Lets Talk Gantry Cranes

I went with a friend to look at the HF gantry and advised him to buy it. It is well made and for the price you can't go wrong.
The engine hoists that are for sale are purpose built for getting under cars so they are limited when it comes to other tasks, in some instances down right dangerous.
Building a hoist with a square base to fit around a pallet, a lathe or a mill is something to consider and would be a good project. Having the gantry and hoist in your shop will be an asset. I hope this helps.
Tom
 
I've got a nice 2.5 ton engine hoist. I've used it to move my first vertical mill (Burke Millrite @ 1,200 pounds) three different times on and off of a small trailer, 400 pound surface plate, and a lot of other things. Mine has legs that fold up for storage along the wall. I also have a good pallet jack and pallets. I wouldn't be without either one. That being said, the engine hoist has a lot of limitations as have already been pointed out. Mostly lack of lifting height and the legs stick way out. Which makes it a challenge to get it under anything to lift straight up. So a good gantry with chain hoist and trolly is on my buy list. I've found several nice used ones (US made) in my area. But all have been too tall for my shop area. I'm seriously considering modifying one to make it adjustable.
 
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Buy it. You will find more things to do with it. Soon you will wonder how you got along without one!
I have all the material to fab one, I just lack the time. I have a vacation coming up, but my wife wants to go out of town.
I would just send her and the kids, but there's a 80 gallon air tank in the near vicinity of our trip that can be had for free. So not a complete loss.

Sent from somewhere in east Texas!
 
Jake, if you don't take that air receiver, I might be interested. I can't seem to get mine down to the sandblaster for a cleanup.
 
I drove past HF today...without stopping. Ugh the flaw in my plan to position the crane above the garage door tracks is the door has to be closed to use it so I couldn't back the truck or trailer in and get the door closed. There is one last spot at the front of the bay where I would have about 6 feet of forward/reverse motion for the crane. I would have to completely reorganize things to put it there however.

So for now I'm holding off on the buying the crane, I want to have a look at this mill first which arrives tomorrow.
 
Ditch the track doors and get rollup doors. There's a place in Huston that can build them custom for cheaper than you can buy standard rollups.
Called DBCI Doors.

Sent from somewhere in east Texas!
 
I started building one in my shop but it's on the back burner. I need to make a better mount for the support cable/wall connection but just never got around to it. It's around 10' long and can support 100 pounds at the end, however the max load will stay around 50 pounds at the end, 100 half way out. Used to lift stuff on and off the mill, and chucks on the lathe.

No more convenient than an engine hoist for what I'd use it for, but I put it together for free so I can't complain.
 
I purchased a 5 ton Shaw box gantry crane with v-track for $700 at local auction. Used the hell out of it until the Hyster 50 came into my life, yes its a love affair for my back.haha Now the large owls perch on the GC hooting all night.
Honestly, for the same cost of the HF gantry, you could probably build one custom for your needs. Do you weld?
 
If its the same HF gantry were talking about doesnt it telescope in height so you can raise and lower it to clear the obstructions??? I bought mine several years ago and sure it collects dust 99% of the time but boy is it the schnizzle when I need it. One of the better $500-600 I've spent. I would just buy it. You wont regret it! I probably costed out the materials to build one myself 10 times and there's just no way to justify the cost.
That 1 ton HF gantry enabled me to get a BP, Lathe, Surface grinder, band saw, Tormach 1100 mill and lots of other heavy stuff off of rental trailers and down a stairwell to my shop in the basement. I took the casters off and blocked it into position where it pretty much stays. If need be I attach the wheels and can roll it around the garage but frankly its a pain and done only as a last resort if thers no other way to do a job.
I keep my boat in the third car bay but the crane fits back there and just clears the back of the boat and door way. Nice to hang vests and wet boating equipment from to dry.
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Coolige, how high are your ceilings? I just measured mine and its about 10' The crane looks like it will drop to about 8' so you should have no problem as long as you avoid the door and tracks.
 
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