wall mounted jib crane

[efinley]

Hi guys,
I'm getting ready to build a 50x50x16 steel building with 2 garage doors. The doors go on one of the sidewalls and the I beam support column falls right between the doors. My plan is to add a wall mounted jib crane to that column so that I can lift stuff out of the back of trucks/trailers etc. I'm thinking 1-2 ton with about a 10' reach so that I can reach the center of my 12' wide door.

Has anyone done this? I talked with my builder and I get the impression he hasn't done this before. I imagine I'll end up talking with the building engineer to get the specs right but I thought I would bug this group for advice too.

-Eric

 

[cruzer75]

We were going to install a 10ft jib at work rated fro 2k. The foundation was some ridiculus size and mounting circle was a 2ft diameter or better....not sure a building ibeam will take the load. You will definitely want to engineer something like this.

 

[Fueler]

Hi guys,
I'm getting ready to build a 50x50x16 steel building with 2 garage doors. The doors go on one of the sidewalls and the I beam support column falls right between the doors. My plan is to add a wall mounted jib crane to that column so that I can lift stuff out of the back of trucks/trailers etc. I'm thinking 1-2 ton with about a 10' reach so that I can reach the center of my 12' wide door.

Has anyone done this? I talked with my builder and I get the impression he hasn't done this before. I imagine I'll end up talking with the building engineer to get the specs right but I thought I would bug this group for advice too.

Edit: I wasn't going to add this BUT at your own risk you can box that I beam top to bottom and tie it into neighboring beams and get it to work....sort of. You will invariably try to load to much on it someday. Basically the beams are there to hold the roof up, nothing else. AS mentioned previously you really want to study up on this before the walls go up.

-Eric

If those beams are like the ones in my old shop (Butler Building) you are in for a surprise. Rotate that hoist beam sideways with a load like a v8 engine and watch that beam twist like a pretzel. An unsafe situation at best. The load can throw you across the room or through the wall once it gets moving.
Guess how I know this?

 

[Charles (in GA)]

All I can say is do it properly, or don't do it. Most steel buildings are not suited to such stresses. Even a light weight jib crane will transfer a lot of stresses to the building. Either buy and install a free standing jib crane, or buy a portable gantry crane, which will give you a lot more flexibility in what you are picking up, and where, and where its going.

THIS post tells you a little about a jib installation similar to what you want to do, and where to find more info about this particular installation.

THIS thread shows everything about a most excellent free standing jib crane installation, which will give you an idea why one attached to a flimsy building probably won't work.

First my portable gantry crane..........

Then the free standing jib crane......

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Has anyone done this? I talked with my builder and I get the impression he hasn't done this before. I imagine I'll end up talking with the building engineer to get the specs right but I thought I would bug this group for advice too.

-Eric

Building engineer MIGHT be willing to engineer the building for it, but it will add a bundle to the price of the building. That column will have to be much bigger, heavier, and have a lot more concrete beneath it. (probably an area 5 or 6 ft in diameter and 4 ft deep). Remember the column is only designed to support the building, nothing else.

Charles

 

[zkdiesel]

There is no way your beam support will take 1-2 tons at 10-12'
Max with reinforcing would probably be 500lbs

That's my freestanding jib crane in thread and picture above. That thing is monster built, crazy supported and I dare max it out at 1500lbs at full extension

Weight far out there is insane, the leverage it exserts is way to much!

 

[sberry]

You add another post for it and have to make sure this whole thing does not interfere with door tracks etc. I was going to do one like I did for a bud in the pic for mine but kept my A frame.
Here is something else to consider when doing things like this. Do you really need to service both doors? This is useful but most people don't use it at the rate they think they will. Personally would look at a nice folding picker or a simpler version for one location and see if I could do what I needed to do there and tailor that before adding expensive additions and engineering.
The wall and building really only stabilize the top of one pole in this design and it can be swung against the wall out of the way when not needed. This is in a 2 bay garage, this covers about 2/3 of one bay and offers a little movement and is super strong.
Even had a socket for engine stand on it, was a waste as it was never used.

