls out on lowering). I generally leave at least 4 or 5 links so everything stops well ahead of the hoist.This is a link to the manual... look on pages 16-17 (page 20 in the pdf):http://www.hoistexperts.com/images/Lodestar_man.pdf
Reply:kburd,couple images of a pair of gantries done last spring to help roll a boat building fixture, handle sheets and sheet trailer, and to load and unload trucks of shop tools.Not saying they're anything special just one method of doing the job, they've only picked a single ton so far.  Not sure of capacity just handiness.at least some food for thought?Cheers,Kevin Morin
Reply:Nice job Kevin. Can't tell you do marine work from the hoist design at all. Has tuna tower, outrigger or com mast written all over it. .No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:thank you guys!  this has all been great information for me to get things rolling!  and thanks for the info on how to adjust the limit switch!www.burdettenetworks.com
Reply:Wallace cranes......A great business idea but.... It seems that a large portion of their clientele would be able to / want to custom fab a similar product, and those requiring an engineer stamp would likely be in a shop that would have overheads and gantry cranes.I might be wrong, but I know have a ton of pics that will one day be the basis for drawings....Is it wrong to use others sales brochures as "inspiration"?
Reply:Here is only good pic of mine. It is all masked off right now and will be for majority of the week cause stuff is hanging from it that is getting painted. I built mine to my own dimensions so it will fit through an overhead door yet a trailer can go under it. I looked at some different gantry cranes and the design is similar to some commercial ones but my own dimensions. It uses a w8x11# beam and the tubing for main frame is 4x4x3/16 and the adjustable tube is 3.5x3.5x1/4". I have 1000# casters on it and it weights about 500# so max limit is 3000#. I have lifted close to this with no issues but rarely ever lift anything over 500#. If I do lift anything real heavy I move a bench under it as it will want to swing and get dangerous otherwise. I have all the dimensions on graph paper if you are intersted. I made it to drop down and clear 8' and raise to 16' but I wouldn't put anything heavy on it that high up. Attached ImagesMillermatic 252Lincoln 175 plusTA 185tswTA 161stlhypertherm pmax 45Victor torchHenrob torchAn S10 for each day of the week
Reply:I like your design there obsessed I could use one like that but am trying to use materials I have on hand.  My crane is comming along should have some pics soonwww.burdettenetworks.com
Reply:Okay cool. I didnt have the stuff to make it so I had to purchase materials. I believe I had about $500 into everything minus hoist part. Looking forward to what you have come up with.Millermatic 252Lincoln 175 plusTA 185tswTA 161stlhypertherm pmax 45Victor torchHenrob torchAn S10 for each day of the week
Reply:Here's our crude way of a gantry:With the dollies under it, its about 14' 2".  We have a 14' door and it barely goes through it using a Cat Telehandler to transport it in&out.  Just got a couple 2 ton chain hoists.  Don't want much more on it anyways.  In that picture, it was just holding up the frame when we was stretching the truck.  Later on, with that same project, the gantry was suspending a 16' dump bed which we backed the truck under.Before project:
Reply:Do you still have all the dimensions written down ,where you could email them  ? I am in the process of building a gantry crane and would look at different ideas about making one          thanks for any help you could provide  Kevin
Reply:I was interested in pictures and dimensions of the neon green gantry you had pictured on here
Reply:First time posting, hope my pictures work   Anyway these are a couple I built awhile back, enjoy...........Tim
Reply:Make some sweet swingsets in between lifts! POVERTY...is the Mother of InventionMillermatic 211Millermatic 140Miller Thunderbolt XLArcOne 100STS inverter w/TIGThermal Dynamics 38XL Victor Oxy/AcetyleneJancy Slugger Holemaker IIJet 5x6 BandsawNever enough time & sleep.
Reply:Nice work Tim, but I see a major flaw in your design. The top "beams" are made up of what looks like hollow tube vs a wide flange beam. Tube like that is very limited in strength in bending. Damage, kink or dent that tube, and it will almost immediately  buckle catastrophically and probably go with no warning what so ever. A very bad choice for overhead lifting.If all you need to do is string up your deer to bleed, that's one thing, but I wouldn't go any where near those if someone tried to pull a motor..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:I have a 1 ton CM electric chainfall and trolley. Here's the trolley, I think this is the newer style and allows the hook to be closer to the bottom of beam. I got mine with hoist. Pictures only, I don't know about prices. I should bought a electric fall years ago, they are AWESOME !  http://www.amazon.com/Columbus-McKin...M+beam+trolleyhttp://www.zorotools.com/g/00060708/...m_campaign=PLA
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWNice work Tim, but I see a major flaw in your design. The top "beams" are made up of what looks like hollow tube vs a wide flange beam. Tube like that is very limited in strength in bending. Damage, kink or dent that tube, and it will almost immediately  buckle catastrophically and probably go with no warning what so ever. A very bad choice for overhead lifting.If all you need to do is string up your deer to bleed, that's one thing, but I wouldn't go any where near those if someone tried to pull a motor.
