Shop Crane

[danguite]

Since getting into blacksmithing I've been getting bigger and bigger tools and shop items which so far I've been able to manage( barely ) by myself or by waiting for a friend to come and help.  Lately I've been looking at getting some significantly bigger items and I'm trying to find a good way to move them around.

 

I've been looking at getting a shop crane.  What does everyone use to move things around their shop?

[Donnie]

I used to use my back. Get the crane. ;)

[Steve Sells]

I borrow an engine hoist, thought about adding an I beam for a come-a-long when I built shop, but passsed,  in hind sight, should have installed it....

[Will. K.]

I have a cheap Harbor Freight engine hoist and a heavy wheeled cart I use to move most of the heavy stuff. An engine hoist is at the top of my most useful tool list.

 

If I can't lift it with the hoist there is a local place that will show up with a truck crane for reasonanble $/HR. Last time they sent a 30 ton truck crane! All the neighbors came out to watch.

 

I've been on the hunt for a used 2-4 ton protable gantry crane.

[Frosty]

I lucked into an engine hoist at a yard sale and it's been a joy to trip over when I'm not using it. I can load my pickup with all my goodies, move heavy stuff where ever I need it and best of all it MAKES me keep the floor reasonably clear and clean. Win win all round.

 

I planned a jib boom crane and have the boom, jib and a nice coffing hoist, (another lucky yard sale find) I just need to get it up. believe it or not a trailer spindle and trimmed wheel hub makes a dandy hinge for a jib boo. Use a bearing buddy and you don't need to grease it but every 10 years or so.

 

I do SO love yard/garage sales!

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[danguite]

I was looking at the Harbor Freight engine hoist and might go that route.  I don't NEED it, but I'm picking up a new anvil on Saturday and it would be handy to have it.  I will however need something like it when I go to the scrap yard to pickup my tire hammer anvil soon.  I was thinking I should be able to weld a couple tabs on it so that I can use the hoist/crane to hold it up while tacking/securing it to the base.

[DSW]

Propane powered forklift. Down side is it only goes up to 8' and doesn't have any brakes, but it didn't cost me anything. A better one is on the shopping list when I'm out at auctions. I do miss the 15K excavator my buddy used to own for when we needed to move bigger things.

 

On the smaller level, I've got a small engine hoist I've had for years.

[Chinobi]

for those looking at HF equipment check their current 'sales' flyer, they have a 2 ton engine hoist (they call it something else, folding shop crane or something) for 179.99 (and the 1 ton version is on sale for 184.99, both of those prices are accurate, 2 tons is 5$ cheaper than 1 ton) and I saw a wheeled gantry crane 1 ton but its like 660$

good through the end of august.

 

no I don't work there, I just happened to be flipping through the mailer last night :D

[Frosty]

Next to the jib boom crane in the shop I want to build a small jib boom for the pickup truck. I already have the 12v winch. (Yeah, it's a yard sale find) the only tricky bit is going to make easily dismountable, Deb doesn't want to drive around in HER pickup with a crane on the side. I'd modify an engine hoist if I found another at a yard/garage sale but I haven't found another. <sigh>

 

I have packed my engine hoist in the pickup to go get something heavy but it's a hassle, not a HUGE hassle, it breaks down nicely but still.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[wpearson]

Frosty think hitchmount

 

wes

[Steve Sells]

I think DSW got us all beat with the fork truck, on a way cool good deal

[jeremy k]

Its very easy to build your own Gantry on wheels with a chain hoist on it - I use mine weekly and it's made modularly so I can change widths and heights.

[marcusb]

Handtruck was my best investment, only downside is has to be on the floor

 

For the most economical and space saving option, I would suggest the folding cherry picker as others have.

 

I would suggest checking those folding hoists over well before you use it. I bought one new that had lifting beam welded off axis and would tip when you picked up something, returned that one fast!

