Roller Hoop...Anyone have one or use one?

[Draginutz]

My dad is in Licoln Nebraska on business and found the Hot rod/Resto shop that is making these http://www.rollerhoop.com/index.html I was wondering if anyone has one or has used one it looks like a hand garage tool.

[gkring]

* What are the benefits of the Roller Hoop over other types of rotisseries?

Funny that they left that question unanswered on their FAQ page. For the positive it looks like it would take up less room when not being used than a regular setup. A little easier to rotate if setup correctly. Looks to be quite a bit of downsides, however.
Costs $2000 for the complete setup with wheels
Requires most of a day to get a car on it.
You have to build your own jigs.
Attaching points are not at the frame ends, but all over the car.
Should make floor pan replacement interesting.
Car would not be height adjustable. Would also take up more room while being used. I like turning my car completely sideways and pushing it up against the wall when I am not working on it. Couldn't do that with this system.

Obviously the inventor sees a very valid reaon for this style. I'll check back and see if he ever answers his own question on the benefits of this style over a conventional rotisserie. From what is ther I would think the price point could be much lower versus more expensive than all the other deluxe versions of rotisseries out there.

[My427stang]

My buddy has a 68.5 CJ coupe on one now. Its pretty slick.

The body doesnt go on and off the hoop too easy, a lot of different arms bolted every which way, but after its on it'll rotate and lock in any position.

His 7 yr old boy likes to spin the car around. Its a real neat piece.

BTW, his came with arms for the Mustang. In addition, it comes with wheels too, you can put the car in any position and roll it around the shop.

[Draginutz]

GKRING- I have sent roller hoop an email asking them to answer there own question. So we will see. I will post any response I get.

[Draginutz]

Here what I heard back:

Pete
Thanks for taking the time to check out our exciting new rotisserie, as you might imagine that is a tricky question to answer and at the time we posted it I wanted a bit more time to think how to correctly word my answer; I just haven’t had time to get back in a finish it. I have so much work to do in the shop, I’m a two man restoration shop with enough work for at least six qualified craftsmen but we all know how hard it is to find them, so I learned a long time ago to basically rely on yourself. And that is what lead to my new design, I needed something that was easer to load on a trailer and to transport, my shop is cramped so I wanted a rotisserie that took up less space, I didn’t like the stress load on a body shell while hanging from the ends, and the hyperextension that would happen if you spun it 360, didn’t like a pipe inside a pipe design with a bolt or pin for a brake. I didn’t care for having to connect the two ends together, didn’t care for the unstableness when I was doing serious cutting and metal work, being a professional restoration guy for over 30 some years I was just ready for some other way of handling a body shell that was more efficient, short of trying to bring in a magician to levitate the body shell I thought a couple of Hoops with supports spreading out the load and mounted inboard rather than on the ends would be a better way, and then give it a rolling platform with foot operated brakes, and some detachable wheels to move around, after using my first prototype I knew I would never go back with the other two units I had. Again any (decent) rotisserie is an asset to a restoration but at our shop we need the Roller Hoop it has been a great performer, now K&N Filter products is using one to build a SEMA show car.
I’ll try to get back and post a simpler answer.

Best Regards,
Doug

[Draginutz]

And some pics of it being used. I think it looks like a good "tool."

Below just a few pictures of Johnny Sparks a twenty year old craftsmen that has taken to the Roller Hoop like a fish to water!https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gifGreat for rear and frt. repairs https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gifposition your work exactly were you want it with out moving you’re your working area just a quick flick of your toe to unlock the brake ECT. ,
when you need to do some detail work, way not place the body in your lap! nhttps://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gifhttps://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gifthey way the body is suspended inboard makes panel replacement a breeze, late night at our shop Auto Kraft body and paint you will find a multiple of Roller Hoops in action. https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gifhttps://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gifAfter a tremendous amount of structural and cosmetic repairs on this 63 Falcon it was very rewarding to paint the bottom side https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gifhttps://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif even this one of a kind Ferrari is a fun restoration project, below a recent set up at a shop in Colorado. https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif