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Thread: Chain hoist for equipment moving

  1. #1

    Chain hoist for equipment moving

    I'm finalizing design for my new shop, which will be the 2nd floor of a garage. Def not ideal compared to what many of you enjoy, but I live in an urban area and that's the only way to get a decent space to work in (and we need the garage for cars as our area gets overrun with parking for all the local restaurants, etc).

    Anyway, there are a few benefits - wood floor is a little nicer to stand on all day. Dust collection piping will be under floor and still able to be moved around. Dust collector and its noise will live in garage. Etc.

    Big downside is obviously moving equipment and materials up and down. I plan on a tracksaw setup in the garage to break down sheet goods to rough size as necessary before taking them up the oversized stairs with 4x8 doors to make things reasonable to get up there. For equipment, my plan is to run a steel beam across the ceiling of the shop, with a hatch door in the floor of the shop. I can put a beam trolley up there, and a chain hoist with about a 20' lift, and pick up equipment right out of the bed of my truck and up into the shop, roll the trolley over, and set it on the floor/mobile base/etc.

    I was wondering if anyone here has any expertise in sizing this beam, as well as recommendations for the trolley and chain hoist. I figure that the heaviest stuff I'd ever put up there is likely 1000-1500 pounds, most things 1000 or under. I thought it would be smart to size things for at least 1 Ton just for wiggle room. Does this seem reasonable?

    Any suggestions on beam size required, or specific trolleys/hoists to use for this? I don't want junk, but also don't need super industrial quality, as likely they'll get used a couple dozen times and that's about it.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
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    I see trolley's and chain hoists fairly often on CL. Finding one heavy enough shouldn't be a problem. Your metal supplier, where you buy the beam from, should be able to size the beam for you. It's just a point load, in the middle of the span, so will come right off a table. I'm sure you can find such tables online.

    If you're going to use the chain hoist more than a few times, get an electric one. I have a small manual one for lifting the front of a riding mower with, to change, and sharpen blades, which requires only about a four foot lift. If I had to pull anything up higher than that very often, I'd be looking for one with a motor. The higher the capacity of the hoist, the more mechanical advantage there is, so means more chain to pull. The one in my tractor shed is the smallest one available, and it still takes longer than I would like.

  3. #3
    One beam sizing source I found was this from Harrington, who makes chain hoists, etc. I was thinking that their specs probably account for the motion of the trolley, swinging hoist, etc better than just a point load rating from a building manual. Their stats are likely based on every day industrial usage, so I would think for my low level use, meeting the 1 Ton rating would be overkill. My span is 24' (about 22.5' unsupported), so the recommended beam size is S10x25.4 for both 20 and 25 foot spans. If the 20' span was the next size down, would probably think I could go down a beam size. Also if the 1/2 ton rating at the 25' span was a beam size down, maybe. But since both of those are still the same beam size, that might be what I need to go with?

    https://www.harringtonhoists.com/tec...67%20rev02.pdf

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
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    And then there is the design to support the beam, the load, and the safety factor. Find an engineer before you select a beam thinking it is simple.

  5. #5
    I have an architect that will be doing that part. I'm looking for the function needed in the shop, which isn't really their expertise.

  6. #6
    I don't plan on a lot of use, and don't really want a giant thing hanging there all the time. I might even remove the hoist from the trolley most of the time. Pretty much will only be used to bring in and out large equipment. Slow is not fun for that, but better than carrying it up stairs :-P

    I looked on CL, there's stuff there but nothing right this moment that's quite what I'm looking for. Will set up some saved searches and keep an eye on it... but was also thinking of just buying new and not worrying about it, if the prices aren't too crazy.

    Quote Originally Posted by Tom M King View Post
    I see trolley's and chain hoists fairly often on CL. Finding one heavy enough shouldn't be a problem. Your metal supplier, where you buy the beam from, should be able to size the beam for you. It's just a point load, in the middle of the span, so will come right off a table. I'm sure you can find such tables online.

    If you're going to use the chain hoist more than a few times, get an electric one. I have a small manual one for lifting the front of a riding mower with, to change, and sharpen blades, which requires only about a four foot lift. If I had to pull anything up higher than that very often, I'd be looking for one with a motor. The higher the capacity of the hoist, the more mechanical advantage there is, so means more chain to pull. The one in my tractor shed is the smallest one available, and it still takes longer than I would like.

  7. #7
    Join Date
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    Without even looking at a chart, I'd feel fine with a 10", 25 pound per foot beam for what you're planning to do. Talk to your steel supplier. What you're wanting to know is nothing at all unusual. I built a new entrance for a church, over 20 years ago, and there is a 16 foot span with one corner of a big steeple structure held up at a point in the middle a beam that size, that was sized by an engineer. I had one of the local logger church members come to set the beam for us with a log loader.
    Last edited by Tom M King; 10-03-2018 at 7:50 PM.

  8. #8
    Join Date
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    Any idea how you're going to get the S10x25.4 beam up into the shop? It's going to weigh 635#
    Confidence: The feeling you experience before you fully understand the situation

  9. #9
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eugene Dixon View Post
    And then there is the design to support the beam, the load, and the safety factor. Find an engineer before you select a beam thinking it is simple.
    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Cummins View Post
    I have an architect that will be doing that part. I'm looking for the function needed in the shop, which isn't really their expertise.
    I would forego the trolley system for this reason. A trolley can only travel linearly along the beam. From there you will probably be thinking mobile base, pallet jack, or similar.

    You will have a relatively smooth floor. What purpose is there to move linearly first?
    Remove the hatch, lift the equipment, replace the hatch, roll mobile base under (or pallet), lower the equipment.

    You don't need: to size all the collar beams to support the main beam, a big enough main beam, a trolley rail, an expensive trolley.

    Beef up one collar beam (you may want to raise that one up some on the ceiling rafters, but no more than 1/3 the height), a steel saddle for that collar beam (I say that because it would look "finished", in reality I just screwed a scrap piece of steel to the top and threw a chain over it), and a shackle.

    In my case I doubled my 2x6 collar beam over a 16' span and added diagonals to my rafters. I did not feel comfortable with that span, so I added a removable doubled 2x4 upright brace on each side of my load. My pickup bed is only about 6' wide (edit: the outside of my Ford Ranger), so I have never had more than a 6' span. My greatest load was about 800 lbs with a 4' span, but there was no significant deflection.

    p.s. what kind of floor/ceiling joist do you have that will support a 1500 lb piece of equipment, probably on only four wheels or feet?
    Last edited by Charlie Velasquez; 10-03-2018 at 8:10 PM.
    Comments made here are my own and, according to my children, do not reflect the opinions of any other person... anywhere, anytime.

  10. #10
    My shop is above the garage too but it is almost a walk out daylight basement. Back is about 4 1/2' from the ground so I still have to lift it up to the double doors to get anything in, even from the pickup. Eventually I want to make a deck and I will either get forks for a tractor or put a jib crane on it to pick up the load and then swing it on to the deck. From there drag, carry or roll it into the shop. You could do a jib crane over your trap door.

  11. #11
    Join Date
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    A google search for hoist beam trolley brought up many, and they aren't that expensive.

  12. #12
    Yeah, I feel like for light use like I'm looking at, it would be overkill. I'd rather spend a little more on overkilling the beam than pay an engineer a grand to save me $150 on the beam. But yeah, I have to figure out where I'm getting it from first, and I'll ask them, as well as my architect who can pull any of the load charts etc as needed. He'll have to spec the support for the beam anyway, but wanted to get a woodworker's perspective on the whole concept first...

    Quote Originally Posted by Tom M King View Post
    Without even looking at a chart, I'd feel fine with a 10", 25 pound per foot beam for what you're planning to do. Talk to your steel supplier. What you're wanting to know is nothing at all unusual. I built a new entrance for a church, over 20 years ago, and there is a 16 foot span with one corner of a big steeple structure held up at a point in the middle a beam that size, that was sized by an engineer. I had one of the local logger church members come to set the beam for us with a log loader.

  13. #13
    It will be installed during construction. Probably boomed directly into place and set on the pre-installed supports for it, but not sure exactly yet.