 

[sberry]

If I had that big post in the way would find some use for it as a tool or utility tree. My Aframe has a home, only use it once in 20 yrs out of its home bay when I first moved in but got the tools on it that service 2 bays. It really isn't in the way.
The shelves and boxes on the other side are special tool and parts shelves and this whole shceme isn't much of a bother.

Mine is a super easy place to work in if a guy has any shop sense. At first a guys reaction is "I want to bring my tools" or they start to drag a box out of a car and its a waste of time. With about a 5 minute lesson they can blow right by that. True masters I have had work here and take one look and don't bring anything unless its some gizmo we need I havnt got but it isn't a favorite ratchet etc.
If you are changing a clutch or a ball joint in a pickup and its not there chances are or most likely you don't need it.

Pic 2 is the start. The fundamental location was fair for sockets but the organization was too fussy and demanding and it took another set of wrenches on the other side which was an issue. I finally used turnstiles and put the drive stuff, some metric wrenches and misc related all on the one cart. I can move it a little or over in to a bay for qa demanding job if needed, just a few ft but its home s pretty good. I turn a 4 ft lamp on right over it.

 

[fnieto]

If your 100% set on a jib, do your home work. contact a structural engineer and have the foundation designed for that type of live load. you more than likely need to set another column next to the buildings column with its own pier. Jibs are clean when done right.

 

[sberry]

I would change the wrench tree a little if I did it again and custom the spool size and change the number of hangers just a little. The sockets were just about perfect but might go back and add a divider on bottom yet it it meant much or was in constant use

 

[sberry]

The single post in post #4 above serves the loft which I really like. In the case above it brings the lights down to the benches. I am going to do one like that shortly mostly because I can. I really have enough storage as it is but not everyone does and that is a super efficient to get a bunch of stuff you need to keep around off the shop floor and from cluttering benches.

Those are my favorite pics, I essentially like that setup in 4, its got the essentials and in my world would have a tool box with some stuff on the post, you can reach it from the bench and the shop floor but its probably not far out of the pic?

 

[sberry]

When I first started I thought I might have benches but never did, all the wall was taken up for tools/shelves and my bench setup is an island like a kitchen. Same for the hoist /tool cluster.

 

[zkdiesel]

The single post in post #4 above serves the loft which I really like. In the case above it brings the lights down to the benches. I am going to do one like that shortly mostly because I can. I really have enough storage as it is but not everyone does and that is a super efficient to get a bunch of stuff you need to keep around off the shop floor and from cluttering benches.

Those are my favorite pics, I essentially like that setup in 4, its got the essentials and in my world would have a tool box with some stuff on the post, you can reach it from the bench and the shop floor but its probably not far out of the pic?

That's my setup. Love it, crane holds up loft, and my skidsteer parks under loft/crane and backs up tight to crane for daily storage. You don't even know the post is there when skidsteer is there(95% of time it is). Makes that corner Into the office/kitchen area

There are hooks with lifting devices and pipe wrecnhes hang on post, working on more stuff
Got used other day for this project

 

[sberry]

It looked like it was bolted to the loft. I like the other view. I see the sink, right by a window is nice. It seems I remember some earlier pics, like those and would look at a couple more.
This is poster stuff for good shop.
I am going to have to bite one post for my balcony but it will be small and light. I want to do the same as you for another set of big shelves along the wall. Its a super use of hi organizer space. Never freeze.
I like the cubby cabinet in the center top. That really allows a lot of subdividing.

A good sink can lead to a bit of compulsive wash up but it seems easier to work clean than dirty. I had to work on my helper when he got here, we aint got to roll in it and end up with grease on the ceiling, we got towels we got water and we a steamer (hot pressure washer) and I do what I can to avoid a mess rather than try to clean it or work in a **** hole.
We are like you, dozen varied projects, I try to minimize the amount apart at a given time and finish the best we can.
I have the luxury of a couple other buildings and I got my trucks and forklift out there. I built the storage and it doubled my shop instantly. I don't need to use all of it every day and can favor the weather and if I using something do park in where its warm. If I got a week of sub 0 then I put the old plow truck in etc. or even daily drivers on occasion.
I have 2 or 3 ways to do most things and its rather rare I need my forklift when its bitter, can wait for a thaw day most of the time.

