Any ideas for a more maneuverable gantry crane?

[Lelandwelds]

I built one years ago. It was too tall, too heavy, and too hard to position. If you tried to move it once the load was up, it wanted to tip over. I never used it. I eventually sold it and started lusting after a bridge crane.

Even a 1/4 ton bridge crane which spans 30 ft will cost too much to build. ( Bridge cranes seem to be the new scary boogeyman, too.)

I think if each end was articulated so it would swing 30° in each direction and had one swivel wheel (or rubber trailer tires, maybe?) it would be far more maneuverable. If the legs came off easily for transport, that would be great. I would make it just tall and wide enough to clear a hitched up gooseneck trailer.

Anyone own, build, or know of a mfg gantry like this?

 

[kbs2244]

Check out your local wrecking yard for a gantry crane idea.
They make them using the front hubs of front wheel drive cars.
No PICs, but it lets then swivel and the big dia works well in the rough dirt.

 

[matt_i]

I think the suggestion of large diameter wheels is best. Having built exactly 1 gantry crane in my shop, it uses something on the order of 10" swivel casters (rigid wheels). After buying the steel the casters are pretty expensive. Finding swivel casters with the appropriate load rating takes some doing. I built 4000# designed capacity. As I recall each caster has an 1800# rating, which seems wrong, but it was a compromise I accepted. There's nothing preventing a person from hoisting the load (or trolleying it, loaded) away from the centerline.

The idea of using vehicle tires is reasonable but it would take some symmetry to make sure they deflect the same under load. High tire pressures would be needed in my opinion to make sure the thing could actually be pushed under the max designed load.

One of the other design challenges is to make the connection between horizontal and vertical members rigid enough so that a failure isn't induced by off-center loading. In other words the structure seems simple enough, 2 columns and a beam. But get those parts out of dead orthogonal alignment, which could be induced by the pavement below, and stresses on the joints go way up.

Build for disassembly is a good one too..

 

[Mr.N]

I always liked the A frame design with a hing at the top and bolts to connect the center section
It allows folding for storage and when in use goes wide for stability.

 

[850xpeps]

Simple design I bought some tube that fit inside another piece. Had to grind a bit to get the weld to clear as this wasn’t the tubing that was meant to slip together. Bought some steel casters at princess auto. I wouldn’t recommend air filled tires. My garage floor is uneven and cracked and had some debris on it and I was able to easily pick of a dressed 5.9 Cummins and swing the gantry around over the tractor. The beam is 13’ long so I have roughly 10.5’ in between uprights. It is very stable. My uprights can be adjusted from 7’ to 12’ high. I wanted to be able to go higher than this garage can support for when I build a new shop in the future. I can get you measurements of the bottom width from faster to caster if you would like.

 

[ilovevocs]

Have you looked for a clapped out fork truck in your area?

 

[kbs2244]

Matt,
with all due respect,
visit a wrecking yard.

What they do works very well given what they have to work with and
where they are working.

 

[CumminsFan]

kbs2244,

With all due respect, wrecking yard gantry cranes are not as safe or work as well as you may be inferring. A 16 year old worker at a western Washington, family owned, customer pull, wrecking yard lost his life helping a customer pull an engine/transmission using an auto tire swivel gantry crane. Independently swiveling tire casters, high center of gravity, unsecured load, unlevel ground, improper use, lack of training all contributed to the kid losing his life. The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries conducted a fatality investigation and made several recommendations regarding the use of gantry cranes designed using salvage auto tire assemblies as gantry casters. Bottom line, the family owned wrecking yard lost their *** financially, took all such gantry cranes out of service, and no longer provides any lifting device of any kind to salvage customers. These types of cranes can be useful but the high center of gravity, uncontrolled swivel action, lack of brakes, and operation on unlevel “dirt” services can be extremely dangerous. Your local wrecking yards may be willing to assume the liability for use under controlled conditions by their trained employees using approved safety procedures but use by the public in a pick your part situation is sheer stupidity. Generally speaking, I am a Darwin based realist but this type of gantry design is not well suited by the public. Do they work? Absolutely! Do they work well? Depends upon what side of the liability fence that you are on?

 

[850xpeps]

I would not put an air filled tire on a gantry crane.

