Electric hoist

Crosley.In.AZ · April 22, 2011, 10:28:10 PM

I need a small electric hoist cable motor to lift various items to bench height. Weight would be in the 100 - 225 pounds. Seldom at the 225# weight, but that would be max I think

Looked at the Harbor Freight units, that is the design I am after. Granger has some , but at 3 times the cost of HR.

I would need to build a roller - trolley type device so the hoist device could roll - swivel to lift items up - down from bench height

Jokester · April 22, 2011, 11:52:53 PM

Tony, I've seen some trolleys built to roll on a barn door mechanism. It's kind of an upside down U channel. The door hangs on wheels (look like roller scate wheels). I don't think 225# would be out of line, some of those sliding barn doors get pretty heavy. Most farm or hardware stores would have them.

.bjb

phat rat · April 23, 2011, 12:37:46 AM

I can tell you from experience that the ones that use the round tube and rollers work better longer than the square tube ones. I used the square tube ones when I first built my horse barn back in the 70's and before they were probably 5 years old I'd changed all the square ones for round. Doors move much more smoothly and dust, dirt etc can't build up to hinder the workings of the rollers

wayne petty · April 23, 2011, 02:53:15 AM

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-ton-push-trolley-97392.html
one this first version
I-Beam Size Required 2-11/16" to 5-1/8" Wide Flange

the manual for it

http://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/97000-97999/97392.pdf

http://www.harborfreight.com/2-ton-capacity-plain-trolley-40493.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton-push-trolley-91492.html

i have thought about using the garage door rollers and track... i probably will... but the above are far stronger.. if you can get the beam up and secure...

my thoughts for a work bench overhead was to run parallel tracks... with 2 or 4 , 4 wheel trolley wheel sets... supporting a rectangular frame with another channel running between them... the hoist hanging on that 4 wheel trolley... so i can go left and right along the entire area... and in and out from the work bench ...

in a professional shop... you could support a long beam at both ends with several supports along the middle.. depending on the length of the beam..

i have not seen the round tube garage door hangers.. sound interesting to me... most of the garage doors around here are sectional or swing up.. not rolling..

if one has a cord o matic drop cord retractor.. one might be able to mount that .. with the plugs reversed... to be able to yank down a power wire for the hoist.. so you don't need to run long overhead cables...

there are also several versions of this...

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-ton-capacity-pickup-truck-crane-with-cable-winch-37555.html

just my opinion..

phat rat · April 23, 2011, 03:48:17 AM

here's a link to the type I was talking about. However I did forget about the number of hangers . So take a look at this. I question as too whether or not it would be sturdy enough in your situation.

http://slidingbarndoors.net/track-trolley/?category=6

Crosley.In.AZ · April 23, 2011, 09:19:33 AM

the lower weight rated Harbor frieght trolley was listed as on back order when i checked the other evening.

I am looking at a pole with swing arm assembly for my work place bench. The electric hoist would roll along a short beam.

I can no longer lift much weight and I can not keep asking my co-workers to help me

Rrumbler · April 23, 2011, 09:53:21 AM

If I'm getting the right take on this, you need a small gib crane to lift stuff onto the bench, but one that can be moved around. Maybe one like Wayne showed, adapted to fit a taller post, but the need for a rolling base is gonna take up some room to be stable and not want to tip over. How about modifying a folding engine hoist to use a small cable hoist mounted on the boom and a pulley where the chain normally attaches? Not exactly what you wanted, but you could fold it up and stash it off to the side if you have room; I use mine around my congested shop that way, just have to make a space to use it, then fold it up and put it to the side after. Just brain bustin', ruminating a bit here; I am sure you've probably already been over these ideas.

enjenjo · April 23, 2011, 10:51:34 AM

How about one of these mounted to the bench? You could mount the electric winch on the top. http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-ton-capacity-pickup-truck-crane-with-cable-winch-37555.html

UGLY OLDS · April 23, 2011, 11:09:48 AM

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The Winner :!: ^^^^^^^^^^^

I have seen these used in just that application .. Some store bought........Some home-made....

As for :
" I can no longer lift much weight and I can not keep asking my co-workers to help me " .....

