Small jib crane - where to place it?

[PNWguy]

I am about to get a small jib crane from a friend of mine, and am wondering where in the shop is a logical place to put it.

It's not this exact model; it's a lighter duty version by the same manufacturer.
It's rated for 250#, but he's fairly certain that the limiting factor is the track that hold the trolly, not the arm itself.

I have a few thoughts on there to put it:

1) Upstairs, with the arm able to swing over the edge and pick something from the ground floor. However, I'm not sure if I'd ever need anything that heavy upstairs.

2) Near the entry door, so I can lift things from the truck to the ground.
But, I have access to an excavator & tractor that are great for lifting.

Any thoughts?

 

[tatra]

Your base mount is your first concern .

 

[EOC_Jason]

Ummm... You better look up the specs for the required footing for that sucker... It's not something you can just bolt to a regular slab that's 4" of concrete!

 

[ToppDogg]

A Small Jib Crane like what you're talking about are meant to be mounted so you swing/lift from floor to your work table.

 

[zkdiesel]

I have a skidsteer and loader, but my go to fornunlaoding pickup trucks is always my 1 Ton jib crane with electric hoist. Engines, truck tires, snowmobiles, quads, cabinets and the such are always easier to use with the jib crane than the skidsteer when by yourself

 

[zkdiesel]

Way easier to walk this stuff of one handed than deal with skidsteer and chain

 

[PNWguy]

Your base mount is your first concern .

It is, and since the manufacture has clear instructions online, I didn't want to waste anybody's time here asking about it.

 

[PNWguy]

Ummm... You better look up the specs for the required footing for that sucker... It's not something you can just bolt to a regular slab that's 4" of concrete!

Yep.

I haven't poured the slab yet, and want to make sure it's strong enough in the location I select. But that's the easy part.

 

[dfiler2]

... and what about a permt have you checked on that...just kidding.

I've always thought it would be good to have one right inside the shop door. It would be out of the way yet able to unload from a trailer or pickup backed through the door and then able to swing the item out of the driveway.

 

[PNWguy]

I have a skidsteer and loader, but my go to fornunlaoding pickup trucks is always my 1 Ton jib crane with electric hoist. Engines, truck tires, snowmobiles, quads, cabinets and the such are always easier to use with the jib crane than the skidsteer when by yourself

Way easier to walk this stuff of one handed than deal with skidsteer and chain

Thanks guys, looks like near the door is good spot.

 

[PNWguy]

... and what about a permt have you checked on that...just kidding.

I've always thought it would be good to have one right inside the shop door. It would be out of the way yet able to unload from a trailer or pickup backed through the door and then able to swing the item out of the driveway.

Permits. OMG. My county went nuts after weed was legalized and the green rush started. But whatever, I'm building my dream house & shop.

Now, which door...

 

[bsg]

I put mine in the middle of my machine shop, so I could lift things on and off machines!
I also have enough reach to get to my aisle when unloading my truck instead of using my forklift!

Mine has a 1 ton capacity and a fifteen foot reach!
The foundation is 6' x 6' x 4' deep with anchors welded to a frame and tied to the rebar frame work.......

Cannot wait to get the install finished!

Kevin

 

[PNWguy]

A Small Jib Crane like what you're talking about are meant to be mounted so you swing/lift from floor to your work table.

I know what the manufacture intended, but I almost never machine anything that I can't lift. I don't think it would be used very often by the table, mill or lathe. I considered it, but think it would be more useful elsewhere.

 

[ford33]

Near the door where you can load and unload the truck.

 

[bullnerd]

I would think it depends on your shop layout and what you plan to build/work on in the shop?

To me, access to the center of one o-door for unloading, but still able to reach at least one bench for lifting stuff up onto the bench.

 

[hh76]

Near the door where you can load and unload the truck.

This is the best idea.

I work alone a majority of the time, and when I come home with something heavy, I don't want to have to call around for help unloading. I can always work on a heavy object on the floor if it can't be loaded to a table.

Ideal spot would be where you could swing from the bed of a truck to the floor, and to a work bench. If you can only reach two of those, truck and floor.

 

[Mr_fixit]

250 lbs, need more info, what's the reach? It might be too light duty for all the effort needed to put it in place. Is 250 pounds really enough for you ? I'd suggest looking for something with more weight capacity.

I agree with EITHER near the door mounting , so you can swing it outside , grab something , rotate and drop it on a dolly inside.

OR near your work bench, so you can pick up something heavy and drop it on the work bench, do whatever, and then drop it back on a dolly.

 

[PNWguy]

I don't think that placing it will be a big deal at all. I'll dig a bit deeper in that spot and not put any radiant floor tubing. After the concrete dries, I'll drill 4 holes and bolt it down.

It's rated for 250#, but the friend I'm getting it from is fairly certain that the limiting factor is the track that hold the trolly, not the arm itself.

By the door seems like the smart way to go. I'll build a heavy duty bench that I can move with a pallet jack, in case I need to put something heavy on it.

 

[sjvicker]

I don't think that placing it will be a big deal at all. I'll dig a bit deeper in that spot and not put any radiant floor tubing. After the concrete dries, I'll drill 4 holes and bolt it down.

It's rated for 250#, but the friend I'm getting it from is fairly certain that the limiting factor is the track that hold the trolly, not the arm itself.

By the door seems like the smart way to go. I'll build a heavy duty bench that I can move with a pallet jack, in case I need to put something heavy on it.

You should have a serial number on your column, from that you should be able to call Gorbel and they can tell you the jibs and load rating that work with it. Being a 4 bolt it probably is only 250lb.

Make sure you use epoxy anchors and not wedge too.

Sent from my Nexus 9 using Tapatalk

 

[CraigStu]

...
I'll build a heavy duty bench that I can move with a pallet jack, in case I need to put something heavy on it.

That was going to be my suggestion. You might even want to put wheels on it so you can skip the pallet jack.

 

[PNWguy]

You should have a serial number on your column, from that you should be able to call Gorbel and they can tell you the jibs and load rating that work with it. Being a 4 bolt it probably is only 250lb.

Make sure you use epoxy anchors and not wedge too.

I have a serial number, model number, technical drawings, instruction manual, etc. All of it.

Yes, it's rated at 250#

 

[PNWguy]

That was going to be my suggestion. You might even want to put wheels on it so you can skip the pallet jack.

I hate table that move, and I have other pieces of large equipment. I was thinking the a pallet jack would save money in the long run, by eliminating the need for lots of HD locking casters.

 

[matt_i]

Gorbel's trolley-track is just a roll formed channel, which is pretty thin, thinking 12ga steel or thereabout. Any kind of "load improvement" to it would involve cutting that out and replacing with a better channel (?) or an I-beam that can handle more load. Everything has to work together, so imo it would be time for analysis of the wall of the post (which bears load via two rollers, the top shaft which holds the tapered roller bearing, the vertical tube itself, the "truss" which stiffens the trolley-track, and of course the anchors. Getting into a lot of work.