Technical Overhead gantry - Thoughts on using wood

I need to fab up a simple gantry system in my basement workshop (8’ height) so I can move the engine and other heavier pcs about. Nothing over 500 lbs. I’m thinking of just bolting a simple I beam made of 2”x 6” with 1/4” steel plate on the bottom web. The upper web and center section would be the 2” x 6”s attached to ceiling joists with lag bolts. Thr whole affair would only be 7’ - 8’ long. Thoughts?

 

@Ziggster Go for it. Wood is great material when used in appropriate sizes for the load. Reading your loads and material sizes, you are probably over building, but better that than under building.

Many decades ago a shop I worked in and around had a mobile gantry made entirely of wood, both uprights and top beam, with metal straps or rods as corner braces at upright/top beam junctions. They used that for many years with no issues.

Ray

 

Ship's were built of wood. So were...

 

I have wood beams in garage. I connected them to roof supports, but they are quite sturdy anyway.

 

You'll gain more strength using the steel on the vertical [deeper] side(s) of the timber rather than being on the horizontal [narrower] face. The strength is in the depth not the width. A few evenly spaced through bolts over the length should suffice. Hardwood would be better than soft wood albeit heavier. I'd prefer (1/8") flat bar on both sides for strength.

 

Since you have the option, use steel and you will have a lot less problem solving to do. Simply get one (or better yet 2) lengths of I beam. Drill holes in one face that correspond with the joists above and lag screw it (them) in place. Then at each end of the beam put some 4x4 posts for support and screw them to studs in the wall. Make a couple of brackets to attach the Ibeam to the posts. Its best if you cut the support posts a little long and wedge them in under the I beam. Then get a harbor freight trolley to ride on the I beam and a come along or hoist . You will never regret using steel. You can get "off fall" at the local metal warehouses. While a wooden beam might be doable, a steel one will be better in the long run. I have built several overhead cranes from scratch, and I "wood" never build one from "wood"............

Note: A 10' or so length of steel I beam should be maybe $50......

 

My 120 volt electric hoist (HF) is mounted to a paired 2x4 and has a few extra verticle 2x4's to the main rafters. I use a Fruehoff (sp) trailer spreader in the center of my 2 car garage as a brace when using it. At times I wish I would have doubled up on it and put in an I-beam so I could move it on s trolley instead of the vehicle...

 

No disrespect intended, but I would never trust the set up in your picture. If any of it ever fails you will be in big trouble. At the very least I would put upright supports under each wood beam where the hit the walls. I would hate to see anyone get hurt....or worse. You are asking an awful lot from the fasteners and wooden beams.

 

This monorail is rated for 250 lbs and would be ideal for a small shop. HRP

Monorail

 

IMO wood is fine to support a load , fasteners anchored in wood should never support the load ,,yes , I know , everybody loves joist hangers , still not a great idea , used properly I suppose they're all right , but your still trusting the load to fasteners . Heavy duty garage door track will support 500 lbs , pretty simple to make a trolley. A section of sliding shed door track is more than strong enough , trolleys are pre made. .

 

I'd put the heavy items on furniture dollies from HF. Once they have wheels they can be easily moved. If necessary, use the portable engine hoist to help with the lifting.

Phil

 

If you use 4x4,and bolt it altogether,and brace it correctly it should be fine.You could use some 6x6 if needed.I often use wood instead of steel simply because I can pick it up.Not everyone has half a dozen young guys in the family who can help lift a steel beam 8 feet.

 

Mmmmmmm let me see now

 

Insurance companies LOVE people like that.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

This sounds good, and it'll make the floor above a lot more solid too.

 

Its not that wood won't work but it isn't going to save that much money, and the steel makes it much easier to install a trolley which lets you not only lift, but move the engine.
I have several homemade overhead cranes in my shop and one of the monorails like Hotrodprimer suggested is under the roof in a leanto. Once you get used to having an overhead crane, you can't live without them. Anyone who has a shop should look into
cobbling one up....you will absolutely love it. I can pick up motors w/tranny, lift truck cabs off the frame and set them on a cart, and then pick the frame up and set it on a welding table..........all by myself and very quickly. Not everyone has room to build a large one, but I recommend building the biggest thing you can accomodate in your shop. You will always find something to lift that is heavier than you ever though you would.....

Irishsteve.....a 10' x 4" I beam isn't very heavy but sometimes you just have to be creative when trying to get things in place. My first Ohead crane had 8" beams 20 ft long. Before I put the ceiling in my shop, I put some wood across several rafters (trusses) and used come- a-longs to raise them in place. I used that size simply because I bought them at an auction for $25 each. I once lifted an 8' welding table that had a steel top that was almost 2" thick. I buy lots of things at auctions and I can lift virtually any kind of tool any time I need to. Don't want to sound like I'm bragging, just want people to realize that if they take the time to build a decent lifting crane, how valuable it is to them. If I had to pick two tools I couldn't do without, they would be my welder and my crane.


