All-Terrain 10' Gantry Crane - Drive Through

dbtindustrial · Sep 28, 2012

As promised in an earlier thread, here are some pics of the gantry crane I recently built. My back alley is dirt with the rare patch of gravel so the average caster wouldn't do. I took 4 trailer jacks and added a pair of 10" pneumatic wheels to each. Yes, they are from Harbor Freight. Each leg has an 8in landing pad, so once the crane has been wheeled into place, it is lowered to the ground. This way I get 2tons capacity while being able to transport the frame on lighter duty wheels.

OccupantRJ · Sep 28, 2012

i like that. That's pretty slick way to make it portable, yet still substantial.

Steevo · Sep 28, 2012

It's a nice setup, but I feel sorry for your neighbors having to see that junk pile behind your garage all the time.

Outlawmws · Sep 28, 2012

I'm assuming the wheels "caster" on the trailer jacks? Nice job!

Outlawmws · Sep 28, 2012

Steevo said:
It's a nice setup, but I feel sorry for your neighbors having to see that junk pile behind your garage all the time.

Maybe that's his neighbor's junk pile? :dunno:

dbtindustrial · Sep 28, 2012

Steevo said:
It's a nice setup, but I feel sorry for your neighbors having to see that junk pile behind your garage all the time.

Steevo,

Everything behind the crane is my neighbor's junk pile. As his is roughly 8X the size of mine, and mine is just branches and 2x4s, he doesn't seem to mind.

dbtindustrial · Sep 28, 2012

Outlawmws said:
I'm assuming the wheels "caster" on the trailer jacks? Nice job!

They do indeed! I can maneuver it myself, though it is a little easier with a second person as it is 12' across. I span the alley then just drive my truck/trailer underneath.

Omphaloskeptic · Sep 28, 2012

Very stout looking gantry and a great use of HF tires! :thumbup:

Could you show a close-up of the wheel axle/spacer assembly? Did you start a thread on the build of the gantry? I did a search on your username for threads but did not see one for the construction of it. What are its' dimensions and do you store it inside your shop? Thanks for any info you care to share.

fflintstone · Sep 28, 2012

It looks like your neighbor has one to, if so why would you need your own?

Yours is bigger, and I like the pneumatic tires.

dbtindustrial · Sep 28, 2012

Omphaloskeptic said:
Very stout looking gantry and a great use of HF tires!

Could you show a close-up of the wheel axle/spacer assembly? Did you start a thread on the build of the gantry? I did a search on your username for threads but did not see one for the construction of it. What are its' dimensions and do you store it inside your shop? Thanks for any info you care to share.

I didn't do a build thread, but I did take some pictures as I built them. Usually I get going and forget to document my progress. Not this time!

http://i1149.photobucket.com/albums.../All terrain 10ft Gantry Crane/AxleWelded.jpg

dbtindustrial · Sep 28, 2012

Missed one.

fitz11 · Sep 28, 2012

Looks Good!!

dbtindustrial · Sep 28, 2012

fflintstone said:
It looks like your neighbor has one to, if so why would you need your own?

Yours is bigger, and I like the pneumatic tires.

The neighbor has a little truck, I have a big truck. Funny that two neighbors would both have the need of a gantry crane. He built his tiny one before I built mine, otherwise we could have shared mine. It's on wheels after all. On the other hand, I have a big welder and he also has a tiny one. I guess it's important for us guys to have our own equipment be it ever so humble. Come to think of it, I hate borrowing tools, or even renting them.

dbtindustrial · Sep 28, 2012

Omphaloskeptic said:
Very stout looking gantry and a great use of HF tires!

Could you show a close-up of the wheel axle/spacer assembly? Did you start a thread on the build of the gantry? I did a search on your username for threads but did not see one for the construction of it. What are its' dimensions and do you store it inside your shop? Thanks for any info you care to share.

Forgot about the garage question. No, it is an outdoor crane. It is 10' tall, and the inside of my garage is 9' tall. I would make the garage ceiling 10' if I were to build another, but it's already 28' overall with the second story. I have a pallet jack and a modified engine hoist for inside lifts.

