Gantry Crane question

[halcyon0]

Hello All,

I am thinking of purchasing a gantry crane for my garage. It will probably be a aluminum or steel a frame style gantry.

I am debating now to get a 2 ton Coffing hoist or a 1 ton. The 2 ton is almost 450lbs for the hoist itself and the 1 ton is about 240lbs. I am not sure that I need something that hefty. A 450lbs hoist seems like overkill. Should I get a smaller/cheaper hoist like something from NorthernTool?

I would use it for things like engine removal or other misc things around the garage.

Thoughts?

 

[rlitman]

Sounds a bit big. My 1/2 ton Yale pneumatic hoist is something like 60 or 70 lbs.

 

[Steevo]

What is the capacity of the gantry crane you are going to buy? You don't need a hoist that lifts more than that.
4000# is a decent sized car, or an 18' boat. That is a lot to lift at one time.

 

[halcyon0]

I was going to buy the gantry crane after the hoist. Or build one.
Not sure why such a big difference in weight between the Yale 1/2 ton and the Coffing 1 ton.

 

[bad_idea]

I am assuming those are operated by an electric motor? I wouldn't waste your time with an electric hoist unless you are lifting over 20 feet high. I have a 1/2 ton CM chain fall that weighs about 20 lbs including the chain. It handles just about everything I have run across. For reference, I lifted the front of my Nissan Frontier with a dynamometer and with the front wheels off the ground the dynamometer read 1400 lbs.

I say go for a quality 1 ton chain fall. CM is a good brand. Amazon is a great site to find a good price.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I have this portable gantry crane, and love it. It is 12 ft wide, and 4000 lb rated. I bought it used from someone on Ebay as a "make offer" in 2007 and it came with the 4 ton trolley, and the 3 ton Chinese made chain hoist shown in the pic (which actually was one used by the seller on Ebay before I bought it). The Chinese hoist is excellent, and I have no qualms about using it. I'd guess it weighs about 70-80 lbs with the chains.

I now have a 1/2 ton Gardner-Denver air powered chain hoist which weighs about 50 lbs which I use for most lifting. The best accessory you can have to go with it is a strap with loops in both ends about 6 ft long and rated at 6000 lbs or so, as it is useful for lifting mowers, tractor front ends, etc.

I am assuming those are operated by an electric motor? I wouldn't waste your time with an electric hoist unless you are lifting over 20 feet high.

My issue with a chain fall is the small chain used to operate it. The chains dangle and scratch and damage anything you get them near. I was having to take blankets and such to protect anything of value that I lifted. The air hoist is a dream to use and I keep the larger one for times when I might need to lift something heavier.

Charles

 

[Justanoldguy]

I wouldn't waste your time with an electric hoist .

Well you wouldn't be wasting my time. I would be.
I take it you are a fit young guy.
Us old guys think electric hoists are just great.
Each to their own.

 

[cyamaha2007]

at my work we have a manual/ electric hoist. I love it. You can use the manual part for very small adjustments but the electric is nice to raise a part 6ft off the floor first. It is a 2ton yale

 

[rlitman]

My issue with a chain fall is the small chain used to operate it. The chains dangle and scratch and damage anything you get them near. I was having to take blankets and such to protect anything of value that I lifted. The air hoist is a dream to use and I keep the larger one for times when I might need to lift something heavier.

I know exactly what you mean. I actually shortened the hand chain on my 2 ton chinese chain fall, just to keep it closer to my hands, but that slows you down. It's not an issue when you're lifting a I beam and don't care if you scratch anything, but when you're lifting a snowblower and don't want to knock off all the paint, the pneumatic is oh so much better.

You do still have to contend with the back end of the chain in a pneumatic chain hoist, but I have a small plastic bucket to keep it off of whatever I'm lifting.

I used to have a Harbor Freight electric hoist. It was great for it's purposes, but there is no comparing it to the pneumatic. The HF used cable, and that just plain sucked. If you ever let off the tension when unhooking it, it would birdsnest in the spool. Chain is so much more versatile, and safe.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Problem with electric hoists, they are extremely expensive, either new or used, and virtually all you find used, are three phase current, which few people have in their shop, either as primary power source or as provided by a phase converter. I felt very lucky to find this air hoist, I'm looking for another trolley, 1 ton or so, to mount the air hoist on, and then hang the chain hoist on the 4 ton trolley.

