Gantry for Garage

[jimmer2880]

Finally started a new thread for my small Gantry project. I've been thread-jacking someone else's barn gantry-crane thread.

Picked up most of the steel, and ordered the wheels today. No pics. Hopefully I'll get some this weekend.

Purchased scrap steel for $0.30 per lb from my local steel shop. Got a 13' of 10"x4" W steel Ibeam. Cut it down to 11'. They had some 5"x5"x1/8"x7.5' box tubing. The box tubing was used as vertical supports before, so it already has plate welded to the top and bottom (and a piece of angle here & there). Since I'm going for max height out of my 12' ceiling, I had to cut 22" off each end of one, and welded them to my 2 vertical legs.

I plan on using a single 93" piece of 5x5 box tubing for the horizontal legs.

For wheels, I"m using 2 wheels, side by side on each end of each horizontal legs. Each of the 8 wheels are rated at 700 lbs, giving me a little over 2 tons lifting capability for the wheels.

 

[CompactTractorFan]

Sounds neat!!! Pictures are welcome!!! :thumbsup:

 

[CCWKen]

Not all I-beams are created equal. I-beams use an AISI description that gives the depth in inches and weight per foot. Are you saying you bought a W10x4? As in 4 pounds per foot? That's like purlin steel and not suitable for a Gantry. While the flange may be close to 4", what counts is the web and flange thickness and thus the weight. For 2000 lbs over an 11 foot span, you should be looking for something like a W10x15 or better.

 

[jimmer2880]

Not all I-beams are created equal. I-beams use an AISI description that gives the depth in inches and weight per foot. Are you saying you bought a W10x4? As in 4 pounds per foot? That's like purlin steel and not suitable for a Gantry. While the flange may be close to 4", what counts is the web and flange thickness and thus the weight. For 2000 lbs over an 11 foot span, you should be looking for something like a W10x15 or better.

thank you for the concern. I am just learning about I-beam specs. I was saying that the beam is 10" high, 4"x(either 3/16" or 1/4") web. According to the bathroom scale, it weighs in at approx 18 lbs per foot. It is a "W", not an "S"

 

[rjmack]

it sounds like what you are building will be good for about 20 tons.

i built a gantry that can be disassembled/reassemble by one person and loaded in the back of a pickup truck.

it has lifted close to 5 tons using the outboard rigging points and can lift a 2000lbs welding machine from the center point. it is built using 2x2x.125 wall hss for the legs and 2x2x.187 for the top. i built another one like it with 8" wheels but it's lifting capacity is far lower because of the wheels.

i don't mean to hijack your thread, just throwing out some ideas.

 

[Shield Arc]

You realize it takes a special trolley to run on a wide flange beam don't you? The more common trolleys are for S-shape / I-beams.

 

[jimmer2880]

You realize it takes a special trolley to run on a wide flange beam don't you? The more common trolleys are for S-shape / I-beams.

Thanks. The trolley I'm looking at, is listed on Harbor Freight, says it's for both S & W beams. Not sure how they do that, since the interior flange angles are different.

2 Ton Push Beam Trolley

 

[jimmer2880]

RJMack - Nice crane you have there. Can't believe you are able to lift that much with just 2x2 box. WOW

 

[Shield Arc]

Thanks. The trolley I'm looking at, is listed on Harbor Freight, says it's for both S & W beams. Not sure how they do that, since the interior flange angles are different.

2 Ton Push Beam Trolley

It sure does! The wheels must have a flat area next to the flange of the wheel so it will ride on a W-shape, or HP-shape.
Being as it's from Harbor Freight and says 2-Ton capacity, I wouldn't lift over 1-Ton!

 

[rjmack]

Can't believe you are able to lift that much with just 2x2 box

you wouldn't believe what you can do with that stuff. i built a set of jin poles, ended up bending the truck frame like a banana...

i guess it's time to start a thread on that.:laughing:

 

[jimmer2880]

Finally got some good measurements on the beam.

10" tall
4" flange x 3/8" thick
1/4" thick web

According to the doc I saw, that comes out to W10x17. 11.5' should equal 195.5 lbs. However, I"m not sure I believe that (or -I'm getting weaker )

 

[slowzuki]

Not on wheels so the legs can't splay out. Makes a big difference once you start spanning wide distances.

RJMack - Nice crane you have there. Can't believe you are able to lift that much with just 2x2 box. WOW

 

[jimmer2880]

Not on wheels so the legs can't splay out. Makes a big difference once you start spanning wide distances.

That's my biggest concern with having mine on wheels. I'm contemplating making pads to turn down, or engage somehow, to remove weight from the wheels once in position.

BTW - I'm not planning on actually moving it while carrying a load.

 

[rjmack]

are the wheels steel?

from the sound of the materials you have, with a little bracing you probably have plenty to spare in terms of structural strength, even with wheels under it. don't forget to add the weight of the gantry to the total load on the wheels.

if you are going to sit the wide flange on top of the legs it might not hurt to box the ends of the wide flange. if you are welding it in between the legs, that should take care of that problem as well as provide strength against lateral deflection under load, but then you would probably want to box the top of the leg/tube.

 

[Shield Arc]

Finally got some good measurements on the beam.

10" tall
4" flange x 3/8" thick
1/4" thick web

According to the doc I saw, that comes out to W10x17. 11.5' should equal 195.5 lbs. However, I"m not sure I believe that (or -I'm getting weaker )

Divide these numbers in half for center point loads.

 

[jimmer2880]

That chart sure is useful. Thank you.

Good point on boxing the flange. Yes, I am planning on sitting it on top of the legs. But - I'm having a hard time imaging what you are talking about. Are you saying to just put a plate on the very end of the I-beam? Or - are you saying to put some plate on each side of the angle?

I was planning on putting some 1.5x1.5 box tubing gussets in the corners. Probably only be about 6" on each side.

And - the wheels are nylon. But - at rated for 700 lbs, using 8, I should be good for 2 tons.

https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?item=1-1195&catname=wheels

 

[Shield Arc]

I think he's talking about a flange to web gusset / stiffener. Keep the flanges of the beam from racking under load.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I think he's talking about a flange to web gusset / stiffener. Keep the flanges of the beam from racking under load.

How do you do that and still let the thing roll?

 

[jimmer2880]

I think he's talking about a flange to web gusset / stiffener. Keep the flanges of the beam from racking under load.

Cool. I'm thinking it would be best to align that plate up with the inside edge of the vertical legs. correct?

 

[hawkeye08]

Thanks. The trolley I'm looking at, is listed on Harbor Freight, says it's for both S & W beams. Not sure how they do that, since the interior flange angles are different.

2 Ton Push Beam Trolley

From the picture, it looks like it has washers you move to adjust for the width. Not sure about the angles.