In Ground Single Post Lift

[muldo]

Good morning all!

I'm at the very beginning of this process, so my information is limited; however from what I can tell through searches it might be unique enough to drum up some responses.

I'm looking at purchasing an old service station that was initially built in 1909 and expanded several times over the years. The second addition to the shop (circa ??) included an in-ground single post lift. I did manage to pull some pics from the listing.

(Pics moved...new thread here.)

There's also a residence attached to the building...perfect for a single guy like me. (I didn't put up any pics of the house...it's pretty dated and more laughable than anything else.)

The lift is in the bay with the new door (middle). Two weeks before I first viewed the property the town museum was invited in to take all the old equipment including the above ground control unit for the lift.

I'm trying to get more info and I'll try to snap a detail pic or two next time I'm out there, but what looked odd to me is that there appeared to be two hydraulic lines going into the ground.

Does this indicate any one manufacturer over another? Most I've found online only have one line running to the lift from the control unit. I kind of want to know what I'm looking for when (if the purchase comes through) I go to the museum and beg for whatever they took but don't want and convince them that I need the control unit for the lift...

Thanks everyone!

Mike

 

[dude67]

Why not ask them. I would explain that I want to know before I purchase it and if It could be returned or at the very lease allow you access to for information to duplicate it. I sure the are reasonable people.

 

[muldo]

Why not ask them. I would explain that I want to know before I purchase it and if It could be returned or at the very lease allow you access to for information to duplicate it. I sure the are reasonable people.

I'm sure they are too. This process just kicked off yesterday so I'm asking here, there...so far the day job hasn't allowed me to get out to the museum to bug them yet... trying to soak up as much info as I can from wherever I can...

 

[G_P]

Tell them that the control panel is needed to run a built in piece of equipment and I'm sure they will give it back.

 

[Milton Shaw]

In ground lifts basically have two types. First is air only to lift cylinder and the control lets air in or out to raise unit. The unit itself is filled with oil and the air comes in the bottom of the cylinder and through a pipe to the top and the air then pushes down on the oil to raise the lift. Second type has an external hydraulic tank that has air valve to pressurize or let off and then has two hydraulic lines with hydraulic valve to control fluid raising the hoist. Make sure that one of the lines is not the supply line from the compressor that you are thinking is a hydraulic line. Both may be air lines as it was common to bury both lines in the concrete. I have seen where the air supply line has rusted and leaks down the compressor, and been replaced with overhead air supply.

 

[muldo]

That's possible. I never considered that one of the lines could be the air supply. I'll have to check on my next visit...

 

[justanengineer]

Ok, Im definitely jealous. Talk about a dream come true.

Good luck with the museum, but dont be surprised if you dont get anything back without a sizeable monetary donation. Museums are becoming more and more notorious for selling their excess donations (even on ebay) in order to pay maintenance fees and greedy employee's salaries. This is especially true of old tools, as typically most would rather display "historic" natural history items (ie triangular stones resembling arrowheads) than tools. Personally I would never donate items to a museum, only money. If I wanted something of mine in a museum, I would loan it to them after getting a signed promisary note stating that I retain ownership rights and that they cannot sell it.

Regarding that lift, I could be wrong, but I suspect all you may need would be a simple air valve to operate it. Some of them were completely self contained units.

 

[RMR&C]

Irony....I have a lift control and air tank from an in floor lift. Also the lift cradle (very heavy). I got it from the local Olds dealership when it closed down. Wish I could have got the lift cylinder too....

 

[muldo]

Hi again all! Resurrecting this old thread. I've finally completed the purchase of this property and was able to get <gasp> pictures of this hoist.

The six mounting points for the rack have been torched off....I don't know if they were studs or threaded holes or what...I can find no identifying markings on it.

Does anyone recognize the size/shape as to being a particular brand? I've got a request in at that SVI international company who can supposedly supply repair parts for nearly any lift produced......just no word back yet...hoping the cloud can help me out too!

Anyway, later gents;

Mike

 

[Zeke]

Looks like they've made every effort to make sure you can't use the lift. Probably trying to protect their ***. If you can get the piston to come out of the ground just a bit you may get some answers.

