Opinions on gantry cranes

accokeekwoods · Nov 1, 2014

I'm a noob to the list and in the process of building a new garage/shop and as I started to plan for fitting out, realized that I was going to have to move some heavy stuff (tools and supplies). After surfing through GJ and investigating various material handling options (and costs) it looks like an adjustable 1 ton gantry crane may be my answer, but as I look at options the prices run from around $800 to $5k for what appear to be similar units (which demonstrates my level of knowledge). So two (2) questions: (1) For those of you that have them are they as useful as they look? and (2) any recommendations for a unit that will be used infrequently (maybe once a month after the original burst of effort) but will probably be critical when it is needed

Charles (in GA) · Nov 1, 2014

I bought my portable gantry crane from an Ebay seller on a make offer deal. I offered $1450 after researching everything and having concluded it would cost in excess of $2500 to get one new with the hoist and trolley. I had to drive from south of Atlanta to Sandusky, OH, on lake Erie with my 4 cyl Ranger and a 5x10 trailer, to pick it up.

Seller had it disassembled and laying out on 4x4's right where you see it in the pic. I loaded most of it myself and when he arrived he helped me with the A frame legs. Weighs about 1000 lbs. I much prefer the A shaped legs compared to the inverted T shaped frames. Goggle "portable gantry crane" to get several manufacturers of it.

http://www.spanco.com/products/gantry-cranes

http://www.wallacecranes.com/

http://vestilmfg.com/products/mhequip/gantry-fhs.htm

http://www.gantrycrane-outlet.com/hand-push-gantry-cranes/

Cyberbear · Nov 2, 2014

I have a home built unit gotten free decades ago and wouldn't ever part with it. The guy who built it managed to get some channel iron for the bottom, galvanized pipe for the center up rights, smaller pipe for the angle supports and a length of aluminum I-beam for the top cross piece, with it all on four 4" swivel steel casters.
When not in use he had a pair of swings for his kids attached to the bottom of the I-beam.
It's wide enough that I can roll a car through the up rights and have easily pulled engines, put hoods on trucks by myself, and off loaded many other heavy things as well. including a 2500 lb. metal lathe.

buzz4041 · Nov 2, 2014

I built mine years ago out two different sizes of square tube. It is adjustable in height up to around 13 foot. Works great and is easy to disassemble for storage.

Vegaman_Dan · Nov 4, 2014

buzz4041 said:
I built mine years ago out two different sizes of square tube. It is adjustable in height up to around 13 foot. Works great and is easy to disassemble for storage.

That seems lightly built to me, and I'm curious to the capacity. I do like that you can break it down easily for storage, which is always a concern.

The $700 units from TSC, HF or other import dealer are heavy, but do have the adjustability for heights. Once assembled, you're not going to take it apart any time soon.

I'd rather have a lighter system like what you have. I like that you built the top beam into a truss assembly. What size tubing?

pi_guy · Nov 4, 2014

http://www.mktechnologies.com/products/mkt/mkt_a-frame.htm

expensive but used by several teams

buzz4041 · Nov 5, 2014

Vegaman_Dan said:
That seems lightly built to me, and I'm curious to the capacity. I do like that you can break it down easily for storage, which is always a concern.

The $700 units from TSC, HF or other import dealer are heavy, but do have the adjustability for heights. Once assembled, you're not going to take it apart any time soon.

I'd rather have a lighter system like what you have. I like that you built the top beam into a truss assembly. What size tubing?

I used 2" heavy wall tube. I have put about 700LBS on it. That is the most it will ever see. It has saved me many a time having it around. As you can see in the picture it was very helpful in the lift build.

bb1970 · Nov 5, 2014

I bought mine for $50. Bought a 1000lb. Ingersol pneumatic hoist for $100. Made a trolley. Under $200 in it all. The heaviest thing I've lifted was a 350 Chevy engine and trans (th350). So 600-700 lbs. As far as use. I use my cherry picker a lot more. In fact I put the crane and hoist on local Craigslist for $400 (would have taken less). Never got a call.

sberry · Nov 5, 2014

I use my cherry picker a lot more.