 

[vpd66]

I think these wrecking yard air filled swiveling tire gantry cranes are are only has safe has the person using them. The ones I saw had pins that could be put in to keep the wheels from swiveling. I think under no circumstances should the wheels be allowed to swivel with the crane loaded. They should be used on flat smooth ground also. The yard I was at that had them would only lift the engine/trans from the vehicle and then moved the gantry ahead about 5 feet into the aisle then set the motor/trans down then unlocked the swivel wheels and rotated the gantry 45 degrees and repack the motor/trans. Once again, only has safe has the person using it.

 

[Sjfab]

We use H&B aluminum gantrys at work. Very light and easy to roll around and stable. We lift 2 ton with them daily. Height is adjustable as well.

 

[Bottlecapdigger]

For wheels what about the one that get used on scaffolding? they are solid rubber and you can lock them including the swivel part. anyone know what they are rated for? BCD

 

[sberry]

I built the wheels. The leg extensions were to widen and make it taller for a different shop.

 

[sberry]

Made a rotator for a Bud.

 

[jjkrjh]

How about an animal gantry. I don't think moving it with a load would be advised.

http://www.hospitalrigging.com/animal_rescue_crane.htm

A gantry with "v" wheels tracks/moves fairly well. You have to work in the same area and have welded angle tracks on the floor.

https://www.beatonindustrial.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Gorbel-V-Groove-Track-and-Caster.jpg

 

[Lelandwelds]

Made a rotator for a Bud.

You mean "Bud" as in friend, not as in brand or type? Google failed me.

I was never a fan of these. They don't give a clear floor like a jib. They are tied to a wall like a gantry isnt.

 

[Lelandwelds]

We use H&B aluminum gantrys at work. Very light and easy to roll around and stable. We lift 2 ton with them daily. Height is adjustable as well.

I built the wheels. The leg extensions were to widen and make it taller for a different shop.

How about an animal gantry. I don't think moving it with a load would be advised.

http://www.hospitalrigging.com/animal_rescue_crane.htm

A gantry with "v" wheels tracks/moves fairly well. You have to work in the same area and have welded angle tracks on the floor.

https://www.beatonindustrial.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Gorbel-V-Groove-Track-and-Caster.jpg

These are all mostly the same thing. ( I do like the clamp-the-beam-to-the-leg and slide it anywhere idea. Duh! Obvious.)

My problem with my DIY behemoth was it was impossible to just swing just one end a bit without an inordinate amount of grunt. It may have just been the size and weight. I think if my legs were attached with a single vertical pin through a top and bottom mounted pair of clips they could swivel just one end to allow swinging one end only. It would pop apart easily for transport too. A small 30° swivel would keep it from tilting and keep the wheels from banging into the truck. At times it would have been quicker to bolt one end of the load in place and swing the other 6" without swinging the chain and fighting gravity .

Now that I think of it, your wheeled jib or tethered gantry swivels one end exactly like I want.

My other idea was rigging up something like a screw load leveler tied to one of the legs to swing one end over and hold it in place. And yes, I know working with a helper would work better. I wouldn't hang the load from the leveler. I would use it instead of a pry bar or come along. A ratchet boomer might just work fine.

 

[850xpeps]

I pushed around my built hanger with a 5.9 Cummins hanging like nothing on a sh!tyy floor.

 

[Gator-J]

I lucked into a Wallace Gantry Crane on c-list for a price I could not pass up, $600. It rolls ok near its weight limit of 2-ton.

It is pinned together so come apart relatively easy. The model I have adjusts form around 8' to 15' high I would guess.

 

[Lelandwelds]

kbs2244,

With all due respect, wrecking yard gantry cranes are not as safe or work as well as you may be inferring. A 16 year old worker at a western Washington, family owned, customer pull, wrecking yard lost his life helping a customer pull an engine/transmission using an auto tire swivel gantry crane. Independently swiveling tire casters, high center of gravity, unsecured load, unlevel ground, improper use, lack of training all contributed to the kid losing his life. The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries conducted a fatality investigation and made several recommendations regarding the use of gantry cranes designed using salvage auto tire assemblies as gantry casters. Bottom line, the family owned wrecking yard lost their *** financially, took all such gantry cranes out of service, and no longer provides any lifting device of any kind to salvage customers. These types of cranes can be useful but the high center of gravity, uncontrolled swivel action, lack of brakes, and operation on unlevel “dirt” services can be extremely dangerous. Your local wrecking yards may be willing to assume the liability for use under controlled conditions by their trained employees using approved safety procedures but use by the public in a pick your part situation is sheer stupidity. Generally speaking, I am a Darwin based realist but this type of gantry design is not well suited by the public. Do they work? Absolutely! Do they work well? Depends upon what side of the liability fence that you are on?

