DIY Shop Crane Build Help

[GhostintheMachineShop]

So I picked up an old workout bench at the curb, the thing turned out to be beefy as hell. Couple that with a salvaged treadmill and I've got all the pieces for a small shop crane. I have the design down except for the lifting mech. I have a 6 ton bottle jack that'll serve the purpose. Take a look, I haven't welded anything yet and any and all suggestions for improvement are gladly being accepted. Thanks in advance.

 

[tncatadjuster]

I would be suspicious of the tubing strength unless this is for light duty. Looks like you have everthing you need to make it. I have a treadmill that i want to make into a belt sander, its only been 10 years so i might get to it soon.
How much payload are you expecting to put on it? The holes are my biggest issue in the lifting arm.

 

[zkdiesel]

Wheels behind your load and a short wheelbase makes me believe this will pick less than you can comfortably lift unless you have an ailment or need it for repeated tasks

 

[gearhead1]

Love your idea, but be careful on what you’re lifting. The tubing is probably generally thinner than a intentionally made one. Look at one at the store and note the wall thickness and compare.

 

[GhostintheMachineShop]

Ya, my back is not the best, as in it's pretty shot. I think the heaviest thing it's gonna lift will be a 36" DiAcro finger brake. Definitely heavier than any of the machines it will pick up as all of my stuff is benchtop equipment.

A quick search of Bio Dyne weight benches returned that these are "Olympic quality" made from 11 gauge steel which has ⅛" wall thickness. I felt like **** the day I found it and was gonna pass till I found out how HD this thing was after trying to lift it. Then I knew I got lucky cause it was exactly what I needed for this build. Had I seen what these go for used, I may not have cut it up .

My concerns lie in the lifting mech, I know the store bought lifts have a much longer hydraulic arm and are attached with a mount that kinda swivels or rotates with the up and down of the lifting arm. They do this at both ends. I'm hoping I can get away with just something on the top that would keep the jack from pulling up as I raise the lifting arm.

The extendable footprint is my fav feature. I'll be able to pull the front to back legs and set them vertical in 2 holders and then pull the side to side extensions and hang them right behind. So in storage mode it'll have roughly the same footprint as the flip up store bought lifts. When I put them back in to use, I can extend or retract them in place as needed.

My other concern is with the wheels, I have several options on hand. I'm hoping to move this thing like a trash can, lean it over pretty far to centralize the weight and scoot her around. What about when she's got a load on her tho? I'm wondering if some heavy duty swivel casters are in order?

Thanks for the input y'all.

 

[GhostintheMachineShop]

Found these...

 

[GhostintheMachineShop]

My next thing is gonna be a bench lift outta an old satellite dish mount. These things have crazy articulation.

 

[GhostintheMachineShop]

So I didn't have much time but was able to cut the uprights that will hold the extendable legs when not in use. Got em bolted on but still have to weld everything.
Also still looking for suggestions on the interface between the jack and lifting arm and maybe the jack and the main body. I think I have the wheels sorted such that if I absolutely had to, I could put this thing on its back and it would roll around still. Kinda like a big *** heavy duty dolly.

 

[GhostintheMachineShop]

Then for storage...

 

[speed bump]

You are going to need something that pivots top and bottom for the cylinder. Pivot only at one end and the jack will tilt.

See this guy for an idea of the mechanism you need to build

1/2 Ton Capacity Pickup Truck Bed Crane

Amazing deals on this 1/2Ton Capacity Pickup Truck Crane at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

 

[2oolhound]

Wheels behind your load and a short wheelbase makes me believe this will pick less than you can comfortably lift unless you have an ailment or need it for repeated tasks

This is what I'm seeing. It looks like the boom end or lifting point extends further than the front wheels. Because loads can swing and considering the height, the wheels need to extend further than the lift point. (I'm looking at the night photo from the high vantage point that makes it look to close for comfort)

 

[GhostintheMachineShop]

Thanks guys been working on it last couple days when I can get time. It's changed some as I figured I needed the wheels to swivel. I realized I had fixed direction wheels at the front and back. Now the wheels I had planned to use sit too high (as did my extendable legs) but I got extraordinarily lucky with my "handles" I didn't cut off.
The boom can telescope to some degree, I may have had it fully extended at that pic. Also gonna add attachment points at various spots on the boom. Kinda hacking it as I go.
The input is VERY much appreciated.

 

[GhostintheMachineShop]

As she sits now. I guess I'ma hafta move the leg wheels down onto my "handles" which is kind of a bummer.

 

[GhostintheMachineShop]

So I spent the evening on this sumbitch even after I got the casters on. I moved the wheels down to the handles. I should've spent the time cleaning off a drill press but I did it by power tool, ug. I cut a plate to match the bottom of the bottle jack and I think I sorted the jack tilting situation. Please see photos and lemme know what y'all think.

I have 1 sticky caster which for some reason seems to be a common theme for me. As much shite as I've put casters on, having a 1 car space for a shop with a kayak and a 10ft aluminum "Pharmacy Drive-Thru" sign suspended above everything, everything needed to be on wheels. I have maybe 2 or 3 units (not including my bottom boxes) that roll nicely. It's becoming a pet peeve. The casters are pretty heavy duty but of course I didn't buy them new, garage sale score. I'm gonna repack them before it's all said and done. I may even add zerk fittings.

Still have to sort the rear wheels and weld everything, prolly too cold to paint it this year.
The pictures show the top solution for the jack tilting pretty well. At the bottom of the jack, I have a heavy duty tube (that I cut off the thing early on in the process) that I plan to weld to the bottom of the plate that I cut for the jack to ride on. Should be able to tilt enough yet still be strong enough to hold everything up. Again, all thoughts and ideas are very much welcome. For clarification, the tube will be welded more towards the middle of the plate, just couldn't hold it there and take the pic.

I threw in a pic of what it will look like if ever used as a dolly. Gonna be one badass dolly if I ever need it.

 

[GhostintheMachineShop]

So this may have just put a new wrinkle in this build. Forgot I had this.

 

[sanddan]

My main thought is to use a jack with more stroke. I use a modified engine hoist in my shop to move the heavy stuff and having more swing in the lifting arm allows you to lift from the floor to a bench for example. On my hoist the mod I did was to widen the base legs to make it more stable. I used it to lift and move my 13x40 lathe. You can get the longer stroke rams at harbor freight for around $100.

 

[GhostintheMachineShop]

Ya, I seen those. Just tryna do it on the cheap. I had or got all this for free. I thought about looking at those. Kinda why I'm thinking about that 4ton power arm there, it has 2 extension arms that can be utilized to make a pretty long arm, still dunno what the stroke of it would be though. And that is exactly why I'm building it, to take things from floor to bench and bench to bench. Spent the day digging out my welder. My garage shop was quickly overwhelmed with garage sale and marketplace purchases at some point this summer. I moved all my precision machines downstairs, where they prolly shoulda been in the 1st place. I have boxes and tubs and crates full of stuff to go through still. On top of all that I have 60% of a friend's Father's wood shop piled in there too. It was an accumulating year. Had planned to spend the winter filtering through it all but right now I have some Xmas gifts I need to make. Can't do that until I get this finger brake sorted and I can't do that until I can move it. And here we are. A little embarrassing that picture. It was just coming in too fast to go through it. Guy was selling his Father's house. Pretty much got to keep whatever I could get out.