The proliferation of the modern cherry picker has reduced the need for the other kinds of hoists and many engines etc are so much lighter. If I was thinking about this a picker would be my first move if I didn't have one and see how it all worked out.
All that stuff is eventually in the way,,, as the OP said,, a burst of use then very minimal for most people.

zkdiesel · Nov 5, 2014

The storage space it consumes *****. You bury them deep out of way or disassembled for long term storage
Then when you want to use them you think of how much work it is to get it to where it needs to go and you just grab the readily available cherry pickier instead because it's easier
Overhead obstructions on some objects limit there use also...

I personally have a cherry picker, larger skidsteer with forks and a jib crane with electric hoist. I'd use any of those three before I dug a gantry crane out of the storage building and set it up(would prob use skidsteer with forks to move it across yard)
Love my jib crane, but it only has limited working area in my shop...

sberry · Nov 5, 2014

Mine has been tailored to fit so space isn't much of an issue and I have tools on it around one end and made it useful. Its something I almost have to have but it is really rarely used.

wnstwolf · Nov 5, 2014

I installed a steel beam in the ceiling during construction. It is used for a 1,000 hoist on a trolly. While having it go from side to side is good (it is about 1/3 deep in a 40' deep bay), if I did it again I would have tried to center it in the bay and have it go from front to back. Much more useful to me at least. Just an alternative and no storage issues.

sberry · Nov 5, 2014

The tool pit serves 2 bays here and the side towards wall is tool and some part storage. I left enough space in its home location to walk around it comfortably and we actually go there fairly often for stock.
I really measured up the floor plan and cut 2 ft off the beam I had. Putting the general tool station out in the middle of the floor.
In the 3rd pic above you can see its wide enough to side load a trailer.

You can see some difference if you care, in pic one, about 10 or 15 yrs ago the direction we had similar jobs facing is different. We added an auto hoist and this somewhat forced a relocation a pinch and really brought the flow together for foot traffic/working room.
The turn around put the project about 3 ft from the tool box. In the old pic the main box was still along the wall vs being on an "island" as it is today.
We never really did move the box but stripped out the common stuff we used and relocated it to a service area or carts.
I got a "throw back system" I need to modify the wrench hanger a bit and the socket style a pinch but the principle is that there is a tray or hanger for the common items. I put the drive and a few metric wrenches on the service cart, the sockets are both and a separate rack for common sae to handle duplication.
My mechanic and I were just having a conversation that we don't use 3/8 impact. Its a little old school but need a minimum 4 more sets,,, I don't do auto daily, it wouldn't add to the bottom line to add another layer of tools. It wouldn't be a big issue either in terms of management, we could just toss a couple more sockets in the mix, only reason I don't have it is I don't need. I would or could benefit from an additional 1/2 gun just for a little convenience.

Charles (in GA) · Nov 5, 2014

As far as taking up space, its where I use it most of the time, and I part one of my cars under it daily. Much better than a "cherry picker" hoist for most of the things I do.

Lets see you do this with the typical engine hoist....

Charles

zkdiesel · Nov 5, 2014

Charles (in GA) said:
As far as taking up space, its where I use it most of the time, and I part one of my cars under it daily. Much better than a "cherry picker" hoist for most of the things I do.

Lets see you do this with the typical engine hoist....

Charles

I use my jib crane or 2 post lift for mine

sberry · Nov 5, 2014

When I built my existing shop kept the Aframe and modified it twice as I had a need. I moved it back and forth about 10 ft a dozen times but it has its home. When I first moved in had 1 job where I moved it in to the fab area, I kept the concept just in case. I can see Charles has a nice setup, easy to wheel outside. I like the front door layout of that building. When the weather is nice can open the big door to move about in and out. I do the same. Sometimes in spring and fall its the side door depending on wind and temp but I havnt been plowing it out in the winter.
I have hoisted my mower. For most of my routine jobs I have a method where I don't have to move much.

kaffine · Nov 6, 2014

I keep thinking about getting some pallet racks and setting it up next to my shop and using it as a gantry crane. See them on craigslist all the time for cheap. I figure they have fairly good load ratings and would be wide enough and tall enough to back my truck under. Not sure how well it would work if you put wheels on it to make it mobile.