I know everyone doesn't have as much room as I do, but cranes don't have to be huge. I have another crane thats made from just 4" I beams and we built a second crane in my sons pole barn using his 2 post lift as the main support and 4" beams for the rails. It opens up all kinds of things for you to accomplish easily. You just have to make up your mind that you are going to do what it takes to have one. Here are two lighter duty 4" cranes we made.

 

Overhere we call that "Redneck" ................

 

I build one out of steel, almost 14 ft high and that16 ft+ wide and put it on wheels(casters) that will swivel or lock in position. I put a fixed hoist in each corner and two on trollees , one air powered. One of the most handy thinks in our shop. Just loaded a D-6 Cat engine with it.









Bones

 

the fancy beams and steel posts are great if you have the money and the space. I've been there, but my current shop is 24' x 24' with an 8' ceiling, and everything has to fit inside and still have room to work.

The steel "I" mean with wood supports will work great, just be sure the beam is sitting on top of the wood posts. Don't rely on lag screws or bolts to support the load. Its OK to attach the beam to the wood with bolts & lag screws, just don't use them to lift anything. Another thing you want to watch for is that the beam and wood supports have a big enough foot pattern that it won't be easily tipped to the side. Sometimes, when lifting things like truck cab, things get to jerk around a bit. The last thing you need to worry about is the entire operation tipping over, or leaning enough to come apart. Dodging a falling "I" beam (with or without something hanging on it) doesn't sound like much fun. Gene

 

If you have an eight foot ceiling, then you drop down eight inches for I beam the another eight for trolley, then a foot or more for come along, then chain on engine then the height of engine, you may have to take the tires off! Might rig a pulley and cable system ???








Bones

 

One other thing to consider before you lag screw into a ceiling rafter , especially if it's a truss ,more than likely is was not designed to carry any more dead load than a drywall ceiling......please don't forget that wood splits , when you drive a lag screw in it you've created a weak spot.

 

Saw this add on FB Marketplace and thought of this thread.Ignore the street rod and look at the wooden gantry.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/792274687912014/

 

All great ideas and comments. I'll check tomorrow with Metal Supermarkets on the cost of an I beam. I want to keep it simple and cheap, but I'm willing to explore all options. I already have the trolley and chain pulley from the Harbor Freight in Canada known as Princess Auto.
After reading the comments, I agree using lag bolts into the joists and making an I beam of wood with same is iffy.

 

Just came across an ad on kijiji and someone is selling a bunch of 8' pallet racking beams. Has anyone used this stuff? Seems sturdy enough.

 

I was in an older buddies garage some years ago. I noticed a couple of 4x4's hanging from the rafters on hinges. He said they used to work on their JR Stock '56 Olds in there. When the motor had to come out, they would just swing the up-rites down for added support on the rafters. Swing them back up when done. Thought that was really cool. May not apply here...but just came to mind. Gene.

 

Like most things, the devil is in the details.......
Properly placed pallet racking can serve to support some form of of a crane. I would keep the crane beams near to the uprights rather than in the middle. I would also watch for an auction or on Craigslist for used pallet racking. The price on what you are looking at is pretty high. We bought 40 feet of heavier duty 10 ft long and 12 ft high sections with the wire shelves and paid less than they want for one 8' section. You can buy the taller racking and cut the height to suit your garage. Use the lower rack to make a workbench or use the racks for storage. Don't buy the lightweight stuff with thin rails. If done well, you can make a sturdy crane, just don't cheap out and do anything unsafe to save a buck.

 

Been there done that.......A 4" beam against the ceiling and a small trolley keeps it work able. Get rid of the trolley lug and hook a HF come along directly to the trolley cross bolt. That keeps it fairly high. An actual chain hoist can do most things but the chain type come--a-long will give a little more lifting room.
Here is one I have in the lean-to on the back of my shop. Its about 8' ceiling and I use it to load engines onto the engine stand and put heavy stuff on the work benches on each wall. If I took the links out of the trolley to gain some height, I think I could pull a car engine out but thats not what I use it for. Simple 4" beam with a support at each end and about 12' long. The uprights have brackets that let me screw them to wall studs. I use two studs in each wall. Probably $100/$150 in the steel using "off fall" from the steel supply warehouse and a day of my time. The key is to make brackets that allow lag screws to go into the base plate of the wall or the floor.....then weld some brackets up high that span two studs and screw the brackets to the studs. Last, weld a 45 degree bracket from the I beam to the upright at each end. It should be reasonably able to pull most car engines but I wouldn't try a diesel.........

 

Get an old swing set

 

I had one on my job at work for years . Gantry Crane was the brand as fas as I can remember . It was adjustable , as in height and width . I checked on it years ago to purchase it . A new bean counter , not labor related supervisor had the union guys cut it up with a plasma cutter and trash it . Sad stuff , I used it for years and it was a tool same as my wrenches . It would have been sure nice in my garage instead of the dumpster .

 

This the model I used for 30 plus years . It was the best designed crane I ever used . Ours had a second beam that could be extended 1/2 way past end , cantilevered off center .