I would not put an air filled tire on a gantry crane.

I think these wrecking yard air filled swiveling tire gantry cranes are are only has safe has the person using them. The ones I saw had pins that could be put in to keep the wheels from swiveling. I think under no circumstances should the wheels be allowed to swivel with the crane loaded. They should be used on flat smooth ground also. The yard I was at that had them would only lift the engine/trans from the vehicle and then moved the gantry ahead about 5 feet into the aisle then set the motor/trans down then unlocked the swivel wheels and rotated the gantry 45 degrees and repack the motor/trans. Once again, only has safe has the person using it.

I think the suggestion of large diameter wheels is best. Having built exactly 1 gantry crane in my shop, it uses something on the order of 10" swivel casters (rigid wheels). After buying the steel the casters are pretty expensive. Finding swivel casters with the appropriate load rating takes some doing. I built 4000# designed capacity. As I recall each caster has an 1800# rating, which seems wrong, but it was a compromise I accepted. There's nothing preventing a person from hoisting the load (or trolleying it, loaded) away from the centerline.

The idea of using vehicle tires is reasonable but it would take some symmetry to make sure they deflect the same under load. High tire pressures would be needed in my opinion to make sure the thing could actually be pushed under the max designed load.

One of the other design challenges is to make the connection between horizontal and vertical members rigid enough so that a failure isn't induced by off-center loading. In other words the structure seems simple enough, 2 columns and a beam. But get those parts out of dead orthogonal alignment, which could be induced by the pavement below, and stresses on the joints go way up.

Build for disassembly is a good one too..

I am not as scared of tires that inflate. I need to think on this a bit.

 

[850xpeps]

I am not as scared of tires that inflate. I need to think on this a bit.

Ya try push it around with 2k lbs on one. No fun

 

[Old Man Roger]

Am I over simplifying it by thinking, the wider the base the more stable, the bigger the wheels the easier to roll ?

 

[Model A Fan]

Edited photos out...

Simple design I bought some tube that fit inside another piece. Had to grind a bit to get the weld to clear as this wasn’t the tubing that was meant to slip together. Bought some steel casters at princess auto. I wouldn’t recommend air filled tires. My garage floor is uneven and cracked and had some debris on it and I was able to easily pick of a dressed 5.9 Cummins and swing the gantry around over the tractor. The beam is 13’ long so I have roughly 10.5’ in between uprights. It is very stable. My uprights can be adjusted from 7’ to 12’ high. I wanted to be able to go higher than this garage can support for when I build a new shop in the future. I can get you measurements of the bottom width from faster to caster if you would like.

What size tubing/bar did you use for yours? I am contemplating making one for myself that I can disassemble and then stack on the side of my shed/garage. I think I might even get it powder coated for extra durability.

I like the style of yours, good looking work. What size wheel is that? Princess Auto only exists in the frozen wasteland beyond. I guess I could take a look up there in Canada as there's at least one Princess Auto in Coquitlam...

 

[850xpeps]

What size tubing/bar did you use for yours? I am contemplating making one for myself that I can disassemble and then stack on the side of my shed/garage. I think I might even get it powder coated for extra durability.



I like the style of yours, good looking work. What size wheel is that? Princess Auto only exists in the frozen wasteland beyond. I guess I could take a look up there in Canada as there's at least one Princess Auto in Coquitlam...

I’ll get you the tube dimensions when I get home. It’s welded tube so I just pushed them together and the weld scarred a line on the outside tube. I just took the grinder and made a small divet until it slide freely. Drilled holes on the bottom section at 6” apart just 2 holes then drilled holes in the upper section every foot so basically gives me 6” increments in height and quick to disassemble and reassemble.

Princess auto swivel casters I think 8” but I’ll check when home. Rolls smooth as butter on my **** floor.

 

[BukitCase]

"( I do like the clamp-the-beam-to-the-leg and slide it anywhere idea. Duh! Obvious.)"