I figure if I could set the height correctly for one of the shelves I could also use it as an unloading dock for enclosed trailer deliveries. I figure use a pallet jack to get it off the truck then raise it using beams above and then remove the decking and lower to the ground. Why houses don't come with loading docks is beyond me it would make things so much easier.

I have used portable gantry cranes as a truck mechanic they can be nice for some tasks. The one thing I really hated about the ones we had is they were a bit too wide to fit through the doors straight on. Made it difficult to get them outside when there was a truck in every bay.

metalmagpie · Apr 26, 2015

I have both a gantry and a 2-ton engine hoist. The engine hoist is always in the way. The gantry, on the other hand, is out in the driveway and isn't in the way at all. I can drive underneath it or park under there if I want to. I built my gantry, probably have about $700 into it and wouldn't sell it for double that. I recently added heavier casters (3500 pounds per wheel), a rain shield over the chain hoist (hung from the trolley) and lengthened the side legs so now I can get the hook up to 12 feet if I need to. Now I can pick up a vertical air compressor or floor model drill press and put them down in a truck bed. Tall enough for me. The beam is ten feet wide, 8" tall, 8lb 4oz per foot. Here's a picture. Notice how one side has height-adjustable feet to level the beam. - metalmagpie

sberry · Apr 26, 2015

I built a rotator for a Bud.

sberry · Apr 26, 2015

Like a lot of things I have a heavy crane cause I need one and its practical. I got friends that do typical diy stuff and they seem to get by with the HF picker and I use one similar for most of my shop rigging. They are just so portable. I got the overhead and still use the picker more.

sberry · Apr 26, 2015

My kids use the picker a lot.

sberry · Apr 26, 2015

floor jacks too.

kbs2244 · Apr 26, 2015

I love them for their capacity, stability, and flexibility.
The last time I was at a Pick Your Part there was one in the yard with wheels/castors made from FWD hubs and wheels.
Pull it around wherever you needed it.
Perfect for the mud and puddles of a junk yard.

My only problem with them in a shop environment is running over extension cord and air hoses.
If you go with a soft tire design this should be no problem.

Mr onetwo · Apr 26, 2015

Just my 2 cents, but I would seriously think about a bridge crane instead. I built mine and love it. Finding the specs for whatever weight rating you want is easy. Then you need to find a good deal on a trolley and electric or pneumatic hoist. :thumbup:

TheShrine · Apr 27, 2015

I have several lifting options. And I need them all!

And this....

And this...

broncorick · Apr 27, 2015

I bought one from HF and have used it extensively. It is like any tool in a tool chest, you can often get by without it, but is so handy. Especially working in the shop alone. The gantry in conjunction with my 2 post lift and cherry picker allows me to handle so much more than only one would.

Crusarius · Apr 27, 2015

My old house had a failing wooden beam in the center of the garage. I replaced it with a steel beam. I then put a chainfall on it. best thing ever. I miss having it in the new house.

I didn;t always need it for heavy lifting but I found that when I needed a third hand the chainfall and a set of vise grips almost always worked perfectly. Just clamp the vise grips to what you need held and grab it with the hook. Really easy to hold it right where you want it. and you don't have to listen to the wife complain she has to help you.

joe_padavano · Apr 28, 2015

broncorick said:
I bought one from HF and have used it extensively. It is like any tool in a tool chest, you can often get by without it, but is so handy. Especially working in the shop alone. The gantry in conjunction with my 2 post lift and cherry picker allows me to handle so much more than only one would.

I just bought one of the HF gantry cranes also, with a 25% off coupon. Pretty good deal. Yeah, it's Chinesium, but it's more than adequate for what I have to lift. The biggest flaw with it is that it is not wide enough to fit past the fenders on my dually. I'll likely get a longer I-beam to fix this eventually. Plenty adequate for pulling bodies off frames, which is the main reason I bought it. The other mod I plan to make is to fabricate attachments for larger, pneumatic tires so I can move it around outside.

Iroc-Z · Apr 28, 2015

Mr onetwo said:
Just my 2 cents, but I would seriously think about a bridge crane instead. I built mine and love it. Finding the specs for whatever weight rating you want is easy. Then you need to find a good deal on a trolley and electric or pneumatic hoist.

Bridge cranes are awful nice but I think hard to justify for the price.

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