building a small gantry crane or jib

[Danglerb]

I'm not sure on the terminology, gantry maybe means a rolling crane, and I am thinking maybe more of a jib or a portable without a load hoist on an I beam. If I build or buy one it would be multipurpose, but the first job I have in mind is lifting a water heater up on to 19" pedestal with a smitty pan on top that has maybe a 3" high lip. Once I have it I might also want to use it for pulling a motor if my cherry picker isn't doing the job. (no way to get the cherry picker into position for the water heater).

I'm thinking simple, something like a BIG saw horse using metal brackets. For the water heater install one side would be about 4 feet tall and the other about 8 feet tall with a span of about 5 feet. Water heater weighs about 125 lbs. If its not too heavy I might use a steel beam for the cross piece.

Also thought about bolting a pipe etc. on flanges to the opposing walls instead of using legs.

Sound like it should work?

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Go and buy about six pieces of Unistrut or Superstrut material from Home Depot or Lowes or your local electrical supply house. Each piece should cost about $15. Some 1/2" bolts and nuts, and a few L or T brackets and cut one piece to make the cross to the A and you are good to go for the hot water heater. When done, you will find some other use for the Unistrut. Two pieces and three L brackets and some 2x6 and some long hardware turnbuckles make a good support for transverse motors for changing mounts, ******, etc. Useful for all kinds of stuff around the shop.

Charles

 

[Danglerb]

Superstrut sounds good, leaving final judgment to actually having my hands on some, but it appears to have a huge get me into lots of trouble potential, so I have to get some.

 

[Torque1st]

Is your water heater that heavy? A neighbor or buddy and some furniture straps will lift it. If it is very heavy when drained it probably is limed up and needs to be replaced. I lifted mine in place myself.

 

[Danglerb]

One of the plumbers I called for a price only gives estimates after looking at the install in person. Quoted me $1100, within dollars of the guaranteed price from the best shop I know of, so I said no, but he basically explained exactly how he would do the install. After hearing him sure sounded like I can do the same myself.

Only lifting will be to put a smitty pan (shallow catch pan) under it after its on the stand, and I think I can do that with a pair of 2x4's and a strap.

Next week I am giving it a try.

 

[Kevin54]

One of the plumbers I called for a price only gives estimates after looking at the install in person. Quoted me $1100, within dollars of the guaranteed price from the best shop I know of, so I said no, but he basically explained exactly how he would do the install. After hearing him sure sounded like I can do the same myself.

Only lifting will be to put a smitty pan (shallow catch pan) under it after its on the stand, and I think I can do that with a pair of 2x4's and a strap.

Next week I am giving it a try.

Man...you Californians get raped. I installed my water heater in about two hours start to finish. That was draining the old one, getting it out of a closet, setting the new one and hooking everything up. The worst part of it was having to go to the hardware store to get the new lines. I used the reinforced hoses. They are like a water hose, wrapped in a stainless mesh, and made for water heater applications. So no cut and fit and sweat copper joints. Not for certain but I think the only difference between here and Cali is that you guys have to strap your heaters to the walls. Correct?

 

[jay50]

That job can easily be handled by a couple of friends and some cold brews.
$1100? WTF?

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

joe the plumber can easily make more than 250k a year

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

everytime my friend an I do a water heater , its 100 buck for me and 100 for him
we don't hold no stinking license
plumbing is way easier than working on cars

 

[rickairmedic]

I will say in the state of Kentucky a permit has to be pulled for a water heater install . I will also add that $1100.00 for a high efficiency powervent water heater is not that bad .Here is a link to one that costs $1100.00 + just for the water heater itself . The standard going rate for a standard water heater around here is around $750.00 installed and if you think $1100.00 is high price a tnless installed that will really scare you .

http://www.simplyplumbing.com/rheem-42vp75pfw.html



Rick

 

[autoclassicnut]

The last post "reamed" should be how it's spelled...not rheem ... Outrageous pricing! No wonder our economy is so !@$%&*ed -up!

 

[therealjakeg]

Its not that heavy Im a gas guy and I think I would just tip the old one out, drained of course... Then I think I would just lift the new....Empty heater in to place. Make sure that tpr and venting is hooked up correctly other wuse you and your kids, wife too will be scolded with hot water and then suffocate from the fumes from the improper venting. good luck, enjoy.

 

[Ron Lombardo]

Rickairmedic ....... Spidergearsman will find out the next time he and his buddy get 100 each IN NEW JERSEY for isntalling water heater ...and they put the old one out by the street for the garbage ... a fine will be issued for not getting permit...then who ever owns the house will get a summons ...the garbage men have to report what they pick up and thats gets reported to the TOWN ....

I agree a complete replacement of a std water ehater 50 gallon ...can run 1100.00 easy ..2 men 4 hours plus the heater and OH/PR ...

Ron

 

[autoist]

We just sat the hot water heater for the new studio apartment in my garage....buddy & I did it and then the plumber hooked it up....free installation, entire plumbing job in the garage - rough-in for commode, shower, sink in bathroom, sink upstairs in apartment, shop sink in garage & sink on porch for wife's outside garage & final plumbing after trim & paint......$1,100!

So, to me, $1,100 just to set a water heater is worse than ****!

 

[FakeName]

Here's a thought. Go tankless.

I converted over a year or two ago- saved an acre of space in the house and have unlimited hot water. Thing's about the size of a suitcase on the wall. I keep seeing folks spend a ton of money on their garages with this great big cylinder taking up precious floor space.

Ditch'em. Get a tankless.

 

[MisterCMK]

I should see if I can find a picture of the overhead crane at the farm...

 

[speed bump]

everytime my friend an I do a water heater , its 100 buck for me and 100 for him
we don't hold no stinking license
plumbing is way easier than working on cars

Depends on the plumbing you are doing. Once you get into radiant or larger buildings or or heating systems or ventilation then a plumbers job starts getting complicated. For household stuff with basic stupid plumbing its usually a piece of cake though.

 

[Torque1st]

We just sat the hot water heater for the new studio apartment in my garage....buddy & I did it and then the plumber hooked it up....free installation, entire plumbing job in the garage - rough-in for commode, shower, sink in bathroom, sink upstairs in apartment, shop sink in garage & sink on porch for wife's outside garage & final plumbing after trim & paint......$1,100!

So, to me, $1,100 just to set a water heater is worse than ****!

But it is legalized ****, or legalized extortion by the Plumber's Union. Our fine government in action, SSDD.

 

[Speargun]

WOW! $1100 ???

Home Depot 50 gallon water heater with 6 year warranty

Two, maybe three, people should be able to easily lift an empty water heater. Hooking it up is simple. The hardest part may be if you have to sweat copper pipe and that's easy as well.

If there is scale built up inside of the tank, you may be able to flush it out. BTW, you SHOULD drain your tank every six months; not that anyone does.
After over 20 years of use, mine had lime sediment up to the lower heating element. Being broke at the time, I used a piece of copper pipe with the end flattend out like a spoon to dig all of the sediment out through the element hole. Very time consuming, but it only cost me about $15 for a new element.

Good luck!