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Thread: i need a gorilla to lift the Gorilla

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    SW Ohio
    Posts
    72

    i need a gorilla to lift the Gorilla

    I bought a 2.5 hp Oneida with the stand (stone foundation).

    My ceiling is 93 inches. With the stand, the Gorilla is 92. I put together the motor, fan housing and section below that (everything above the cone). 3 of us tried to huff it on top of the cone (2 of us are only 5'8", but still...). Not a chance. Now it was more difficult because it's in a corner blocked on two sides and partly on the third,

    Thoughts on how to do this? A bunch of metal hooks into joints and rope looped down into the bolt holes? I assume you can't lift from the motor housing, but could use a rope to balance it. As the manual mentions, it really is top heavy. I have existing hvac nearby from 85" up so it may be hard to put anything that requires ceiling space over a large horizontal.

    A portable jack that usn't as heavy as what I'm lifting would be a nice option as well.

    Thanks,
    Mark

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Lewiston, Idaho
    Posts
    28,504
    Mark....can you put it on the stand laying down and then tip it up?
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Cullowhee N.C.
    Posts
    991
    It would fit well in my shop.
    Jack

  4. #4
    I agree with Ken. You probably do not have enough room to assemble the whole thing, with motor, and upright it - plus it would be VERY heavy and hard to handle. But, can you assemble the stand, barrel, cone, and top (minus the motor) and upright it? Then, you can get the motor hoisted up on the top. Mine mounted on the wall bracket, but the motor I carried up a ladder and positioned it - with a little help from a friend to help hold it at the top.

    As I recall the studs on which the motor mounts will be close to an inch - if so, will you have enough clearance to place the motor over the studs??

    The manual calls for 1-2 inches clearance for ventilation - man, are you close!!

  5. #5
    Any chance you could rig up a block and tackle and hoist it up , sounds like its going to be a tight fit .

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Princeton IL
    Posts
    71
    What if: You build a scaffold to cut the height issue. In a similar situation lifting a heavy object we placed 2x6's across my saw horses and placed a sheet of 3/4 ply on top of that and screwed it down. You can place the motor on the sawhorse scaffold and then stand on the scaffold and lift the motor onto the housing. It was easier than standing/lifting on ladders. Just a thought. (have good sawhorses )

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Victor, New York
    Posts
    133

    How many gorillas?

    Mark: Just a point of information. If you assemble everything on the stand except the motor, tilt the assemble up and then plan on adding the motor you'll need more ceiling height to insert the motor in the housing because of the fans fins attached to the motor.You only have one more inch of ceiling height and you need a few more then that to drop the fan blades into the housing. So I don't think that method will work for you. I didn't do it this way but maybe you could assemble everything except the front two legs on the stand ( or maybe keep them loose ) and with enough people upright it and then secure ( or tighten ) the front two legs might work. Probably need 4 people for that. If you have a finished ceiling you could also cut a rectangular hole and patch it back in later. Not pretty but it depends on how finished your shop is. FWIW
    Gary

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Lafayette, IN
    Posts
    4,563
    Just a thought, but 3 people lifting a motor sounds like a "too many cooks" situation. Poor coordination among several people lifting one object can make it seem much heavier and more cumbersome than it really is. I worked for a moving company for a short time, and they pretty much stuck to the idea that two people could move just about anything, but one should try anyway... Kidding aside, I like the scaffold/sawhorse idea--you wouldn't be lifting over your head that way.
    Jason

    "Don't get stuck on stupid." --Lt. Gen. Russel Honore


  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,688
    Assembling a Gorilla (or any cyclone of this size, for that matter) is not a one person job. Get help. Really.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    SW Ohio
    Posts
    72
    There's probably 1", maybe 1.5" to 2" at the ceiling. It's a basement, so I could easily create a hole in the plaster ceiling for more space, but unless I'm going to take out a large chunk of it, it's not going to help significantly. I may do this for ventilation if it's under 2" when it's said and done.

    I'm positive I could get everything but the motor up with two people, but I assume I had to assemble the motor in the fan housing because of the height.

    It's possible removing the motor + fan housing from the center section (below motor and above cone), might make it easier although I'll be darned if I want to take it apart.

    The platform/scaffolding to stand on is a great idea. We had a table set up to rest it half way up, but leveraging it above out heads just didn't work. It's very easy to control until it gets up to elbow height.

    Thanks!
    Mark

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    1.5 hrs north of San Francisco, CA
    Posts
    842
    My comments from installing a 3 HP Dust Gorilla, tall stand (for 55 gal drum), and 10' ceiling -- barely clears.

    Lifting the motor+impeller means you need to lift it quite a few extra inches for the impeller to clear the blower (sucker?) housing before you can drop it into place. It sounds like you probably do not have sufficient clearance for that.

    I assembled stand, cone, and cylinder together; and the motor, impeller, blower housing together. Then I hoisted the motor and blower housing with a sturdy pulley from ceiling joist. Were I to do it over again, I would have the stand-cone-cylinder assembly off to one side, hoist the motor and blower housing, and then slide the stand-cone-cylinder assembly into place -- or as near as possible. It would help avoid some scraped paint.

    I was still a few inches shy of being able to hoist the motor enough to get it atop the stand-cone-cylinder assembly, but with the weight supported, I was able to maneuver the motor-blower into place by myself.

    Watch out for mashed fingers and slipped gasket material.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Alachua, FL
    Posts
    170
    Can you rent a pallet type lift? Of course you need to get the lift into the shop and the lift to the DC area.
    Leo

  13. #13
    I assembled my 2HP Grizzly by myself. What I did is assemble the top part of the stand with the cone and impeller housing with the unitl laying on its side. I then mounted the motor and pivoted the unit upright on a small wood platform (the platform was about 12" high and fit inside the top of the stand) with castors on the bottom to roll into position. Next I used a bottle jack to lift the assembly at the back off the top of the wood platform until I could get some 2x material under it - repeat for the front. I went back and forth until the I had enough room for the bottom legs, adding 2xs as needed for support. Everything bolted up and I was ready for business. I had to go this route as my impeller motor actually fit up between the floor joists above (short ceiling in the basement). With space so limited, and a lack of available help, I had to get rather creative.

    -- John
    "No matter where you go, there you are" -- Buckaroo Banzai



  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    1.5 hrs north of San Francisco, CA
    Posts
    842
    If you want a more elaborate solution, you might want to rent a beam lift (or whatever it's called). It's basically a light-weight manual (hand crank) fork lift on casters designed for lifting beams (e.g., garage door headers, or deck beams).

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Manassas VA
    Posts
    171
    Quote Originally Posted by Wayne Cannon View Post
    If you want a more elaborate solution, you might want to rent a beam lift (or whatever it's called). It's basically a light-weight manual (hand crank) fork lift on casters designed for lifting beams (e.g., garage door headers, or deck beams).
    I think its also called a "duct lift" in the trades (We used them alot in steel construction for interior commercial remodel jobs)
    The ones we used were made by Vermette, Genie, and Sumner.
    We made a frame secured to the top of the forks if we needed to lift higher than the stock machine went (flush to ceiling). Sumner's has reversible forks so the frame was for Vermette and Genie.

    Sumner also makes a Roust-a-Bout that we used alot as well, its a two piece portable hand operated crane. We had one job where we used 4 Roust-A-Bouts and various ductlifts to lift one beam into place.
    Last edited by Craig Summers; 08-28-2008 at 8:15 AM. Reason: spell
    The wisest thing in the world is to cry out before you are hurt.

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