overhead shop crane in the garage

[71dusterdan]

anybody have an overhead crane in there garage? i am getting ready to build a new garage, in the mancave section, i intend to build an overhead crane. anybody have a suggestion on building one. right now my plan is 4 posts, either sq. tube or i beam, tow i beams running the length, and then a single i beam connecting the two. I would think for what i want to do a smallish beam like 4 to 6 inch beam as the connector with the trolley, and 2 6- 8 inch beams running for the length. with similiar beams in the corner posts or 6 inch sq tube in 3/16 t0 1/4 in wall. then picking up a trollet hoist at harbor freight with a a 2 ton capacity. any opinions or input. sources for trolley hoists etc. the steel in no problem, i work for a steel distributor. Dan:fart:

[ls1 nova]

This is a pic of my shop crane. It is 6" aluminum I beam supported by 6" steel I beam and spans 42'. It is also supported in the middle by a piece of 3" schedule 40 pipe which I have buried in the wall that separates my garage. The crane is a 1 ton budgit hoist that is at least 30 yrs old. Still works great. The heaviest thing I have lifted so far is the back half of a 1970 nova plus multiple sb bb chevy. No deflection. The only problem is this only goes right to left. I wanted to build the system you are talking about but my 10' ceiling limits that. Beam,trolly,hoist hang down 30" The steel you mentioned should be plenty strong enough as long as you dont span any great distance. Hope this helps. Post some pics of the garage build.
22821

[GTOnate]

Sweet set up... You could also do a set up in the corner on a rotating assembly such as
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/03/tower_crane_page_2_klgw-1.jpg
on a smaller scale though...

[GTOnate]

I had similar cranes in a shop I worked at. Very usable. can probably find one used from a closed warehouse or something. The big 4 post set up would be more expensive and harder to use. unless you are lifting whole cars...

[Mathius]

The boom cranes we have in my shop are very good, but the overhead two rail monster is a PITA. You wrestle the crane almost as much as you wrestle the load.

The hydraulic lines are on spring loaded coils that retract and unroll according to the location of the crane, but they have way too much tension and the crane wants to swing back to its "idle" position.

Mathius

[Don_Berry]

Get a forklift instead. It's useful for 100s of other things and much more flexible. I use mine every day and couldn't get along without it.

[Mathius]

Get a forklift instead. It's useful for 100s of other things and much more flexible. I use mine every day and couldn't get along without it.

That's true, as long as you have the room. If you want to put a crane in, I have to assume you do have the room.

There's a guy in our shop that rigs everything off the forklift because he has no crane in the area he's working in. The other guys get irritated that he locks it up all day, but the point is, it will do almost as many things as a crane, and sometimes more.

You can get the right size tubing to fab up hooks to attach to it, extension forks, large booms, etc.

Mathius