Small Shop Cranes

[rScotty]

It's time for a small shop crane, or something to help me lift things. It's just old age, but I can no longer lift the normal things in the shop. Time for some help.
It needn't be all that strong. 500 lbs max would be fine, and 50 more common. But the shop is small and it needs to fold up and be out of the way.
I've looked at the Harbor Freight & might go that way. Comments? It's certainly inexpensive.
rScotty

 

[oldnslo]

I purchased one of their pickup mount jib cranes and the cylinder leaks down from the weight of the boom. Like you I just use it to move stuff but am still disappointed that it won’t support a load for any period of time.

 

[5030]

I use an Ingersol Rand air operated 1500 pound crane on a trolley mounted on an I beam that runs the length of the shop. It's a lifesaver for me.

 

[hiddentacocatneddih]

I got the hazard frought one. Used it to pull the cummins out of my old truck and tear down my SXS a dew times.

Cant complain. It does leak down but what ever

 

[MossRoad]

It's time for a small shop crane, or something to help me lift things. It's just old age, but I can no longer lift the normal things in the shop. Time for some help.
It needn't be all that strong. 500 lbs max would be fine, and 50 more common. But the shop is small and it needs to fold up and be out of the way.
I've looked at the Harbor Freight & might go that way. Comments? It's certainly inexpensive.
rScottyView attachment 777330

I've had a similar Harbor Freight crane like that for 25+ years. It folds up nicely when not in use and takes up about 4 square feet of floor space. I rarely use it, but when I do, it's really handy. Last time I used it was about 2 years ago when I pulled an engine and transmission out of an '85 chevy pickup as a single unit before scrapping the truck chassis. Works as advertised.

 

[MossRoad]

One modification that I'd do to it, and that I plan to do to my shop press is to press out the little cross T in the release valve and replace it with a round handle like a garden faucet. I've seen that modification on U-Tube and it would sure beat using the slot in the pump handle for minor/slow releases.

 

[Smokeydog]

We all need lifting help.
Floor in my shop too uneven for much wheeled stuff. Do have overhead I-Beam hoist to use in just a little part. Have some surplus I-beam chain lift, chain travel hoists if you need.

Use several 2” receiver style hitches around the shop to mount various equipment to best utilize floor space. Modified a northern tool crane to utilize the hitches too. Can bolt the base down to the heavy welding bench which it on casters.

Have receiver hitches on tractor buckets and attachments.

Few little modifications makes it easy to break down to move with no piece weighing more than 38#. With cable winch, hydraulic arm, 360 rotation, adjustable outriggers goes where other cranes can’t. Used to dress a deer, loading heavy treasures in truck to bring back home, to handling/supporting long steel stock. Cost $150 on sale years ago. Have a design in my head for a shade tree mount that hadn’t needed yet.

 

[EdGooding]

You can also adapt these shop cranes to use them on your 3-point lift as well as in your shop:

 

[Wolfy]

One of the the best things I ever bought was a Hoyer lift. I use it constantly to raise all sorts of things. Its much smaller than an engine hoist, much less room is needed to store it and its quick and light to move around.

 

[mikester]

I used to have a cheap folding shop crane but found my 5,000# forklift with side shift 1000x more useful, safer and easier for handling heavy items.

The portable cranes are ok if you need a straight lift. The moment you have to slide a heavy load they become a PITA even with polished smooth concrete floors. You will be wishing for a helper. With the fork lift you can do heavy lifts, assembly and disassembly on your own.

 

[Smokeydog]

Have to admit to using the backhoes as cranes. Operating whilst standing beside them.

 

[Xfaxman]

One modification that I'd do to it, and that I plan to do to my shop press is to press out the little cross T in the release valve and replace it with a round handle like a garden faucet. I've seen that modification on U-Tube and it would sure beat using the slot in the pump handle for minor/slow releases.

Yep, good idea. My shop crane metal knob:

My shop press plastic knob:

 

[scootr]

I've had a HF electric winch mounted to the the ceiling of my garage for 15 yrs. Handy if you are lifting in one spot. I have a modified handtruck (4 wheels - 2 are casters) with a HF winch on a boom. Handy if you are lifting where you need to move the load on a smooth surface. For everythign else I have a 5k CAT forklift. The forklift is my most used tool on the ranch. I have a smooth solid surfaced pallet I cn put on the forks, put a yard mower or whatever on it and raise it up to where wrenching on it doesn't hurt my back and I can see what I'm doing better too. Many of you have tractor forks you can do the same things with.

 

[EdGooding]

Yep, good idea. My shop crane metal knob:

View attachment 777391


My shop press plastic knob:

View attachment 777392View attachment 777394

Do you remember the thread size for the knob-valve?

 

[MossRoad]

Do you remember the thread size for the knob-valve?

The videos I saw on it, the knob wasn't threaded. They pressed out the cross-pin in the cylinder valve stem, found a knob that would fit over the stem, or drilled it out to fit over the stem, slipped it over the spot where the cross-pin was, drilled a corresponding hole where the old cross-pin was, then pressed the pin or a new roll pin back in, holding the knob to the valve stem.

 

[Xfaxman]

It's time for a small shop crane, or something to help me lift things. It's just old age, but I can no longer lift the normal things in the shop. Time for some help.
It needn't be all that strong. 500 lbs max would be fine, and 50 more common. But the shop is small and it needs to fold up and be out of the way.

Here is a light weight lifter: Portable Lifting Devices, Ergonomic Lifting Hoists

 

[Smokeydog]

SWAG Machined Thumb Knob For (Round) Hydraulic Bottle Jack Release Val

Machined Thumb Knob For Bottle Jacks (Round) Open/Close Valves We save you the hassle of using the 18" long handle to open and close the pressure release valve on any of your bottle jacks or long rams. It is fully machined out of steel with a black oxide finish and built to last. The inside...

www.swagoffroad.com

Jack valve handle.

 

[EdGooding]

The videos I saw on it, the knob wasn't threaded. They pressed out the cross-pin in the cylinder valve stem, found a knob that would fit over tGhe stem, or drilled it out to fit over the stem, slipped it over the spot where the cross-pin was, drilled a corresponding hole where the old cross-pin was, then pressed the pin or a new roll pin back in, holding the knob to the valve stem.

Got it - thank you!

 

[Xfaxman]

Do you remember the thread size for the knob-valve?

No threads. I did it the way Moss answered.

 

[w0eaj]

I bought one of the mid-sized Harbor Fright [sic] ones and use the hell out of it. It's advantage is that everything folds up, so very easy to put in a "corner". When rigging the retractable air-hose reel, it was pretty theatrical trying to hold the weight and mount it (in a quonset building), so I put a long pipe in the end of the crane, and lifted it into position (no, it didn't exceed the lifting moment at that extension). TIP: Take the extended boom out and spray it BRIGHT YELLOW, then wrap tape around it in a spiral and paint that BLACK. It keeps me from bonking my head into the extended end, cause I can SEE IT.