Omphaloskeptic · Sep 29, 2012

Thanks for the wheel detail pics. I hope you keep that puppy chained up so someone doesn't 'borrow' it without your knowledge. Of course, that monster would be hard to 'borrow' without the neighbors noticing. lol

If you were to build it all over again, are there any changes you would make to the design? We all have those 'shoulda, woulda, coulda' moments; that's why GJ is such a great resource for all of us!

dbtindustrial · Sep 30, 2012

Actually the 10' pneumatic tires are the big change. At first I used the original 6" plastic tires that came with the trailer jacks. They worked for about 30ft before the axles ground the ID of the wheel to dust. My lower bar on the support triangle was too high in my original design. I didn't have the trailer jacks from the beginning, so I guess on their extension. I realized this before I got to final welding so it wasn't a big fix.

Tamper84 · Sep 30, 2012

That's nice!!! What size I beam and tubing did you use?

Thanks
Chris

dbtindustrial · Sep 30, 2012

3" x .120 wall sq tubing. I want to say the ibeam is a W8x15. You will want to size your ibeam according to the width it will span and the type of loading. For example, my gantry is 12' across, but the unsupported span is only 125" as the leg mount at the top supports 9.5" on either side. There are several online calculators that make this a snap. I would advise looking at what is available locally first. Ibeams usually come in 20' lengths and you have to buy the whole thing. Most steel distributors carry a finite selection of ibeams and may have a shorter length available from a previous order. I know a vendor who was willing to sell me exactly the length and size I wanted so I don't have 8' of ibeam sitting around.

monkers · Oct 2, 2012

Looks like a nice set up! Thanks for sharing the pics

dbtindustrial · Oct 3, 2012

You betcha!

RCman · Oct 3, 2012

That's pretty slick!
Nice work.

honcho · Oct 3, 2012

Man, I wish I lived in a neighborhood with my garage facing an alley. My neighbors complain (and, incredibly, it's against county residential zoning ordinance) when I leave my garage doors open. I purposely bought my house in an older neighborhood with no homeowner's association and all those do-gooders. Enjoy your handiwork, it looks great!

dbtindustrial · Oct 4, 2012

Thanks a lot!

I moved into an old neighborhood for the same reason. Even better, the neighbor is a woodworker and is constantly using his chainsaw. He doesn't mind if I make noise, and most of his is blocked out by the garage. Down with HOAs!

dbtindustrial · Nov 27, 2012

So, for those that were worried, I did finally clean up all the branches and other **** under the grantry crane. Of course the dump charged me $67 for the priviledge so more branches may accumulate in the future.

thightower · Nov 27, 2012

Nice set up. I was in the planning stages of building one, I just changed the plans.

dbtindustrial · Dec 18, 2012

thightower said:
Nice set up. I was in the planning stages of building one, I just changed the plans.

Glad to be of service.

dbtindustrial · Apr 4, 2013

Has anyone used the pics/ideas to make their own yet?

Too_Many_Tools · Apr 19, 2013

great idea!!!!

Omphaloskeptic · Apr 19, 2013

dbtindustrial said:
3" x .120 wall sq tubing. I want to say the ibeam is a W8x15. You will want to size your ibeam according to the width it will span and the type of loading. For example, my gantry is 12' across, but the unsupported span is only 125" as the leg mount at the top supports 9.5" on either side. There are several online calculators that make this a snap. I would advise looking at what is available locally first. Ibeams usually come in 20' lengths and you have to buy the whole thing. Most steel distributors carry a finite selection of ibeams and may have a shorter length available from a previous order. I know a vendor who was willing to sell me exactly the length and size I wanted so I don't have 8' of ibeam sitting around.

Thanks again for the details on the gantry. I'm pretty sure that this style of crane is what I need inside and outside my shop to make project work safer and easier.

Do you happen to recall the specific online calculator you used?

Rodhotz · Jun 8, 2013

Thanks for the idea! i am on just shy of 3 ac and my hf gantry is a pain to move around on the dirt and this is just the cure. The junk pile looked just fine! for those that must have everything in place and a place for everything enjoy your HOA and stop bitching about their rules when you get busted for doing something that you want on your property that they tell you what you can and cannot do! The rest of us Sanford and sons will enjoy our freedom!!

All-Terrain 10' Gantry Crane - Drive Through

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