making room in my shop.

[markus shaffer]

With a recent addition of new equipment in my shop, I'm looking for creative ways to maximize my floorspace. One thing that I have which is not in constant use is my plywood cart (see photo). To make a long story short, I have a section in my shop where the ceiling is pretty high. I was thinking of rigging up a chain hoist and hanging the cart up when I don't need it. At first I was looking at simple inexpensive chain hoists. But as I was looking on the internet and in catalogs, the idea of a powered hoist seemed much nicer. However, those are really cost prohibitive and beyond what I need. Then I got to thinking about winches. Same idea, but much cheaper.. I have no personal experience using them, so I was hoping someone here might have some advice on the idea. Plywood cart can't weigh more than 150 pounds, so I don't need anything super strong. Looking on Ebay, there are all sorts and very cheap at that. Current example below...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2382948235&category=632

My question is, given that I'm not planning on using this all the time and the weight issue is pretty minimal, will something of this quality suffice for the needs I've described? I appreciate advice anyone might have.

-Markus

[John Miliunas]

Marcus, I'm certainly no engyneer, but I'd look at a couple things with that one. For starters, it's a 12V unit. You'd have to have a pretty sturdy 12V supply. Secondly, even though it can probably handle the 150lbs. you're proposing, the rating you see there is "rolling weight", not dead weight. Think about it: You can probably push a small or even intermediate car all by your lonesome. Now, try to pick it up!

I'm not a real big fan of HF, but I took a quick peek out there and came up with this one: http://order.harborfreight.com/EasyAsk/harborfreight/results.jsp?ts=Tue%20Mar%2002%2018:49:24%20PST%202 004

Plenty of capacity and 110VAC. Just be sure whatever you're attaching it to will support the hoist and its load! :cool:

[Dean Baumgartner]

Markus,
What do you intend to do with the space under the cart? Will it be more storage or will it be working space? One of the prime safety rules we follow in manufacturing is NO WORKING UNDER A SUSPENDED LOAD. Never count on any type of lifting device from the smallest 1/2 ton chain hoist to a 50 ton bridge crane to keep something in the air when you might be under it. If you plan on raising something and then working under it you should look at some positive restraints like arms that are pinned in place with the load up. Too many bad things can happen to cables, clutches, electric brakes that will allow the load to fall at the worst possible moment. And yes I am an engineer, do this stuff most every day. Sorry to rain on your parade but I'd look for other ways to make more floor space available.

Dean

[markus shaffer]

Dean,

I had thought about the suspended load safety issue. I plan to devise some system that it would be supported underneath after the cart was hoisted. I do appreciate the concern though. I should have mentioned that in my original post. I just don't know anything about winches themselves to make an educated guess about lifting. Thanks for the input.


John,

I hadn't thought about the rolling weight issue. Once again, no prior knowledge of winches.. I'll keep that in mind as I'm looking into this idea more. The power supply thing was a good point. I hadn't looked at the model on Ebay too closely. I'll look into a model with a standard 110 volt power supply. Thanks.


-Markus

[Chris Padilla]

Markus,

Maybe you could just hoist it up there to some sort of fold-out/fold-away shelf support?

Half of my garage is a vaulted ceiling and the small "wall" formed when the garage goes to normal height (and flat) is where I have my Sears Compressor mounted.

A buddy of mine helped me lug it up there but it sits on two sheets of laminated 3/4" ply (hole cut in the middle for easy tank drainage) that sits on an oak support lag-bolted into the massive wooden beam running across the garage. I then have some chain to support the other end of the ply that is bolted into the rafters/trusses. Finally, I have one of those earthquake straps on the body of the compressor (like for water heaters...shakes a lot out here in the Bay Area!) and finally I have another steel cable anchoring the handle of the compressor to the wall.

If this compressor comes down, I have much more serious problems in my house to worry about!

[Charles McKinley]

Hi Markus,

All the more the cart weighs I would use a rope block. It is way cheaper and if you are not going to use it much its not that big of a deal to pull the cart up and let it down. If you are going to vertically lift things you need a hoist not a winch.

Hoist- has a better brake to hold the load once it is lifted, is rated for the vertical pick not the rolling weight as John mentioned.

You will notice a big price difference also. This is probably due to the larger motor, better gears and I am guessing the higher insurance cost of lifting things.

Another word about ratings: The load for winches is calculated on the first wrap around the winch spool, not when the cable is all wound on the winch. As the layers form the "spool" gets bigger reducing the mechanical advantage. I'm not sure if hoist are rated for the first of last wrap of the cable.

Weight- Winches and hoist are heavy. You will need to be sure to mount it well

If all you are going to pick is this cart I would keep it as simple and as cheap as possible.

As I remember you are a pro shop. Do you really want the added hassels when the safety inspector comes in of a hoist? (rules prevent me expanding on Gov't interference in business) I'm sure they have regulation Books all their own.

Sorry this got so long.

just my $0.02

[Mike Kelly]

If you don't have a wall to hang it on, can you store it under a table or saw? I wouldn't put anything overhead unless you want it on your head! If you don't use it much, sell it. It doesn't look like it tilts to use as an infeed for your saw so maybe a simple lift made from 1x2 or 1x4 stock would do the same job and you could just carry the sheets to where you need them.