Yeah, ALL good ideas are obvious AFTER ya think of 'em - I'm in the process of modding one of the HF gantrys so it'll work better for ME, my version of the leg clamp is 3rd post down here

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/387658-container-weld-shop-build-17.html

The HF crane isn't wide enough for my 580B to clear the posts and their I beam's a bit wimpy, so I'm using a 12'4" leftover from the beams I need for a 8'x20' INTERNAL bridge crane in a 40' container (the rest of that thread if you're interested)

Anyway, the beams I bought (6" x 12.5#) are about an inch taller and almost 1/2" wider than the HF one, but I like/need the sliding clamp connections so I can move BOTH posts to the INSIDE and tie the un-supported end of the I beam up to roof frame in order to get a wider pathway THROUGH my other container's roofed in area (only access to my wood shed in wet weather) -

Here's one of the pics in that thread, there's lots more - I got most of it welded out this morning, then I'll drill the corners to match the HF's post plates... Steve

BTW, if I didn't already have several DOZEN projects I need done I'd have just started from scratch, but for now the HF one will save my back...

 

[Lelandwelds]

Ya try push it around with 2k lbs on one. No fun

Anyone use the whole car in reverse like a forklift? Maybe drive the wheels like a tire hammer? Build a lifting loop on a Japanese mini truck? Put spider crane legs on it or lifting pads like a strip mine excavator?

Got to be a fun way to poor boy this.

 

[850xpeps]

Anyone use the whole car in reverse like a forklift? Maybe drive the wheels like a tire hammer? Build a lifting loop on a Japanese mini truck? Put spider crane legs on it or lifting pads like a strip mine excavator?



Got to be a fun way to poor boy this.

Whatever juice your on please share it lol

 

[Lelandwelds]

Whatever juice your on please share it lol

Sshhh! Don't tell the wife.

No garage, no shop, no tool access may be making me a little stir crazy.

The tire hammer may work. Old starter motors are pretty torquey.

 

[Bottlecapdigger]

Sshhh! Don't tell the wife.

No garage, no shop, no tool access may be making me a little stir crazy.

The tire hammer may work. Old starter motors are pretty torquey.[/what is this thing you built? BCD QUOTE]

 

[matt_i]

Got to be a fun way to poor boy this.

Imo best way is to get actual forklifts. I have a 3k and a 7k that are both bought cheap due to problems...fluid leaks, cylinders spilling out oil, blown head gaskets...small shops or businesses typically will try to trade into a newer model than spend more than $1000 in repairs.

Its not perfect for every job but you can always park it with forks raised above your head and rig down with a chain hoist if you miss the gantry

 

[Lelandwelds]

Sshhh! Don't tell the wife.

No garage, no shop, no tool access may be making me a little stir crazy.

The tire hammer may work. Old starter motors are pretty torquey.[/what is this thing you built? BCD QUOTE]

That one isn't mine but it is a tire hammer. You friction drive the tire. It spins and drives an eccentric to move the hammer up and down. It's a junkyard sourced modern interpretation of a hundred yo mechanical power hammer like the Little Giant.

I had about a 50 lb treadle hammer. My shoulder and my knee took turns killing me. I sold everything when I sold my old house. A tire hammer is like #25 of projects to come once my wallet catches up. I look forward to some pain free forging.

 

[Lelandwelds]

Imo best way is to get actual forklifts. I have a 3k and a 7k that are both bought cheap due to problems...fluid leaks, cylinders spilling out oil, blown head gaskets...small shops or businesses typically will try to trade into a newer model than spend more than $1000 in repairs.

Its not perfect for every job but you can always park it with forks raised above your head and rig down with a chain hoist if you miss the gantry

I am not sure if I am discovering a love for simple machines or weary of trying to keep too many engines running. But, I admire tools which quietly sit in the corner until needed.

 

[gearhead1]

Am I over simplifying it by thinking, the wider the base the more stable, the bigger the wheels the easier to roll ?

+1, Exactly what I was thinking reading the posts, then got to yours. The wider the base the less likely to tip over, the bigger the wheels the easier it will be to roll. That is physics.

Base extensions could be added on to an existing structure if you already had something or found something cheap.....they could even be removable base extensions.

 

[Lelandwelds]

No, it is better to build it to be stable and maneuverable from the start. If you build one heavy enough for anything you could ever lift, it becomes such an unwieldy PITA you never use it. I believe if you keep the weight down it will be used more often. I think the sweet spot is about twice the weight a typical engine puller can lift and about another 4 feet in height.

I was hoping for a discussion on how to increase mobility. I think having each end swivel up to 30° out of square would be best. The junkyard double wheel hub with car tires is the other option. A mini version of a mobile cargo container gantry or yacht gantry is possible.

