Shop Crain

[jason lambert]

As I am getting older I am thinking of a shop crain for my gurage. I see harbor freight has a 1 ton and 2 ton folding crain I am thinking the 1 ton since it's footprint looks smaller and is ligher all around is the way to go but the 2 ton has more reach.

Any input.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93840

[Matt Meiser]

I'd go with the two ton just for the safety factor. Definitely get a folding one. We got my dad a non-folding one for father's day several yeas ago--it takes up a lot of room. He's always trying to get me to permanently borrow it, but I can lift anything I have in my shop with the loader on my tractor. Its just a little less precise.

IIRC, they are rated based on the hydraulic cylinder. The further out you move the boom, the lower the actually lifting capacity. Its possible that the two ton might only lift 500lbs at full extension.

[Mike Heidrick]

....but I can lift anything I have in my shop with the loader on my tractor. Its just a little less precise.



Yep - that is the best shop crane :) Loader and pallet forks for it!

[Josiah Bartlett]

Another option if you have the coin and space is the HF gantry crane. Its tall enough that you can park stuff under it, and it lets you move stuff easier. I have the 2 ton folding HF crane and its been good to me. It bolts together, so if you find it taking up too much space and you don't plan to use it for a while, you can unbolt it and stash it somewhere in pieces. I do this to mine and it works out well. The biggest pieces are the leg extensions and they aren't too bad to heft into the attic.

[Ben Cadotte]

When deciding on the shop crane, you have to remember the max weight is at the least extended position of the upper arm. So for the 1 ton, to get 1 ton lifting you have to have it retracted all the way. Which means less reach. The 2 ton, you get 1/2 ton at full extension and one ton at the middle position.

Since you will most likely get a folding model (reccommended). Going with the bigger one is no biggie for storage. I don't have the HF, but a similar China made one. I went witht he 2 ton and have not looked back. Helped me load and unload my entire shop when I moved. More than paid for itself several times since I have had it.

[Don Abele]

Jason, back in May I posted a gloat about unloading a new toy.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=87720&stc=1&d=1209868294

If you look at the orange lifting arm, you will see 4 holes. If you use the furtherest one back, it has a capacity of 2000#, the next hole is 1500#, then 1000#, then 500# for the one I am using.

With my bed crane it's 500# at it's furthest hole and 1000# at the closest - yet both of these arm assemblies are identical - go figure.

I will tell you that I have lifted over 1000# with the far hole on both of them with no problem (the jointer/planer in the picture is almost 700#).

With that said, if you are going to routinely lift heavy stuff, Harbor Freight also sells the same type of "shop" crane but with a 4000# capacity. It's lift range is 4000/3000/2000/1000.

The model I have folds up for storage which is really nice because this beast is huge and heavy (over 200#).

Also, you'll really need to get the right accessories for it as well. I have a whole collection of lifting slings which range from 6' long up to 12' (buy them in pairs) and the red thing is a load leveler which lets you adjust the load side to side to balance it. The leveler is a nice to have, the slings are not.

Be well,

Doc

[Will Blick]

make sure the height is sufficent.... things like BS's are way higher than you think....as you must lift them a few inches, and the top rigging takes up a lot of space....sometimes Gantry type lifts are safer, specially when combined with dolly for transport is not a bad option. HF sells the underhoist stands, that twist up a very heavy load...
get two, with cross 4x4" steel support between them. Just some suggestions.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=41860

[Rob Will]

I have a gantry crane, an additional overhead chain hoist, a pallet jack, a forklift, an articulated loader, an excavator, several loader tractors, air cushion pads, and an engine hoist.:o

IMHO, for what you want to do, the 2-ton folding cherry picker is the best all-around option (unless you want to get a forklift).

Another approach would be to hang a fixed chain hoist near the door (providing your shop is tall enough and the ceiling can suport it). You might also find a swinging jib crane at a local industrial surplus house.

If your shop has a lot of open floor space out in the middle, a rolling gantry crane can work but it takes a LOT of room to move and store. Also, because of the huge footprint, a gantry crane has limited mobility. This is especially true if there are other machines, shop tables, supplies etc in the area.

A $200 pallet jack is a nice addition to any of the above. It is a very good way to move heavy items around the shop and take them out to the door for loading.

Cherry pickers and gantry cranes can get a little spooky when you are moving a load with them. If the load swings just a little bit, a cherry picker can flip over in a New York millisecond.

So, I vote for a folding cherry picker and a pallet jack.

Rob

[Nathan Conner]

I did the cherry picker only, but...like Rob, I used mine in a similar situation - picking up the new PM 209 planer, and then used it again to return the planer and pick up a new one 6 months later.

