Jib crane for the lathe.

[ammcoman2]

I put a Barn Door track (10ft) on the garage ceiling and mounted one of those hoists that Tim mentioned onto the two hangars. The vendor said two hangars can easily handle 400lbs.

Real easy to move around but must agree that the hoist is too fast for a finesse move, even doubled up.

Geoff

[wierdscience]

Looks good John,you could go on up to a length of flatbar tied into a bunch of those roof rafters.It is pretty hard to shove the roof off a building.

[Ian B]

John,

If sliding the 'trolley' along proves to be difficult, how about a slipper of UHMW polyethylene or PTFE between the beam and the trolley? Might make it scoot along a bit easier.

Handy crane!

Ian

[Circlip]

You still using "Rack-O-Tie" design software??


Regards Ian.

[MichaelP]

If you can extend the arm to reach your Bridgy, you may use the crane to keep the falling noodle up.

[John Stevenson]

Well second half of the first day.
Made some straps up for the winch unit to hang from.



Did a test lift with a smaller rotor that's also in for repair.
Serious design error though. It's OK on the small lift but can't swing into the lathe because the cretins in Germany [ it's not a Chinese winch but German ] have only fitted a 3 foot mains cable, see pic.

As a load guide I placed the jib just under a roof beam and put my hand in the space between the two. When weight came on the end of the jib deflected about 10mm - 3/8".

Rolled the rotor out the way and got big bertha into position.



Lifted fine and deflection was again 10mm - 3/8", still can't swing at this point in time.

Now for a load safety check in line with current Elf and Safety checks.



I think that's bigger than anything I have to lift <g>

Deflection was again 10mm - 3/8" so I'm assuming that that is play in the bushes etc.

Speed was also controllable so no need to go to quadruple falls, certainly slower than my previous Chinese one.

Got to shoot out for a couple of hours so I'll grab a small extension lead and a piece of chain.

[John Stevenson]

Got back later than I thought, got extension lead and a length of heavy duty chain rated at 4 tonnes and started making a stretcher bar instaed of the hook on the winch.

2" x 1/2" x 20" long, pivot bush welded central with pin and PTFE washer for thrust.
this will allow me a spin a rotor for opposite end machining.
7/16" pins bent up, drilled and back welded into position.
This should make a far more useful tool than a hook and set length slings.




Big Bertha lifted into position ready for machining on Monday.



Crane swung out of position into park mode where it's out the way.



Still wants bits of work doing like safety stop at the end, coat of paint and possibly some method to move the carriage but it wasn't hard to get this large rotor into the chuck one handed whilst running the winch with the other. Certainly easier than previous methods of jacking, baring and grunting and not always in that order.

Basically cost a days work, £60 for the winch, £30 for that steel I pictured but that was ridiculously cheap because the lady in the office decided she didn't want to measure everything in the truck and work it out so took a guess - bless her <g>. I reckon it should have been £70 to £80 for that thick wall stuff and £6 for the chain.

Not getting a hernia - priceless.

[motorworks]

john
love the set up for lifting rotors....will copy
(if oked by you...;0 )
just put a crane in myself between the Tos and Lion...
My back, though younger then yours is not so great...
(bloody young girl friend )

e2die

[The Artful Bodger]

Thumbs up on that Sir John!

Now then, a piece of all thread, an old battery drill (or something) and you would have a powered method of moving the 'trolley' which might prove handy especially if you have a remote 'pendant' to control it.

[herbet999]

I'm impressed that the headstock and tailstock can hold the weight of that, seemingly, massive thing.