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Attic Lifts

Paycheck

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Joined
Aug 14, 2014
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1,356
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Ders

Active member
Joined
Sep 16, 2020
Messages
38
Location
My yard
I just built a 20x30 with attic trusses and built a lift based off this video. Works great and am into it for about $600

 

aussieblake

Active member
Joined
Dec 26, 2013
Messages
34
I like the strut with trolleys set up, seems simple and easy to build. If you do not weld, you could build your carriage out of strut as well (I saw a video with the carriage made out of wood, its possible but not my first choice). Again very simple to construct yourself. If you build it yourself you could make it as wide or narrow as you need, depth might be dictated by framing or require framing work.
 

PCMusicGuy

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 15, 2009
Messages
851
Location
Houston, TX
I have one built similar to the one in the youtube video. Goes up a wall with unistrut and trolleys using a 750 lb hoist.
 
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pbon

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May 14, 2017
Messages
3,498
I am tempted to do this down the road. I found myself out in the barn studying where to put it and evaluating the space gain from removing the stairway. I could do all 4 floors (unfinished dirt floor basement, garage level, storage level, attic).

I currently have a hatch between the garage floor and 2nd floor, and am installing an 8’ channel track with electric cable hoist so I can bring heavy stuff up and slide it over. This will have to do for a few years. Right now, I go up on my 4 post lift to 7’ but still have 3 more feet to lift stuff. Not so easy if the stuff is a 250lb engine hoist.
 

BearsFan315

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 12, 2014
Messages
689
Location
Portsmouth, VA
totally cool, man i need to put one of these in my house to get all the **** up and down from my attic for the holidays !!

looks pretty simple to build, with basic tools and knowledge. just can not skimp out on anything to ensure safety !! overbuild :)

looks like the weakest link may be the dolly, as most are rated for 100 lb each
would have to calculate the load on the cantilever, portion. makes sense to get weight close to vertical under the hoist as possible to reduce the load.
 
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aka Larry

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Joined
May 2, 2012
Messages
8,011
Location
Eastern, NC
The two I looked at are knocking on $2500 and lift 500lbs. My 2-post car lift can do 9,000 lbs and was only $1800. No wonder people tend to DIY.
 

MushCreek

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Joined
Jan 14, 2015
Messages
9,743
Location
Upstate South Carolina
I made a crude but inexpensive lift for my barn. The problem I faced is that I couldn't put it against a wall. It's in the door opening, so I couldn't put any kind of track to guide it. I beefed up the framing in the loft and bolted a cheap 120V. winch up there. The 'car' is roughly 2x4'. I keep it straight by holding on to a rope to keep it from spinning. Once the top of it is in the hole in the loft floor, it's self-guiding. I loaded 500 lbs. on it as a test, but I normally don't put more than 200 lbs. on it.
 

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glentre

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Joined
May 21, 2016
Messages
909
Location
Gloucester, Virginia
I urge anyone considering building their own lift to consider safety. While I built mine similar to the one in the video in post 3 above, I went a step further and added a retractable safety lanyard which attaches to the lift motor support in the attic and mounts directly to the lift frame. The strap lengthens and shortens as the lift moves up and down but if anything in the lift mechanism fails, the lanyard will immediately stop the lift...just like a car seat belt.

Glen
 
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