lift

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Ok im fixing to start another project for the shop I have a winch and im wanting to put it to use. I have a 12" I beam and I want to build a lift on casters ive seen them that are built that are basically triangular on each end with the beam connecting the tops together my question is should I go with square tube for the legs or round pipe the winch is 12000 lbs and will be picking up heavy stuff from time to time guessing the heaviest part of the docks I build at 1800 to 2000 lbs what y'all think
Reply:Do a search on this site for A frame gantry cranes or hoists.. there is a lot of stuff out there.Check out a commercial site for ball park specs... http://www.wallacecranes.com/triste1.htmgood luck.zip.
Reply:Keep in mind the average "winch" isn't rated for overhead lifting. Bad things happen when things fail when lifting overhead. Weight may or may not be the issue. Dragging something isn't the same as holding that same weight overhead. All that needs to fail is the pawl or brake that locks the spool and things come crashing down..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:Yeah good point
Reply:Winches pull horizontally and "hoists" lift. If you do a search on rigging and mechanical advantage you would be suprised how much can be lifted by hand. I set some fairly large beams when I was building my house a Z pulley and a couple of jumars (I'm a has been rock climber)
Reply:Yeah we use a chain fall now lifting one end at a time
Reply:Square tube would be the best route to go (easier to work with too!)  You can get electric hoists that attach to a beam trolley, but their quite a bit pricier than chain falls (nicer to work with though!)  picked up a 1/2 ton A-frame gantry from princess auto on sale and it works good within it's limitations (although I had to slot a hole that was punched in the wrong spot and cut the inner height adjusting tube down to fit in the garage)!Last edited by mb_welder; 05-18-2012 at 06:39 PM.