Charles

 

[Charles (in GA)]

You do still have to contend with the back end of the chain in a pneumatic chain hoist, but I have a small plastic bucket to keep it off of whatever I'm lifting.

My air hoist has a metal rectangular bucket provided by the manufacturer, hinged to it to hold the dead end of the chain. With a chain fall you are stuck with the small operating chain, it has to go 'round and 'round. I keep my gantry raised as high as possible to keep the hoist up high out of the way, some people don't have this luxury, and this is one reason why I always advocate making a building as tall as practical.

Charles

 

[318fekim]

Wow....now yall are talking my work! Coffing Electric chain hoists are the best in the business. I've been working on these things for the past 15 yrs. CM is no slouch. You should be able to get a Coffing EC series Hoist in a 2 ton variety...note it will be a 2 part system with a lower block and these are available in 115v single phase. CM typically uses a grease lubricated gear box where as Coffing uses oil. Both companies are owned by Lift-tech as Is Yale. It all depends on what you are looking for. All that said if I was looking for another hoist @ home it would be a Coffing. (and I work for a competitor! LOL)

 

[318fekim]

Sorry Halcyon...450 lbs does sound way off as most two ton hoist are below 150 lbs....the only one I've seen that wasnt was an old Army style ( the trolley is integral to the hoist). Air will be your lightest...but demand a good filtering and drying system to be trouble free as well as a GOOD supply of air. Manual hoist are almost trouble free even the cheap ones in any enviroment, but do have the chains hanging down to scratch and possibly damage some items. If you have any further questions feel free to PM me ....as for a Ganrty check out Wallace.

 

[wnstwolf]

While I can't be too specific if anyone is in the upstate NY area and would like a free protable gantry (1-Ton) I have two with the hoists and three just the gantry's. NO Delivery no warranty no nothing other than you get it prior to it going to the scrap yard.. Work is closing down two shops and all is being scrapped. Issue is liability. They rather see it go to the recycle pile than worry about one of these things ending on top of someone so I will work that end if there is interest. PM me and I will try to be more specific.

 

[wnstwolf]

Duckfarmer are you out there? PM me if you are still interested????

 

[Nelson58]

I have this portable gantry crane, and love it. It is 12 ft wide, and 4000 lb rated. I bought it used from someone on Ebay as a "make offer" in 2007 and it came with the 4 ton trolley, and the 3 ton Chinese made chain hoist shown in the pic (which actually was one used by the seller on Ebay before I bought it). The Chinese hoist is excellent, and I have no qualms about using it. I'd guess it weighs about 70-80 lbs with the chains.

I now have a 1/2 ton Gardner-Denver air powered chain hoist which weighs about 50 lbs which I use for most lifting. The best accessory you can have to go with it is a strap with loops in both ends about 6 ft long and rated at 6000 lbs or so, as it is useful for lifting mowers, tractor front ends, etc.



My issue with a chain fall is the small chain used to operate it. The chains dangle and scratch and damage anything you get them near. I was having to take blankets and such to protect anything of value that I lifted. The air hoist is a dream to use and I keep the larger one for times when I might need to lift something heavier.

Charles

That is a GREAT looking gantry. I didn't have room in my tiny basement shop, so I built a small temporary one out of wood to lift up to 500 pounds of a milling machine to set it up.

Here is the thread on making it:

http://www.hobby-machinist.com/show...antry-to-Lift-amp-Assemble-VN-Milling-Machine


Nelson

 

[djkson]

Wow....now yall are talking my work! Coffing Electric chain hoists are the best in the business. I've been working on these things for the past 15 yrs. CM is no slouch. You should be able to get a Coffing EC series Hoist in a 2 ton variety...note it will be a 2 part system with a lower block and these are available in 115v single phase. CM typically uses a grease lubricated gear box where as Coffing uses oil. Both companies are owned by Lift-tech as Is Yale. It all depends on what you are looking for. All that said if I was looking for another hoist @ home it would be a Coffing. (and I work for a competitor.

CM is the parent company of Lift-tech, Yale, and Coffing.

 

[carhunter]

I have this portable gantry crane

That is a great gantry!

My only question is why they don't put a tie-bar in the lower legs near the casters. I'm sure its engineered properly and all that, but whenever I look at one like that it just jumps out at me...

Lifting 4000 lbs, you think it would make the legs want to spread a little.

