bridge crane

[pablo]

I have been working at a friend of mines house the last 2 weeks. he has a bridge crane in his shop that has made working on my truck really easy, moving the engine, pulling the cab.

I have always wanted a bridge crane and i am building a shop in my back yard right now, 30 by 50. do any of you folks have an idea where i could find a plan to build my own bridge crane? its kinda hard to explain, but i need to know big of steel i need to span the 30 feet and still be able to pick up some thing. i guess i shoudl make a sketch of what i am talking about.

Pablo

 

[donsrods]

Pablo, is a bridge crane a big beam that runs clear across the garage and a trolley affair rolls on it so you can pick up stuff with it and then roll it out of the way? If so, I've wondered about those. They seem to have the limitation of only moving in one direction.

Another way to do it is to build or buy a gantry crane that is essentially a tall four legged affair with casters on each leg. You can roll it over the car and lift stuff like engines, bodies, and frames up and move it to wherever you need it. We have one of those, and it enables one person to lift and move heavy stuff all by themselves. When not in use you push it into one side of the shop. We have two electric motors on ours, each capable of lifting 440 lbs, and use it time and time again. Makes working on stuff so much easier.

Don

 

[Willowbilly3]

Gantrys are cool and can be moved outside if needed. Personally, I have made a swinging boom that I prefer. Get something big like a truck rear end and set it deep in the concrete where you want the crane to center. Leave the hub above the floor level Make sure you get it leveled good. Then you can come up off that with a pipe, beam, whatever to the desired height and run an I beam out from it with your hoist on a trolley. So now you can pick anywhere in the arc of travel it covers. Make sure to put stops at the end of the I beam and also it is a good idea to put a second bearing support at the top but I have seen plenty without it.

 

[Todd]

A buddy of mine has a fixed gantry style crane (like in Don's picture) in his sand blasting booth. It has 2 chain hoists that he uses to make life easier in there.

 

[pablo]

here are some photos of what i am talking about. I think i have it figured out how to build it but i am un sure where to look to get the specs on the type of metal ie wall thickness, beam size etc. is there a place on the web that will give the load capabilities of structoral steel?

Pablo

 

[Willowbilly3]

here are some photos of what i am talking about. I think i have it figured out how to build it but i am un sure where to look to get the specs on the type of metal ie wall thickness, beam size etc. is there a place on the web that will give the load capabilities of structoral steel?

Pablo

Well, yeah. I didn't know you were talking a commercial shop system. That style is definately the best if you have the duckets.

 

[440shorty]

options

We (rustywrench and I) prefer a forklift. Great for all tasks mentioned above, and more. Then you could get some pallet racks to use to store big and heavy stuff off the floor and out of the way, like engines, materials, etc.

Check your local equipment sales or service places.

We've used the forklift to pull and install engines, pull bodies or cabs off frames, and install them; lift and move complete vehicles, load and unload trailers; even plow the driveway (with a pallet.)

In the second picture, you can see the pallet rack in the background.

Just a thought, before you go through all that work.

440shorty

 

[rustywrench]

i gotta agree with shorty. a forklift is perhaps the most useful tool ever invented by mankind. it gives the hammer a run for its money. mine is a hyster 40 diesel. 4,000lb rated. i can pick up almost any vehicle and move it around using fork extensions. about the only ones i cannot pick up are conversion vans and big trucks. mine also has side shift which means when putting in engines i can move the motor in all 3 planes with the accuracy only hydraulics can do. a gantry crane cant drive all over the place and unload trucks or trailers either. think about it before spending big bucks for a gantry crane. i paid 1,200 bucks for guido, my forklift. pete.

 

[Bonehead]

Here is mine... Didn't I see one of these in Pablos pictures?

 

[rustywrench]

heres "GUIDO"

 

[pablo]

i agree

the buddy of mine that has the bridge crane also has a fork lift, to tell you the truth i want both. I think that i might have an idea on how to build the crane, but i will eventually get a fork lift too. i have a sickness when it comes to tools. LOL

Pablo

 

[racer32]

Here in Texas we use the bucket on front of the tractor to pull engines.