Reply:Here is one I built years ago to mount or un-mount my street rod body also used to to put the frame on a Rotisserie or frame jig.It all breaks down for storage. Attached ImagesDIY CNC Plasma table USB BOB Price THCHypertherm 65Everlast PowerTig 255 EXTMiler 180 Mig13" metal latheMill/ DrillECT, ECT,
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWNice work Tim, but I see a major flaw in your design. The top "beams" are made up of what looks like hollow tube vs a wide flange beam. Tube like that is very limited in strength in bending. Damage, kink or dent that tube, and it will almost immediately  buckle catastrophically and probably go with no warning what so ever. A very bad choice for overhead lifting.If all you need to do is string up your deer to bleed, that's one thing, but I wouldn't go any where near those if someone tried to pull a motor.
Reply:I will have to look but I am pretty sure I have the drawing I came up with. I will see if I can find it tomorrow.Millermatic 252Lincoln 175 plusTA 185tswTA 161stlhypertherm pmax 45Victor torchHenrob torchAn S10 for each day of the week
Reply:Where would a fella go for good quality casters? I'm remote and its 240 miles to a large town (home depot, lowes, airport, etc.). Don't like to order over the internet without a good recommendation.Arcon Workhorse 300MSPowcon 400SMTPowcon SM400 x 2Powcon SM3001968 SA200 Redface1978 SA250 DieselMiller Super 32P FeederPre 1927 American 14" High Duty LatheK&T Milwaukee 2H Horizontal MillBryan
Reply:I wasn't able to find my drawing. I can make a new one but it might take me a few days to get to it. As far as casters, I ordered mine online, they are okay but they have the side brakes which the salesman told me would be fine but they do not hold well at all. I went with 8 inch urethane wheels so they would roll easy and not mark up the floors. They also have the locks so the wheels don't turn and you can grab one side of the hoist and move it across the room while the other side just follows.Millermatic 252Lincoln 175 plusTA 185tswTA 161stlhypertherm pmax 45Victor torchHenrob torchAn S10 for each day of the week
Reply:http://chambersburg.craigslist.org/for/4236858330.htmlMight be cheaper than building oneOne Step Ahead Of The Home Owners Association.
Reply:that is fine if it takes a few days , its cold out in the garage now anyway , im still in the planning stagesHere is a Jpeg of the drawing. The pdf is too large to attach here so I will have to email it to whoever wants it so that it could be printed out in scale. Attached ImagesMillermatic 252Lincoln 175 plusTA 185tswTA 161stlhypertherm pmax 45Victor torchHenrob torchAn S10 for each day of the week
Reply:email it to [email protected]
Reply:thanks for emailing me the plans , I was at a local welding shop the other day and i was explaining what i was looking for 4 " .188 wall ssquare tubing and 3 1/2"    .250 he explained that it would not slide inside of eachother because of the weld seem inside of the 4" tube , he also explained that i would need to get a special tube , Telescopic tubing that was very exspensive and would have to order it , has anyone here ran across this or is there a way to grind the weld smooth on the inside of the 4 " square tube
Reply:they slide together just fine. if the 4" was  .250 wall then they may or may not. however there is clearance and the 4" has more square corners which also helps. I cant guarantee it but there should be plenty of room. go to the steel yard and slide them together and then you will know. Mine is sloppy loose.
Reply:By the way, usually most tubing telescopes even with the seam weld flashing inside but only if you don't get exact fit sizes like 2"x1/4" and try to slide 1.5"x1/4 into it. 2"x3/16 will usually accept the 1.5". the other thing is the thinner the wall the more square the tube corners are cause in the forming process the thicker materials need more radius. so a 1.5"x 18g  wall will probably not slide in cause of the more square shape vs. the rounder corners of the 2"x3/16".  so the inside tube should be same wall thickness or one step thicker to make sure corners clear inside the larger tube, and the outside tube i.d. should not be spec'd as the same size of telescoping inside tube.   reciever hitch tube is 2.5" x 1/4" wall and but its actually drawn over mandrel to square its shoulders and make it slightly larger i.d. so that even a square bar ball mount can be inserted. Hope this makes sense.
Reply:Originally Posted by S obsessedHere is a Jpeg of the drawing. The pdf is too large to attach here so I will have to email it to whoever wants it so that it could be printed out in scale.
Reply:Since I have been sending out quite a few emails for the pdf I figure I will try and do something different. Here is a zip that contains a jpeg and a DWG file of the drawing. A pdf is too large to attach. A DWG file is the standard autocad file format and there are lots of free CAD viewers on the web that can be downloaded. Then you should be able to open it and zoom in and print. Type in "Free CAD Viewer" in google and take a pick. If anyone still wants the pdf I can send it to them. Just PM me and remember to please add your email address to the message. I hope the zip folder works out. Gantry hoist dwg.zipMillermatic 252Lincoln 175 plusTA 185tswTA 161stlhypertherm pmax 45Victor torchHenrob torchAn S10 for each day of the week