Compact basement shop crane

[c7z06]

I got tired of straining my back picking up large vises, grinders, tool boxes, etc. and decided to fabricate a small crane to do the heavy lifting for me.

The unit sits on locking casters, and is narrow and short enough to fit through a doorway. However, it is wide and tall enough to straddle a workbench to place a load. It uses a $125 110V electric hoist with a single line capacity of 440 lbs. and has a hand-held remote control.

The crane will fit around a 24" wide cart or dolly. Drill press sized equipment can be moved by lifting and placing it on struts laid across the bottom two frame tubes.

 

[Maui]

I like the design! I’ve been wanting a shop crane, but what I had in mind was something much larger. I might have to rethink my approach.

 

[Kscardsfan]

This looks like a brilliant idea.

 

[Renegade1LI]

Very nice, a small portable gantry is great for a tight space line that, i like the electric hoist set up also, great job. Question, how do you move the heavy stuff into your basement? That’s a problem for allot of people, is itA walkout? When i had a basement shop i was thinking of a gantry or trolley over the outside stair, ended up moving to the garage instead.

 

[c7z06]

Very nice, a small portable gantry is great for a tight space line that, i like the electric hoist set up also, great job. Question, how do you move the heavy stuff into your basement? That’s a problem for allot of people, is itA walkout? When i had a basement shop i was thinking of a gantry or trolley over the outside stair, ended up moving to the garage instead.

The real heavy stuff stays in the Garage. Most of the equipment in the basement was brought in by the moving company when we moved into the house. Some items, like the drill presses, belt sander, work benches, etc., I built or assembled in the basement. It is a walkout.