Two of these photos are of the lift that killed that kid in 2003 in WA

 

[gearhead1]

I’ll reword it, outriggers could be added to keep it from tipping. The Army uses mobile cranes every day - they have outriggers. Part of the training for the equipment is you don’t use it unless you use the outriggers.
http://olive-drab.com/idphoto/id_photos_hemtt_m985.php

For a business where multiple people at various skill levels will use it is different than home with one experienced person who only uses it.

I could take the crane that killed the kid, wheel it to where I want I want to use it, add outriggers to where it won’t tip over and use the crane without issue. I could also add another set of wheels past what is there so as to make a permanent wider base. Looking at the picture, the base isn’t wide enough. Plus it appears all 4 tires freely pivot in direction.

I think maneuverability comes to bigger wheels and the wheels have to pivot, but the freely pivoting wheels should be on a wide base so it does not tip. If the freely pivoting wheels are on a narrower base then they have to be locked when picking up a load.

 

[gearhead1]

Here are the standards that cover cranes:

https://www.iso.org/ics/53.020.20/x/

Maybe someone who already has access can post? Especially the determination of stability.

 

[matt_i]

I was hoping for a discussion on how to increase mobility. I think having each end swivel up to 30° out of square would be best. The junkyard double wheel hub with car tires is the other option. A mini version of a mobile cargo container gantry or yacht gantry is possible.

When you have 4 swivel casters, I don't think also swiveling the end adds any more mobility. You can "miss" stuff that's in the way with the wheels possibly, but at some cost to the complexity.

I would make sure the swivel-end design has the angled gussets or ties still integrated into it.

One big conundrum is should you make it so that so the bridge rail can drop down to go under the garage door and be used outside. There are height-adjusting designs that can make this possible without disassembly.

I made the base 1/2 of the span-width, seems reasonably stable. I think I used 10" casters. That's a big expense. But I also designed for a legit 2 tons of load. Most places could probably run with a 1000 lb working load.

 

[850xpeps]

4x3 with 3.5x2.5 inside. The bottom rail is 3.5x2.5 with 4’ center to center of caster. Knocks down to 7’ to fit under garage door and can lift up to 12’.

 

[Lelandwelds]

I’ll reword it, outriggers could be added to keep it from tipping. The Army uses mobile cranes every day - they have outriggers. Part of the training for the equipment is you don’t use it unless you use the outriggers.
http://olive-drab.com/idphoto/id_photos_hemtt_m985.php

For a business where multiple people at various skill levels will use it is different than home with one experienced person who only uses it.

I could take the crane that killed the kid, wheel it to where I want I want to use it, add outriggers to where it won’t tip over and use the crane without issue. I could also add another set of wheels past what is there so as to make a permanent wider base. Looking at the picture, the base isn’t wide enough. Plus it appears all 4 tires freely pivot in direction.

I think maneuverability comes to bigger wheels and the wheels have to pivot, but the freely pivoting wheels should be on a wide base so it does not tip. If the freely pivoting wheels are on a narrower base then they have to be locked when picking up a load.

GI Joe is a boom truck. Boom trucks always have out riggers.

Four swiveling wheels is so you can run between the rows of junkers and slip between your chosen donor without extra maneuvering. This kid was walking away. His buddy let go and the crane rolled down hill and flipped over on the kid. The report says they knew each other and hints at horseplay. The pivots at each wheel should have locks. The load should have been tied to the uprights so it couldn't swing. A dead man's scrub brake is possible .

One swivel castor on each end and an "A" that pivots at the cross beam should be manueverable and stable.

Using a cube shape with two lift points is probably the best way to travel the load with the lifting piece.

 

[850xpeps]

GI Joe is a boom truck. Boom trucks always have out riggers.



Four swiveling wheels is so you can run between the rows of junkers and slip between your chosen donor without extra maneuvering. This kid was walking away. His buddy let go and the crane rolled down hill and flipped over on the kid. The report says they knew each other and hints at horseplay. The pivots at each wheel should have locks. The load should have been tied to the uprights so it couldn't swing. A dead man's scrub brake is possible .



One swivel castor on each end and an "A" that pivots at the cross beam should be manueverable and stable.



Using a cube shape with two lift points is probably the best way to travel the load with the lifting piece.

Why would you pivot at the top? Seems like a disaster waiting happen. Clean your shop up. I can roll mine around pretty decent in my tiny garage with a bit of wrk.

Just seems dangerous if one set is sideways.