material handling?

[ironman]

Hi, I'm not new to sculpture but I'm now in a position where I can work larger than I have previously. I have a hydraulic table on wheels but other than that I just muscle the big stuff around and into my pickup. What sort of hoist or other contraption do you use on large pieces? What about a fork lift or is there a better and less expensive way to go. Thanks for your reply. Jeff

[EJB]

My first choice would be a forklift, however my opinion is that a portable gantry is the best, cheapest and most versitile. Especially if it is portable. It is very handy around the shop during fabrication of large pieces and saves your muscle. A portable version allows you to throw it in the truck when it's time to install elsewhere. Even better, it's something the average metal sculptor can (or should be able to) build themselves. I built my first one 15 years ago with limited tools and a 110V mig welder and it is still in use. It has 10 feet of lift and 1000 lb. capacity. I have since made other versions with capacity up to 4000 lbs.

You can see examples in a number of tool catalogues or perhaps at you local auto shop or salvage yard. Essentially it is an "I" beam supported by uprights at either end. A chain hoist hangs from the beam in either a stationary position or on a rolling trolley.

[jsimms]

I bought a very versatile 1 ton capy. aluminum gantry crane years ago and have loved it. Adjustable to 10' lift x 10' width on wheels. Breaks down for transport. Building a steel one would be very easy, but make sure the wheels are far enough apart for stability!

Trouble is, you never have enough lifting stuff. I now have a 14' high jib crane that covers a 36' circle in my shop as well as a 6 ton forklift (24' ht)with a 12' jib for outside. Gotta build big just to justify having the equipment!
j

[Araich]

I've just bolted up a light weight I-beam (RSJ) across my workshop at ceiling height, using 12 bolts and large foot plates. On it I'm running a 1 ton trolley with a 1 ton chain block hoist.
Woe is me that late last night I managed to jam the chain, and in an effort to get home before midnight, I had to drop 1/4 ton sheets of steel plate off a ute onto the floor.
This confirms my need for a second chain block, one without a worn case and feeder.

I would be interested in seeing some versions of portable gantry's - if anyone has some pics.

[ironman]

thanks for the info, a portable gantry does sound like the way to go, with a rolling trolley. thanks, Jeff

[ironman]

Hi jsimms, thanks for the info. liked that last sentence, "gotta build big just to justify having the equipment." How true is that?
I too would like to see some pics.

[jsimms]

The link below will lead to the spanco I got years ago.
Very happy with it!

http://www.spanco.com/pages/gantryaalum.php

j

[mike9940]

I would suggest you take a look at a line of very light hollow beam gantry cranes that are currently sold to the water, wastewater and rental industries in Canada and the US. These gantry cranes are different in that they have a hollow beam instead of an 'I' beam. They can be assembled in the field by one or two people without the need for any rigging equipment. They range in capacity from 1/2 to 5 metric tonnes with beam lengths from 6 to 30 ft. and heights to 17 ft. The web site for these is: www.easilymovedequipment.com

[ironman]

Hi, This is an old thread and since I started it I'll fill you in on what I've done. First of all, I tried to contact Spanco but they never returned my Emails, nor did another company in the U.S. Is it any wonder that we don't make anything in this country any more, or maybe they just didn't need my business. SO, I ended up buying an adjustable (to 12 ft. height) gantry crane from Harbor Freight. It is made in China and is about 1/3 the price of a comparable unit built here, and free shipping made it even better. It cost me $524. and it works just fine.
have a nice day,
Jeff

[JAZ]

Good to know.
Thursday there was a gantry crane of the I beam type being used to deinstall Aztec stone sculptures at the Guggenheim in NYC.
I'm envious.
JAZ

[JAZ]

Good to know.
Thursday there was a gantry crane of the I beam type being used to deinstall Aztec stone sculptures at the Guggenheim in NYC.
I'm envious.
JAZ
Sorry. It was yesterday. (I'm tired from hours of driving.)

[steponmebbbboom]

If I had seen this post earlier I would have suggested a cherry-picker. It sounds like the pieces you are moving are just small enough that you can muscle them onto your pickup yourself, so a cherry-picker (mine was marketed as a folding engine crane) would be ideal. I got mine at Costco for about $250. It has a 2&1/2 ton capacity, has a maximum tip height of about seven or eight feet, and the legs would glide right under your pickup without straddling the sides. It also folds up and rolls into the corner. Pair that with a good nylon strap and you should be able to handle smaller heavy items easily.

[fused]

A good friend has been building a great studio over the past year and for starters he put a bridge crane in the space which spans half of width and runs the full length of the building. Two weeks ago he added a large jib crane that can reach from the area of the bridge crane to his main "working area" where he has a pair of 4 x 4 foot steel welding tables. It is a really nice set up and both systems were purchased from Grainger (http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/searchcategory.jsp?xi=xi&category=%2FMaterial+Handling%2FHoist+Winch+and+Ri gging).

In my studio I have perlins at 13+ feet and I use three 2 ton chain hoists and no trollys. I built a 14' steel gantry many years ago and it hasn't been used in over 7 years. It has 4 individual legs and an H-Beam cross bar with thick walled pipe extensions. Each leg has a matching pipe end (with bracing) and can be winched or tensioned with a vehicle to spring into the upright position.

I live on a commercial street and several businesses here have a lot of fork lifts which they let me use any time I need them. So I'm kind of spoiled now since they make all lifting tasks much easier to deal with.

I have a few lifting chains (rated for loads) but mostly use web slings (http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/searchresults.jsp?xi=xi) to handle all lifting. Over the years I have accumulated a wide variety of slings which make most rigging of things very simple.

[JAZ]

Handy info, fused. Thank you. (Wish I was in a space like yours.)
JAZ

[fused]

I would like to point out that Grainger is very handy for lot's of material handling needs, but you may have a local company who specializes in slings, cables, trolleys, hoists, etc that are worth investigating. I actually buy my lifting stuff from Union Sling who's warehouse is nearby and has every kind of web sling and lifting apparatus I could ever conceive of and a whole lot more.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/fused/ART/Dreamcatcher05-001.jpg
My studio is a great space to work, but is far from ideal.