my new project a gantry crane

[David Luciani]

so i was bad and bought some things at auction.
one thing i won totally by accident i expected it to go for way more money.
 that's not to say i wasn't pleased but i was surprised.
by winning this thing i created new problems for myself as it weighs about 2,000#.

i am now short on cash so hiring a rigger isn't an option. 
also the tools were sold 3/4 mile down the street from my shop so it's a diy project.
i got lucky at the site and for 100 bux got the two big items loaded onto a trailer.
as i don't happen to own a forklift it is gonna be a hassle to get it off the trailer i borrowed.

so i'm went looking and found a few ideas and decided to build my own gantry crane.
could've rented one but i will be needing one through this whole summer as i move my shop tools to their newest , till i can find better , home.
i'm not the best welder you ever saw but hopefully the welds i did manage will be solid.
otherwise things might get exciting.
here it is

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[Gary Wlodarsky]

just what you needed...more stuff....


gw

[David Luciani]

definitely needed this stuff.
the big item i've waited nearly all my life to get. 
back in the day they cost thousands.
anywho will be posting my big adventure unloading when the rain stops!
d

[Jim Donovan]

definitely needed this stuff.
the big item i've waited nearly all my life to get. 
back in the day they cost thousands.
anywho will be posting my big adventure unloading when the rain stops!
d

That are the famous words Noar used also- but it was 40 days later when it stopped.  I am looking forward to the pictures to see what the heck you are moving.  Damn nice looking wood work Dave.  That is how I relax is wood projects on the weekend.  This weekend I got several done because of the rain ,snow, and now raining again.  Think I will start the "ark" next weekend if I get chicken and don't go to Fremont. 

Jim

[David Luciani]

thanx for compliment jim.
 that's rough barn framing in my world but for what it is barn framing is fine.
the woodwork matches my poor sloppy welding skills so it all kind of evens out quality wise.
the stuff i gotta move is heavy.
 the first thing is about 2,000 pounds. 
my second toy is about 650# .
items that i need to still move vary between 400-500# maybe.
seems any older industrial grade toy i buy is REALLY heavy.
sadly today is perfect weather to move stuff bright and sunny. 
so naturally i had to take marjorie to see doctors all morning and small errands .
in about two hours i gotta head out to work for today and tomorrow.
if all goes well Wednesday will be the big day and i can return my buddies trailer.
pix to follow.
d

[Chuck Lipka]

Any wagers on what it is?.......i'm betting it's a Bridgeport, (HEAVY) and who knows what else......tubing bender? press brake? good quality lathe? Whatever it is, you can't go wrong. with any of it.

Chuck

[David Luciani]

well i'm not dead always a good thing.
my gantry crane worked well. 
i was a little afraid of my chain hoist it's probably 100 years old and pretty beat up.
 it was old when i got it from my dad 40 years ago.
 i remember when because i was around 18 and just learning how to swap motors. 
first motor (351c) was pulled from a station wagon using aircraft cable as the loop and an oak tree branch as the crane.
fun times.




  1 my new toys.JPG (Size: 210.17 KB / Downloads: 35)

  2 using crank towers as pre- assembly gantry crane.JPG (Size: 226.96 KB / Downloads: 26)

  3 towers set up chain hoist hung.JPG (Size: 238.57 KB / Downloads: 21)

  4 gantry top beam straped in.JPG (Size: 214.1 KB / Downloads: 21)

  5 legs installed as it turned out i put them in sideways and had to fix in the air.JPG (Size: 220.13 KB / Downloads: 23)

  6 legs and beam floated.JPG (Size: 233.63 KB / Downloads: 18)

  7 first base installed tower a little short had to fiddle second base in.JPG (Size: 223.74 KB / Downloads: 20)

  10 2nd base installed.JPG (Size: 212.29 KB / Downloads: 19)

  11 ready to lift.JPG (Size: 186.17 KB / Downloads: 21)

  12 i used the floor jack on each side to reinforce the base for bridgeport lift very heavy.JPG (Size: 192.72 KB / Downloads: 35)

  14 had to shift the bridgeport to be directly under gantry used pallet jack to shift.JPG (Size: 189.25 KB / Downloads: 44)

  12 i used the floor jack on each side to reinforce the base for bridgeport lift very heavy.JPG (Size: 192.72 KB / Downloads: 35)

  14 had to shift the bridgeport to be directly under gantry used pallet jack to shift.JPG (Size: 189.25 KB / Downloads: 44)

  15 once directly under gantry it floated safely hurray.JPG (Size: 185.96 KB / Downloads: 23)

  16 bridgeport safely landed.JPG (Size: 190.01 KB / Downloads: 33)

  17 floating band saw it was much lighter about 650 pounds.JPG (Size: 185.84 KB / Downloads: 30)

  18 both safe on the ground.JPG (Size: 184.5 KB / Downloads: 35)

[David Luciani]

no pix today.
 spent day cleaning out flotsom from garage. 
put bridgeport into garage cleaned up surface rust that had showed up on the deck.
got the bandsaw into building also.
that'll be all for time being. 
have paying work i've got to get back to or else!
though there is a bending brake i'm going to check out today or friday!
d

[Chuck Lipka]

So, do I win the prize for the correct guess?? CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The old timer who used to do my machine stuff.....he apprenticed under a German WWII vet........told me a true Bridgeport was the ONLY machinist tool that was capable of duplicating itself.

Tooling is the key, and according to him, can be as pricey as the machine itself. MAKE SURE IT'S LEVEL!!!!!!! Use a digital level and get it
within half of a degree.

If there's a prize, I'll trade it for a 7.75x.187 disc rotor compatible for use with an MCP system. CONGRATS!!!!!!

Chuck

[David Luciani]

tooling wasn't included but with a net price of 350.00 (purchase 250.00 and 100.00 cost to get it loaded on trailer) i have some room to buy stuff.
i found a decent 6" vise at the swap meet for 25.00 that came with a swivel base.
the Kennedy machinist tool box i also bought was full of tooling.
i got about a drawer full of cutters all sharp some still in wax , 100 taps and dies ,machinist clamps ,vise grips , new big files about 20 riffle files,lead hammers ball pean all told about 300# of tools and tooling.
next i need to find r8 colletts i have none.

 level is gonna be a chore in this little garage.
the floor was made by a home owner learning as he went i think. 
didn't catch on very well either.
luckily for me i do know a bit about pouring concrete.
options are cutting out a big section of the slab and pouring a new one.
or scarifying the floor to near level and doing a 4" over pour.
or removing the whole mess and pouring a brand new floor.

but for right now i'm gonna be happy with getting everything safely home.
next step is a tree removal and replacing the roof .
wind damage destroyed a big section of the roof just prior to my mill purchase .

lotta work before i make chips.
if it was easy it wouldn't be mine i suppose.

d