It was INVALUABLE. I can't say enough how much that cheap tool has saved my back and grief. One of my best investments, and it folds up neatly in the corner.

[Brian Backner]

I would second the need for a load leveler - just be sure to get one rated for whatever it is you are lifting as they do come in several different sizes.

Also, be VERY careful if you plan to move the whole setup when you have something already lifted. Ideally, you want to pick whatever it is you want to get out of your pickup/trailer/etc. and then pull the pickup/etc. out from under the load. You can then set the load onto a dolly, etc. for moving to its final resting spot.

Last year I brought home a massive granite surface plate (I also have a machine shop) - at 36x48x6" thick with a 1/2" thick steel angle stand it weighed in the neighborhood of 1700#. Anyway, I thought I would move it about 2 (two) feet into the garage, and, you guessed it, the load shifted and pinned me to the garage wall. I was fortunate to have my cell phone on me as I had to call one of my friends to come and pry me out. Of course, he took the time to take some photos and drank a toast to my stupidity before finally freeing me.

While they are handy, they are not particularly stable. Just be careful!

Brian

[Craig McCormick]

Remember..... You can always rent one. I have never felt I had the room to own one, so I just rent one when I need it.

Craig McCormick

[Don Abele]

... Of course, he took the time to take some photos...

Brian...give us your friends name and number - we want to see those photos :p

Be well,

Doc

[Rob Blaustein]

I was just about to post the same question as Jason and figured I'd search here first so came upon this recent thread. Those of you have this crane--do you have any idea of how narrow a door it will go through. I was hoping to be able to use it inside from time to time but couldn't find the dimensions on the HF website.

[John Keeton]

You can take it sideways thru a 36" door opening - carefully! Would be good to have someone help guide it as it can go sideways pretty quick when pushing from one side. Hate to see you mess up a door jamb!

[Ben Cadotte]

I was just about to post the same question as Jason and figured I'd search here first so came upon this recent thread. Those of you have this crane--do you have any idea of how narrow a door it will go through. I was hoping to be able to use it inside from time to time but couldn't find the dimensions on the HF website.

They will fit through a 32" opening, even smaller if you hold the folded legs upright. Folded they actually tilt back farther than the back side of the lift. Basically to take it through a narrow door, should probably use 2 people as the wheels are all castoring. And trying to get it in the right direction while keeping the folded legs upright might be a challenge.

But if only done occasionally should be no big deal.

[Rob Blaustein]

Our basement door is 32" and the crane (the 1 ton capacity one) weighs 166 lbs so Ben, your suggestion that it's a two person job sounds sensible. There have been times where I wish I had something like this. I still haven't put together my 8" jointer and it would come in handy attaching the motor and the jointer bed. Sometimes it's just hard for me to get enough folks over to lend some muscle.

[Gary Herrmann]

I've got a 2 ton folding engine hoist. Came in very handy when I assembled my new lathe. Wish I would have had it for some of the other big tools.

Keep your eyes open. You can find them on sale for $99 periodically.

[Peter Gregory]

I got sick of dealing with my engine hoist. Pick up many tools and then you can't put them down, without landing on the legs. Then you have the pain of getting the thing off safely. So, I switched over to a chain hoist, swinging it from a set of 3 - 10' high, 4X6 hunks of Doug Fir. In combination with a pallet jack, you can get anything moved safely and easily. Sorry, my pictures are on a different computer.

I still have the engine hoist to get things out of a truck, but it is a whole lot easier to have lift gate delivery and not mess with it.

Wish I had done it sooner.

[Mike Heidrick]

I always thought a Gantry crane in the shop would be the way to go!!

[John Keeton]

I got sick of dealing with my engine hoist. Pick up many tools and then you can't put them down, without landing on the legs. Then you have the pain of getting the thing off safely.
I still have the engine hoist to get things out of a truck, but it is a whole lot easier to have lift gate delivery and not mess with it.
It can be unwieldy using an engine hoist/shop crane because of the legs. I bought mine to help unload several new tools that I anticipated purchasing. I used the liftgate service when I met the truck in town, so that I could get the crates in to my truck.

But, because we are in the country, with a gravel drive of significant grade, the delivery truck could not drop the machines at my shop. I used the crane when I got them home to unload. It took some ingenuity to get it done, but it was a huge help. Using a cheap furniture dolly from HF to set the machines on so I could roll them was helpful as well.

A gantry crane or chain hoist would have been much better for the purpose, but don't have the setup for that.