Low Profile Overhead Shop Bridge Crane

[starlight_tools]

I need to put in some way of carrying items throught the shop. Most of it is light stuff, like benchtop mitre saws and planers. Also lifting items as they are assembles and putting stock onto mill/lathe and vises, Rotary table etc. Then again there may be a few times when heavier items need to be moved.


There are a few ideas out there that look neat, like this one..

http://homemetalshopclub.org/projects/crane/crane.html

And so I have been giving this some more thought.

Here is what I have come up with so far. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Standard Barn door track is rated for 400 to 450 lbs based on using a pair of carriers. There is Barn door track available from Richards Wilcox that is rated for 1000 lbs 376 series, with a pair of carriers and another the 888 series that is rated up to 5000 lbs again with two carriers. The Richards Wilcox track is not available in Canada, unless it is specially ordered and imported. It is very pricey! Ie 56.50/foot USD.

The shop is 10'-10" x 28' long and has an 8' ceiling height. There is a second room right beside it that is 10'-10 x 20' used as showroom. The headroom is very low so I can-not go with anything that will hang down very far. this eliminates 6" to 8" I beams which would be my first choice.

Walls are 2x6 construction, 16" OC with block walls on the exterior walls approx 4' high

Ceiling has 2x10 Joists, 16" OC running across the width of the room.

I need to stay 26 in from each wall the main rails, to clear cabinet doors, etc. this leaves the main rails at 6'-5" C-C. The largest free span would be 6'-2"

The air cleaner will have to be moved as it is the only thing that hangs down "too far"

The bridge would consist of two rails 16" C-C, that way the load would span at least two joists at all times. the hook point would be centred between the two rails and be as close to the top of the bridge as possible while still being able to slide under the main rails.

The rails would consist of 3x4x1/4 HSS tubing that has a slot milled on the "welded" flange 13/16" wide. these would be mounted to the ceiling joists with a pair of 1/4" thick plate hangers for each joist and bolted through the joist with 1/2" bolts. Tabs on the bottoms of the hangers would support the rail. These hangers could be welded to the rails, or left to float. But no welds would be in "shear"

The span across the front of the shop would be a second "fixed" set of rails that the trolley could be rolled off the main bridge onto to allow picking up items from the front door, with the option of a second set of rails in the show room.

Any thoughts as to where the week links could be?

Any thoughts as to how much weight this might hold?

Walter