They never ask you for help or advice that your experience can provide :?: :?: :evil:

At our place we have a solution for that ......

(

They seem to learn that system VERY quickly......

Bob.........

Crosley.In.AZ · April 23, 2011, 11:24:18 AM

enjenjo ... been looking at that design of the truck mount lift arm. That is the idea I am after. I need to mount the pole to the floor and bench to achieve a stronger lift point. I do not want the bench to do an end-O flip as I lift a trans

UgLy .... i have always tended to be a self sufficient guy, but you are correct. I do provide answers to folks daily, weither it is an answer or a different idea on a method or task.

enjenjo · April 23, 2011, 11:44:56 AM

Just for your info, the base is 3" schedule 40 pipe. You could get a piece as long as you need and replace the base with brackets to hold it to the bench and the floor. Then make a grinder stand out of the original base.

GPster · April 23, 2011, 12:52:02 PM

How about one of those little accordian man lifts that sores have for changin light bulbs on ceiling lights? It could provide a base to set the transmissions on and you could manuver the lift to you workbench and slide the transmission sideways and on to the bench. GPster

wayne petty · April 23, 2011, 01:27:49 PM

since you are not lifting huge amounts...

i really like the idea of a engine hoist.. modified to be short...

another thing.. do you have a old engine stand... that has a straight post.. and twin legs out the front... chop off the horizontal tube and extend it.. to over just under what will fit through a door way at your shop..

put a boom on the top.. that comes out to the just behind the center of the wheel base... a pulley at the end of the boom.. a pulley at the corner where the boom mounts to the vertical... then a winch on the side.. this will allow you to roll it under the shop carts to lift it up and down.. and park it under the end of the work bench... so it only sticks out about 6 or 8 inches.. can be used to hoist transmissions to the top of the conventional transmission post jack if there is some way to clear the legs..

one might have to make it from scratch... with the bottom back beam on top of the leg beams to allow one to roll it over one leg of the transmission post jack..

i will draw it out.. and post a picture in a little while..

i bet it would be a hit out in the install bays... i know.. i would have wanted one when i was doing R and R decades ago... one of my best friends fell in the ATF oil slick that shop always had with a TH400 in his hands.. he was never the same after that...

Crosley.In.AZ · April 23, 2011, 04:03:04 PM

wayne , a roll around device like an A frame may be in my plans for here at the house. I tend to work alone on my cars, in late evening or nite.

At work, I have a lift on the dyno to use, which is what I am looking to replicate at my bench. We use a Dayton electric cable lift on that dyno hoist.

The HR cable hoist would work for me and I have to pay for it. I might use the hoist 2 - 4 times a day on average.

Hard to believe in my youth I would lift these t-425 trans axles to the bench by myself. Probably why my back and leg are now messed up

wayne petty · April 23, 2011, 04:19:54 PM

this could roll up to the end or the side of the work bench to be out of the way...

could roll around the shop.... one might really want to fill the legs with concrete to give it some mass down low...

probably embed the end of the front leg rollers in the leg.. using steel wheels

swivel steel wheels on the rear cross bar. as close to the outer legs as you can without limiting the swing of the casters... one could even use one of the hand crank winches... if you don't like the electric versions..

proper positioning of the winch mount will let it slide in above the bottom shelf of the work bench.. and below the bottom lip of the upper... and not stick far out into the isle blocking it....

HF does have a worm drive hand crank winch.. so it cannot back off... careful removal of the crank handle.. and locking 3 carefully ground nuts together would allow you to use a deep socket on an air impact to spin the worm drive to hoist the transmission...

if using the gear drive winch.. you might want to look at cutting some steel tube to expand the core diameter so you get more inches of cable movement per rotation... since you are not lifting at the max weight..

http://www.harborfreight.com/2000-lb-capacity-geared-winch-5798.html

this removes the need to power and power cords... since everybody in the shop has a impact... the hand crank handle could still be stuck there on a magnet.. with a proper sized cheep deep socket welded to it.. so its quick to install when there is NO air... or you are just feeling cranky...

i hope this explains some of my thoughts...