 

[sberry]

Your duty cycle is probably higher than mine especially as I work less for others and as my own is fixed up. I am more like a pit stop vs reman work anymore. Once I get it going it lasts a long time.
2 different units, same job about 10 yrs apart. We rigged the ROPS and the loaded tire off with the aframe and the final drive with the picker.
I am big on getting parked in right and square, really makes the moves easy. I think I have about 19 ft of beam. I cut it off 2 ft and in hindsight should have let it run on top but this is pretty good and fits the walkways good and allows great sideway travel.
It really makes rigging faster and easier when there is enough room to get turned around instead of having to come half assed. Same for walking, doesn't feel like your back is up against the wall or you have to turn sharp to do common tasks like wash hands or leave a pee.

 

[sberry]

Here is the current front. I never use the loading dock door, I had one in my old building and its been ideal to stick the fan insert in for paint booth. I can take it out in a couple minutes if needed but I do use the apron dock quite a bit. I back up and drive on. I the winter almost all the traffic comes thru the big right door and my office is to the left of the walk door.
I wash outdoor on apron, move inside if needed to dry and then to work station. Specially cars in winter.
I bite the bullet to clean and dry. I ant scared to take a hood and floor pan off and clean it prior to work. Did it to a job the other day that had a lot of connections, was able to save a lot of secondary cleaning, could spit it without it falling full of dirt, didn't have to clean bolts etc.

 

[red5001]

https://www.gorbel.com/

call these guys I think they make a garage version

 

[sberry]

Charles has a big building, think he bought that A frame used? You can put them anywhere. I made 2 major mods on mine over the years, that thing would have taken care of 1 issue which was height.

 

[zkdiesel]

This is all at my hobby shop which is located at home. I have a 24x34 metal uninsulated building I use for storage and it works wonders just as you say. Lawn equipment, toys, and other stuff do there. My skidsteer gets used weekly and area to other building is across my nice lawn, so keeping skidtseer in shop elevates ruts in yard in damp conditions

 

[sberry]

I really try to keep my shop as empty as possible. It worked ok when I had more stuff in but now its like it was meant to be and only one time last winter did I have a little bottle neck which was more of an obsession than a reality.
It is about like another child in some ways but also can spread the workload and replace manpower just the same. I really don't need to change or move to bring something or a couple jobs in. I got stuck with a couple things in the way last winter, they didn't cost me much but the motivational loss of seeing them here day after day.
It seems when its empty I want to move on to the next thing.

 

[sberry]

I still need to finish a few things on my can and I had it 10 years. I have a framed opening for another front door but didn't have one at the time and I don't need it, wouldn't put the other one in either and the only time I wish I had a big front is a couple minor days a year. I have a rear but the only use it has is for light.
This is kind of a current pic, didn't even install the walk door as with the front open it isn't needed. I have some trim in the rack yet but the features that matter have been worked on, shelves, tire rack and while you can always wish for a few more feet it works. Ideally to do it again would have added 15 ft to the can and 5 or better yet 10 to the lean to. It would really have been economical as it would have increased the storage without jamming up the parking lot value of it all.
I get caught once in a while to move this to there but its minor especially if I plan ahead a little.
I can add 20 ft to my lean to which I might do. I had one more on my list and its a big ole can out in my junkyard for implements and some wood storage.
Most of it is on back burner, to tell the truth already have all I need to do it with and most of it wont make me any more money.

I park the stuff I am using seasonally, my service truck, pickup and other daily drivers in the winter. My tools are relatively minor so the things of value or that I need for a day or week I pull out and use, then park with a cover. Saves a lot of room and congestion.