Otherwise its exactly what I'd want at home

 

[Outlawmws]

I'd shorten the chain fall a bit and/or suspend a bucket (I used a Paint can) to collect the part you aren't using. I was concerned about it tangling but it never happened...

 

[Hephaestus29]

I built this one based on what I saw in a magazine one time but changed it a little. It's got a Harbor Freight winch on it rated at 880lbs with the line doubled. I had a little problem with the winch, me & my neighbor took it apart & it was just a loose connection though. It still works good & i've had it 5+ years now I guess but I don't use it every day. They do have a bigger winch than what I bought but i can't remember the exact rating.

At the time I built this one, Harbor freights gantry cranes were much higher than what I built mine for but then they dropped lower than what I built it for after I finished it. I don't know what they are selling for now since steel has gone sky high but they are beefy & have a hand crank I think to raise & lower the height with a cable system.

 

[Mike9940]

The Yale 1/2 ton hoist is air driven so there is no motor other than the control valves operated from the pendant control. The electric motor, gearing, case, etc. on the electric hoist gives it its weight. I sell gantry cranes to truck shops and most of the big ones use a 2 ton electric hoist. Smaller shops will use a manual chain hoist since its cheaper and gives better control when dropping a motor onto its motor mounts or getting it out of a tight spot.

 

[Mike9940]

The problem with the lift chain hitting things as it plays out can be fixed with a chain bag. You might be able to fix one up using a leather or canvas bag. Tie it to the chain hoist so the chain falls into the bag when you raise the load and plays out when you lower the load. The bags are available from hoist suppliers and you might look on the web (R&M Hoists) to see how they are located in relation to the chain hoist.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

The problem with the lift chain hitting things as it plays out can be fixed with a chain bag. You might be able to fix one up using a leather or canvas bag. Tie it to the chain hoist so the chain falls into the bag when you raise the load and plays out when you lower the load. The bags are available from hoist suppliers and you might look on the web (R&M Hoists) to see how they are located in relation to the chain hoist.

The lift chain is a minor issue, its the small operating chain that you use to spin the hoist that is the issue, and it has to hang free so it can go 'round and 'round to operate the hoist gearbox.

Charles

 

[Outlawmws]

The lift chain is a minor issue, its the small operating chain that you use to spin the hoist that is the issue, and it has to hang free so it can go 'round and 'round to operate the hoist gearbox.

Charles

you can do the same thing with the endless chain as well. I have an old spar varnish paint can on mine to collect the excess, and if it is way excess, you can shorten the chain...

 

[rlitman]

You can, but the endless chain is invariably directly on top of whatever you're lifting. That either puts you under the load as it gets high up, or you have to reach over the load to reach a shortened loop.
I agree that a manual chain hoist has its uses, but I'll stick with my air chain hoist, now that I have one. With the air, I can move it up and down as slowly as with a manual (no way you get that fine control on an electric), and with a pendant, I can stand wherever I want.

The paint can is a good idea. I used the plastic bottle from a 1/2 gallon apple juice container. It was the thickest plastic bottle I could find. Next time I empty a paint can, I'll probably swap it out, as this one is just a tad too small.

 

[Mr onetwo]

I found this little 1 ton ARO air hoist on C/L for less than $200. I am in the middle of constructing a bridge crane setup and will post a thread on the project soon.It is very light.Be careful though....parts for all this industrial stuff(electric or air) are very,very expensive!

 

[rlitman]

NICE FIND! I paid $250 for mine on CL, and was thrilled with that price.

 

[Thumper68]

Finally got a pic of this one, it's in the lobby of the hockey arena, the old clyde iron works here in town.

I would love to have it in my shop.

 

[Bluepine]

We ate lunch at Famous Daves yesterday, after we ate I was checking out the monster bridge crane in The Adventure Zone. Its pretty cool they left it in place.

 

[metalmagpie]

This is actual experience. I built a 2-ton gantry. I used the HF 2-ton trolley. My buddy gave me a cheap 1 ton chain hoist which I stuck on my gantry about 8 years ago to use until I found my ideal hoist.

Naturally, it's still on there. It's worked perfectly for years. The chains rust which looks ugly but really doesn't hurt anything.

I have a Yale electric hoist I'm restoring. Someday I may put that on. Sure would be nice to not have to pull that rusty chain all the time.

metalmagpie