08-01-2012, 03:24 PM
(08-01-2012, 09:37 AM)Mayhem Wrote: Sounds good Walter. I am looking forward to your build, as I am planning on doing similar, or possibly a mobile gantry.
Mayhem
AAB is actually a bloke located in Melbourne, Australia. He has been very helpful with reviewing my numbers and making sure I do not pull the house down on top of myself.
I have all the steel (6" x 20' I beam and HSS Tubing), Casters and even the hydraulic jacks to build one of the telescoping Gantry cranes, but I have a big problem with it. My driveway/parking lot (WHU) is sloped about 3 feet over about 75 Feet. Just enough that the gravity of the situation takes over any time I try to lift anything. I currently do have a 2 T engine hoist and whenever I use it, I have to run a winch from the back of the shop out to the hoist so that I can keep it from scooting down the driveway and taking out any vehicles that happen to be passing by at the time.
The gantry may get built in time, but probably not before I either redo the driveway or go back to my original plan and pour a Concrete retaining wall down both sides of the driveway and embed a gantry track in it.
If you have a flat surface to work from, and lots of room in your shop, the gantry is a better choice as it can be taken where you need it.
Myself, not flat, very cluttered and low headroom, leaves the bridge crane as the best alternative, although definitely overkill for the space, will be very handy when completed.
Walter
starlight_tools, proud to be a member of Metalworking Forum since Apr 2012.