 

I built a small gantry from stock on hand to unload items inside and outside my shop. Something of this style takes up more room but makes larger bulky objects possible to move with ease.

 

[jeremy k]

Marc - you have the idea!

[danguite]

I was looking at the Harbor Freight 1 ton shop crane, but was feeling cheap so I searched for a coupon. I found a coupon on eBay for $1.65 which would bring the price down to $99! I was pretty suspicious, but figured it was worth the gamble.

It paid off! The seller sent me the code from the coupon and I ordered it online. So now I'll be able to join the heavy equipment ranks.

[Charles R. Stevens]

I have a multi disciplinary approach. Hand cart, 2 engine hoists, transition jack, 10,000# twin point hoist, tractor with pallet forks, auto-crane and a over hear trolley made up of a chain fall and barn does track. Lets me move up to 300 pounds in a 90 deg arc from forge to anvil, or welding bench.

[wana be]

I use a John Deer 310 Back Ho to move everything around according to the manual the front bucket will pick up 5000# & the Ho 2500# a couple of pic's if I can make it work

[NeatGuy]

I have a height restriction in my area. To maximize the height I choose to use rafters instead of trusses. Instead of using an engineered wood beam for the ridge beam I choose a wide flange steel beam. The beam was selected to, not only, accommodate the static and dynamic load of the roof but also carry a 1 ton load at centre of the span. There are also two 1/2 ton x 10'  jib cranes that mount onto the columns. They would be up but, as you can see, I haven't even go power yet. I hope to have everything finished before winter as I have a lot of tools that want to move in to their new home.

 

brad

[John McPherson]

IIRC, someone took one of those engine hoists and added wheelbarrow tires to make it all-terrain. There was also a hand truck modified with four tires across the back to spread the load on grass and gravel. Edit: found them.

 

If it keeps raining like this, I am going to have to put swamp tires on my riding mower.

[danguite]

Wow, those are beefy tires. I shouldn't need those unless I get really lazy with the sweeping in my shop.

[knots]

Check this out. Post no 19

http://www.metalartistforum.com/maf/index.php?/topic/6223-work-methods-used-by-aging-smiths/#entry112858

[Black Frog]

I've been using my HF Gantry Crane a lot the last few years.

They sometimes go on a big sale, and then I had another 20% coupon on top of that.

For the price and time invovled, I couldn't fabricate something like that.

It made unloading my Little Giant 25# hammer a breeze.

Also made loading and unloading lathes, big anvils, etc. with trailers easy.

 

Once raised, I have lots of heavy duty moving casters or equipment casters to move things around the shop.

Engine lifts are nice too, but limited in what they can do with their base feet and height range.

 

I use that gantry crane and (my favorite) hydraulic toe lift for just about everything. 

That toe lift is the nicest, most handy thing to have around the shop.  Rated up to 750 lbs on the platform.

I found a killer deal on CL. They make one with 4 casters, but the platform won't go all the way to the floor.

The other model gets the platform right down to the ground, but only has two wheels.

Highly recommended if you can find one used.

 

[JNewman]

I used to have a gantry crane that I built but it took up a lot of room and was not great for moving things around.  I bought a small electric forklift a few years ago and it was definitely something I would not live without now. It sits for days unused but when I need it, it is priceless.   I can easily load and unload tractor trailers.  When I am building multiples of something I put them on a skid and quickly load them on my truck.  My shop is very tight for space and if it is in the way I can easily park it outside for the day.  Small is important because the shop is so tight.  Electric is nice because I can run it in the winter without opening the door.  

 

I built a boom for lifting things with slings and chains,  but as important this boom attachment allows me to attach my hossfeld bender or beverly shear to the front of the forklift.   I can then park it in front of the shop and have room to swing long handles, bars, or plates. 

 

I find a pallet truck is very handy as well and very useful for  tight quarters.   I did pick up a jib crane at an auction and do plan on installing it beside the power hammer but they require a HUGE foundation so it likely will be a while before it goes in.