RJ's Hoist Rail Project

OccupantRJ · Jun 15, 2014

In my old workshop I had a 32 foot long hoist beam inside the shop for lifting items in general, fabrication work, and for engine installs. After selling the shop, I went without a hoist beam for 10 years, but no more.

After hunting fruitlessly for a used I beam, I finally broke down and bought a forty foot new piece of steel for the project. Since I obviously could not haul this, I had the steel supplier cut the beam to 25 feet 3 inches.

Friend and fellow member Tundraman was good enough to loan the use of his car trailer to get the steel. By using his trailer, we were able to back the beam directly into my shop with ease.

The beam was loaded onto a steel table with swivel casters to provide maneuverability during fabrication.

There was about a 15 foot piece of excess beam that was sold to relatively local GJ member Bigld for a project he was working on.

OccupantRJ · Jun 15, 2014

After construction of a ceiling tray to allow more headroom in using the beam, the two trusses adjacent to the tray were connected together and reinforced with multiple collar ties and diagonal braces.

The 1 x 4 wood planks were used as a template to get a precise length to insure accurate fit, to layout hangers, and to test for installation hiccups.

OccupantRJ · Jun 15, 2014

More preparation and primer.

OccupantRJ · Jun 15, 2014

Steel hanger rods are attached to the top of the beam by hot rolled drilled and tapped steel slugs which are welded to the top of the beam about every 2-1/2 feet.

OccupantRJ · Jun 15, 2014

The trusty forklift came in handy for hanging the beam by myself.

OccupantRJ · Jun 15, 2014

Support post fabrication.

OccupantRJ · Jun 15, 2014

The "antlers" attached to one of the support post are to hold welding cables for the arc welder. The same day I finished the beam, I loaded a golf cart differential with it. The work paid off.

nine4gmc · Jun 15, 2014

In for info

BarquestDan · Jun 15, 2014

Great project!!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

zkdiesel · Jun 15, 2014

Cool!

rslaback · Jun 15, 2014

I missed the purpose of the steel slugs. Is it hanging from the trusses as well or is that just to prevent lateral movement?

OccupantRJ · Jun 16, 2014

rslaback said:
I missed the purpose of the steel slugs. Is it hanging from the trusses as well or is that just to prevent lateral movement?

They are acting as hangers and also to prevent lateral movement. A crossbar is provided right above the lower truss chord, and also another is provided above a pair of collar ties that are higher up. The beam is hung and bolted to both sets of cross bars. The lower provides clamping to the truss structure, the upper provides hanging. There are nine sets of hangers and two support posts on the beam.

gearhead1 · Jun 16, 2014

Awesome! I love this stuff!

Bought a few acres a couple months ago, already planning the shop build. No point in me worrying about the house, wife has that all under control.

My cousin has a pit in his garage and it is awesome. He built it himself years ago. I doubt any county inspection department would approve without all kinds of jumping through hoops. Between the setup you have and a pit, I'd be all set,

OccupantRJ · Jun 16, 2014

gearhead1 said:
Awesome! I love this stuff!

Bought a few acres a couple months ago, already planning the shop build. No point in me worrying about the house, wife has that all under control.

My cousin has a pit in his garage and it is awesome. He built it himself years ago. I doubt any county inspection department would approve without all kinds of jumping through hoops. Between the setup you have and a pit, I'd be all set,

Feel free to come by and check it out sometime!

The mean fish · Jun 16, 2014

What size beam is that? Pardon me if I missed it somewhere in here, it looks great.

1/2 Cup · Jun 16, 2014

Great job on the beam :thumbup:

Thats yet another job on my to do list..

OccupantRJ · Jun 17, 2014

The mean fish said:
What size beam is that? Pardon me if I missed it somewhere in here, it looks great.

Forgot to include that info. It is an S6 x 12.5 lbs per foot. 6 inches high, 3-3/8 wide.

TheEquineFencer · Mar 13, 2016

Do you want an electric hoist?

bczygan · Mar 13, 2016

What is the load capability that beam is designed for?

Bill

bottom feeder · Mar 13, 2016

Thanks for posting this. Looks like a very well thought out design.

ddawg16 · Mar 14, 2016

Good thing I looked at the date....It was already up last time I was there and was thinking you changed it.

OccupantRJ · Mar 16, 2016

Bill, my rating for it is 1,000 lbs, due to having previous experience with fabricating monorails as a millwright and having built 4 personal rails. Anything heavier than that gets a stiff knee on either side of the load to localize support.

oldmxracer · Mar 16, 2016

bczygan said:
What is the load capability that beam is designed for?

Bill

Enough !

Wow ! Nice job ! :beer:

OccupantRJ · May 23, 2026

Ok, 10 years of inactive thread time is enough.
A friend gave me an antique hoist trolley, and I recently bought a third hoist that is a twin to another I have so they both got a cleanup, painting, and install on the monorail. There is a third one ton CM Cyclone hoist on the rail and the decision whether to keep it is in the air. (pun intended). I have decided that I like the two Harrington hoists for my use for no particular reason other than less bulk with smaller chain involved.

OccupantRJ · May 27, 2026

Twins! The second hoist got painted yesterday and hung in place this morning. That makes three. Maybe I need to fill up the monorail the way people fill storage shelves with vises!

The larger bodied heavier CM hoist may get retired as I like the body and chain size of the Harringtons better for my uses.

pancho400cid · May 28, 2026

Awesome project and execution!

...

OccupantRJ · May 28, 2026

pancho400cid said:
Awesome project and execution!

...

Thanks @pancho400cid. Anyone who does mechanical work in their shop and does not invest in a monorail is really missing out. I used it the other day to repair a recliner by holding something in position during reassembly. It gets used regularly as a helping hand in that manner and it is indispensable for equipment teardown and assembly for repairs or refurbs. Two hoists on the rail are even more useful. This 1200# Bridgeport mill base was easily lifted onto steel sawhorses to more easily perform the bodywork on the casting without groveling on the floor.

TheEquineFencer · Friday at 3:54 PM

OccupantRJ said:
Twins! The second hoist got painted yesterday and hung in place this morning. That makes three. Maybe I need to fill up the monorail the way people fill storage shelves with vises! The larger bodied heavier CM hoist may get retired as I like the body and chain size of the Harringtons better for my uses.

LOL, so now you can pick up both of your balls?

OccupantRJ · Friday at 4:08 PM

TheEquineFencer said:
LOL, so now you can pick up both of your balls?

And have a hoist left over to use for my pecker!

TheEquineFencer · Friday at 4:28 PM

OccupantRJ said:
And have a hoist left over to use for my pecker!

That must be the light duty one...

OccupantRJ · Friday at 4:45 PM

TheEquineFencer said:
That must be the light duty one...

It is when you are 73! Be careful, I know where the chair is that you nap in, and I have a feather to tickle your nose!

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