    Will find a way. I also have to get the 125 pound per sheet Advantech 1 1/4" flooring up there. Obviously a different scale, but going to be a pain. At least I'll have a rock solid floor when I'm done though

    Quote Originally Posted by Jerry Bruette View Post
    Any idea how you're going to get the S10x25.4 beam up into the shop? It's going to weigh 635#

  14. #14
    No collar beams, its a flat roof. 24' long I-joists will support the roof across the span. Once I have a beam solid enough to handle a point load in the middle of a span like that, probably already talking steel I beam anyway. Then a clamp to attach hoist. Then a hoist. Once I'm that far, why not be able to move it laterally for another $100? Also gets the hoist out of the way in the shop. Also, ceiling height in shop is 9'. Subtract beam height, then attachment to beam, then hoist, then rigging to support equipment, then equipment itself. Trap door will likely be 4' x 6' or so, hinged. I don't think I can lift a piece of equipment high enough to be able to put the door down under it. Also, to make that door openable without using the hoist, it probably won't be able to handle a 1500 pound load on it. It will be positioned in a walking area, not under where a large piece of equipment would go.

    Might be able to do it with some LVLs, but would I really save much with that plan? Open to ideas, but roof has to be flat. Already pushing zoning to get a 2 story garage approved, can't go higher with roof line.

    Plan for the floor is not 100% finalized (to be ironed out with architect still), but something like 24" deep open floor trusses with 1 1/4" Advantech flooring. Trusses on 16" center if I can (which is 12.5" open span with the trusses), or 12" on center if required. Advantech is crazy strong, so I think the 16 centers will work out fine.

    Dust collection piping will run inside the open trusses and come up to machines from below - dust collector will live in back corner of garage to separate the noise, save some space, and make emptying bin a lot easier.



    Quote Originally Posted by Charlie Velasquez View Post
    I would forego the trolley system for this reason. A trolley can only travel linearly along the beam. From there you will probably be thinking mobile base, pallet jack, or similar.

    You will have a relatively smooth floor. What purpose is there to move linearly first?
    Remove the hatch, lift the equipment, replace the hatch, roll mobile base under (or pallet), lower the equipment.

    You don't need: to size all the collar beams to support the main beam, a big enough main beam, a trolley rail, an expensive trolley.

    Beef up one collar beam (you may want to raise that one up some on the ceiling rafters, but no more than 1/3 the height), a steel saddle for that collar beam (I say that because it would look "finished", in reality I just screwed a scrap piece of steel to the top and threw a chain over it), and a shackle.

    In my case I doubled my 2x6 collar beam over a 16' span and added diagonals to my rafters. I did not feel comfortable with that span, so I added a removable doubled 2x4 upright brace on each side of my load. My pickup bed is only about 6' wide (edit: the outside of my Ford Ranger), so I have never had more than a 6' span. My greatest load was about 800 lbs with a 4' span, but there was no significant deflection.

    p.s. what kind of floor/ceiling joist do you have that will support a 1500 lb piece of equipment, probably on only four wheels or feet?

  15. #15
    Ah, I'm not the only crazy one with an upstairs shop

    From what I've seen, a jib crane over 1000 lb capacity is hard to come by without dropping some serious coin. Then I'd have to have the floor engineered to handle a 1500 pound load at the point of the jib mount, rather than distributed over a couple/few floor trusses as the equipment will be on the floor. Then its in the way in my shop, or I have to get a wall mount or something, and again, serious engineering to make that fly. Don't think I save much money and lose options.

    One thing I am looking for, is a hitch mount jib crane with a 1500 lb capacity for loading equipment etc off site into the truck. Again, only finding up to 1000 lb capacity, at fully retracted boom length. Drops to 500 or less extended to length I'd need for most equipment of this size.

    Quote Originally Posted by Peter Christensen View Post
    My shop is above the garage too but it is almost a walk out daylight basement. Back is about 4 1/2' from the ground so I still have to lift it up to the double doors to get anything in, even from the pickup. Eventually I want to make a deck and I will either get forks for a tractor or put a jib crane on it to pick up the load and then swing it on to the deck. From there drag, carry or roll it into the shop. You could do a jib crane over your trap door.

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