Congrats on the purchase. Looks like a lot of fun to me.

 

[Milton Shaw]

Those should have been bolts that were torched off. IF you clean the top off you should see a filler plug to fill with hydraulic fluid and to check its level. You are missing a lot of the parts, keep looking on ebay and see if you can find any, also check with hoist installers as they take off the old infloor and replace with above ground when cylinders are leaking, although a Firestone store near me has had most of there inground hoists replaced with above ground because the safety pole rusted out in the ground, leaving them without a safety on the lift. The lift arms etc were made out of about 1" plate or thicker.

 

[1948]

if it doesnt work i dont know if id even try to mess with it but it looks a little like my globe lift. cool place btw!

 

[muldo]

When they stopped using the lift I don't believe rendering it inoperable was the plan...just get as much out of the way as possible. Probably sold the rack for scrap.

I thought it looked a little like a Globe too....based on what info I can find at the parts place. They may even have the rack assembly available too. There's nothing to these things really, something would have to be pretty messed for it to be too far gone.

This one has no safety post. At my work we use a clamshell style of cylinder stop on heavy equipment; I was planning on making something similar for this once it's working...one for full height and another for mid-rise...

It smells like gear oil...yuck.

Will keep posted if I find anything else!

Thanks all!

 

[muldo]

SVI doesn't recognize the brand....and the only marks I can find in the casting are C27...more cleaning... :-(

 

[muldo]

Did some detective work....it's a Rotary-Weaver. Disassembled with a minimum of fuss...at some point in history someone adapted a superstructure off of possibly a Ford-Smith (based on the bolt pattern).

The inside of the cylinder/outside of the piston show nothing more than surface rust, really. There is still oil in the very bottom of the cylinder...I dipped it and there's no evidence of water. Air tube is still solidly attached as well.

So far my biggest two problems are going to be finding a superstructure and fixing a leak in the air line under ground. The hoist itself, minus some cleaning and light polishing of the piston, seem to be serviceable.

I've been taking pictures and will start a whole new thread for a complete re-furbish story.

Later!!

-Mike

 

[bad_idea]

I am curious to read more about that service station.

 

[muldo]

Me too! I've been digging for some history...more on that once I get it together!

 

[Outlawmws]

What about the tanks (and any liability for any leaks from the tanks)?

 

[c39er]

Lets drop the liability thing and hear the interesting history and story? Already too much legal stuff to ruin the fun IMO.

 

[oilslick]

pictures please!

 

[64dragnwagon]

I have an old in ground lift in my old service station that i am going to scrap when I tear down the building. The rack is already spoken for but I have a large upright tank with some kind of valve on it. It's really nothing more than a brass lever, my son removed it because he thought it was cool but I told him I wanted it back as an artifact. If I can find it and you need it I would give it to you. I will check on it and try to get some pics.

 

[muldo]

If I can find it and you need it I would give it to you. I will check on it and try to get some pics.

Thanks so much! I look forward to seeing what you've got! Too bad about the rack tho...I'm having a hard time finding one.

To those who were asking about history/pics....I started a new thread here.

G'night!!

Mike

 

[64dragnwagon]

Muldo, where are you located? The guy I am giving the lift rack to is going to cut it up and use it to build a small bridge. If he had some I beams as a replacement I am sure he would give up the rack. Of course it would have to be picked up that's why I asked where you live. I am in northeast TN about an hour from Bristol, TN

 

[muldo]

Oh...I'm way up in Alberta Canada....about 2 hours north of Great Falls.....however...my dad is down in that area once in a while...if time isn't a huge factor...

I'll fix up my profile so that show a little better!

 

[Herb's]

I know I am late to this party, but I have two in ground lift super structures that could be for sale. One is a Rotary, the other is a Globe. They will be removed very soon. I hate to just scrap them. They are in my dad's 1957 former Phillips 66. I don't have anywhere to store them! They are in the Denver, Colorado metro area.

 

[wldmike223]

Looks like a Joyce, they had studs not bolts.

 

[sberry]

Is this to look at or 2 use? If I was going to do real work wouldn't bother flushing money in to it, would put a 2 post in.