Small Shop Cranes

[Xfaxman]

Speaking of extensions, I added a smaller piece of rectangular tubing in mine:

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

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

Did you spell hobo frate wrong? Just make ng sure we talkin bout that same species.

 

[BukitCase]

Probably not - that's one of the common negative witticisms for harbor freight... steve

 

[bigtiller]

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

View attachment 777409

That looks interesting enough that I just sent for more info from them.
I hope this doesn't backfire with a bunch of spam.

 

[rScotty]

I never dreamed there were so many options for shop cranes! Hoyer & Skyhook both look great - at roughly 10 to 20 times the price of the H.F.... er....Harbor Fright.

The ones that mount on 3pt hitch or SSQA are amazing.
TBN is great. I can see a trolly and overhead beam in the future. But probably need a cheap crane to put that up anyway. It's a "you need one to build one" kind of thing.
thanks all,
rScotty

 

[Xfaxman]

My first "tractor" had a shop crane:

 

[rScotty]

My first "tractor" had a shop crane:

View attachment 777440View attachment 777441View attachment 777442

Wish we still had our old red Willys here on the place. My parents first car was the larger version. A WWII open Command Car. Mom hated it, Dad loved it. Don't think I've ever seen another.

 

[rScotty]

Say, this is for those of you who have the Harbor Freight shop crane..... It seems that they all leak down, and everyone hates it but puts up with it because of the price. Is there some sort of cam or support that people use to hold the arm up? Gotta be something.... A 2x4?
rScotty

 

[MossRoad]

Say, this is for those of you who have the Harbor Freight shop crane..... It seems that they all leak down, and everyone hates it but puts up with it because of the price. Is there some sort of cam or support that people use to hold the arm up? Gotta be something.... A 2x4?
rScotty

I don't recall mine leaking down. But then, I guess I've never left a load on it for long periods. I'd have to check next spring.

As for blocking it up, about the only way would be to put a sleeve around the hydraulic ram with clamps, like for FEL arms.

You'd probably need several sleeves of different lengths.

 

[MossRoad]

Like this...

Tractor Hydraulic Safety Stop - 2 Pack -15 inch-9-113001

 

[scootr]

Like this...

Tractor Hydraulic Safety Stop - 2 Pack -15 inch-9-113001

Those are good. In the past I have cheaply built those by welding 2 pieces of 2" angle together in a C channel. Or whatever size is needed.

 

[kevin37b]

Speaking of extensions, I added a smaller piece of rectangular tubing in mine:

View attachment 777426View attachment 777427

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You are a complete and utter sh0w off , Love it . Kevin .

 

[bcp]

To hold up a shop crane and be adjustable, weld on some brackets and use a tractor top link. If one bracket had a row of holes, larger adjustments could be made faster without having to turn the top link.

Bruce

 

[Smokeydog]

My Northern Tool crane is a inexpensive import copy of a Vestil crane of about 3x the cost. The latter even having a galvanized option to use around salt water. Far from a daily user but have not experienced hydraulic cylinder leak down. Same cylinder used on engine pullers and available separately.

Only mechanical problem was the bearings used in the winch cable pulleys required shims (washers) to hold them in the pulley bores on the shafts.

Did weld the bolts on mast base to make disassembly and reassembly easier and less parts to loose. Wrench welded to turning lever is the only tool needed.

The crane is made to have the base bolted down. I needed it to be mobile and multi-station use. Using jack(s) to support the base and the plumb the mast important in rotating loads easily.

Correction, the heaviest piece to move is 68# when disassembled.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

The HF hoist I've had for years works well. I mounted a 120v winch attached to ceiling 2x12 joists for lifting mowers to sharpen blades. Tractor has a boom for 3pt hitch and forks for the bucket. I have a hydraulic lift cart that's also handy.

 

[DaBear3428]

The HF hoist I've had for years works well. I mounted a 120v winch attached to ceiling 2x12 joists for lifting mowers to sharpen blades. Tractor has a boom for 3pt hitch and forks for the bucket. I have a hydraulic lift cart that's also handy.View attachment 777867

i used a 12volt and some jumper cables to hook to the ZTM battery. works nice and is out of the way when not in use.

 

[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.

Here is something that doesn't take much floor space: Crank Up Counterbalanced Workbench / Lift

 

[rScotty]

OP here - And I never thought that there would be so many different types of lifting devices .... or that so many TBNers already had one in their shop.

Not sure what our final solution here will be, but I now know a lot more about what is available. My machine/fab shop is small but high ceilings. Vehicle work is done outside where the backhoe can lift anything. However, anything in the shop needs to fold up and store away.

Needing something today, it was off to HF yesterday to purchase their heavier two ton shop crane. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the one they had on display. Same size as their 1 ton. It comes disassembled in boxes - so hope this one is as nice. $320.

The plan is for the folding crane to buy time to design an overhead trolley system.

rScotty

 

[Smokeydog]

Once saw a bunch of straight and curved I-beams for hoists at the scrapyard. Common in older shops. Later bought a manual Yale hoist made for the curves. Probably never see beams like that again.

A nice overhead I-beam “J” or extended leg “U” would work well in the shop. Don’t have the height or $$$ payback for a bridge crane.

 

[rangerfredbob]

I've had the harbor freight 1.5 ton folding hoist for like 20 years, it's still going strong, I think it was $125 way back then, not perfect and I don't think it leaks down much, it folds up pretty small, I've used it for all sorts of silly things over the years...

In the shop I have an A frame, it now has two trolleys one with that chain hoist and the other has a come along, eventually I'll get another chain hoist for it...

In my defense on the above picture, it was raining like heck outside, that's why I lifted it out instead of getting the ramp out...