Gantry Crane 69513

[HighWall]

I've been thinking about getting one of these rolling cranes. I see there are two models of gantry cranes on the HF website, but I can't tell what the differences are. The 69513 has better reviews than the 41188? Anyway, since I have a 3/4 Bridgeport (935TV) and G4003G to get settled into a new build (and that's just what I know about NOW), I thought it would be worth the cost in cash and square footage. My ceiling height is 9'6" and concrete on the floor.

I already have an engine hoist from HF and it's proved its worth more that once, but found it a little small setting up a 6x26 mill I used to own. The new mill's quite a bit larger.

 

[tmarks11]

They are exactly the same thing. I don't know why they list two with different model numbers.

The first time I looked at the HF gantry, it seemed decently built and a good value.

Than I did some reading and looked at other manufacturers.

HF rates that at 1 ton.

I think that is wishful thinking. Usually the manufacture has a 2x or more safety factor. In HF case, I suspect it is more like 0.8x.

Every other manufacturer of gantry cranes puts at least a 6" I-beam for the horizontal on a 1 ton crane. The HF model has a 4.75" I-beam (probably metric, maybe a 127x76 mm I-beam?), which has probably 40% the amount of steel in it that the 6" I-beam does, a moment of area of about 1/3 the larger beam (meaning it is a limp noodle).

Don't stand underneath it while lifting. It probably would work to lift 1500#, most of the time, but I definitely wouldn't trust it to survive any sort of shock loading.

Is it a better choice than a engine hoist? Definitely, and would be a lot safer, as it presents a more stable platform for the lift.

I ended up getting a good deal on craigslist for a 2 ton 10' gantry, which is built around an 8" I-beam. It had no problem with my G0709G lathe.

 

[JimDawson]

I've been thinking about getting one of these rolling cranes. I see there are two models of gantry cranes on the HF website, but I can't tell what the differences are. The 69513 has better reviews than the 41188? Anyway, since I have a 3/4 Bridgeport (935TV) and G4003G to get settled into a new build (and that's just what I know about NOW), I thought it would be worth the cost in cash and square footage. My ceiling height is 9'6" and concrete on the floor.

I already have an engine hoist from HF and it's proved its worth more that once, but found it a little small setting up a 6x26 mill I used to own. The new mill's quite a bit larger.

If I had to make a choice between the two, I might go with the 41188 because it weighs about 150 lb more, that means a bit more steel in it. The specifications look about the same otherwise. Any lifting or pulling device from HF I normally de-rate by about 50% from the published specs. If you have the tools, building one would be a better option. I think you could build it for a lot less than $790. A nice weekend project.

 

[wrmiller]

Paul at Charter Oak recommended that I get the HF crane for my 9x39 mill as they use theirs all the time for moving the mills around the warehouse and even take it on the road for shows and stuff.

 

[PeteH]

If you buy one of the HF shop cranes, buy it from one of their stores, NOT online. I bought one online, and it came in lacking the "hardware bag" -- about $20 worth of stuff, unfortunately some of it specialized, so I couldn't just go Home Despot and get replacements.

I contacted HF and they wanted me to return the WHOLE CRANE -- two big boxes, weighing nearly 200 lbs. total. I asked "why not just send me the parts" and they said they didn't stock the parts, and to send me the bag would mean they'd have another incomplete crane in the warehouse.

I asked for return labels, and they sent me two that were no good -- they were USPS labels, not usable on anything that heavy. Then they sent me two FedEx labels. When I went to the local FedEx depot, I was told they were no good either, I forget why.

At that point I turned it over to my credit-card company, and they hassled it out. I never paid for the thing.

This could all have been avoided if I'd gotten the thing from a "bricks-and-mortar" location, because HF has a good rep for return/replacement IN PERSON. Lesson learned.

One thing about those cranes that's turned up on other forums (fora?) -- the legs tend to get in the way when you're trying to deposit some heavy object on a table/stand.

 

[bvd1940]

They are exactly the same thing. I don't know why they list two with different model numbers.

The first time I looked at the HF gantry, it seemed decently built and a good value.

Than I did some reading and looked at other manufacturers.

HF rates that at 1 ton.

I think that is wishful thinking. Usually the manufacture has a 2x or more safety factor. In HF case, I suspect it is more like 0.8x.

Every other manufacturer of gantry cranes puts at least a 6" I-beam for the horizontal on a 1 ton crane. The HF model has a 4.75" I-beam (probably metric, maybe a 127x76 mm I-beam?), which has probably 40% the amount of steel in it that the 6" I-beam does, a moment of area of about 1/3 the larger beam (meaning it is a limp noodle).

Don't stand underneath it while lifting. It probably would work to lift 1500#, most of the time, but I definitely wouldn't trust it to survive any sort of shock loading.

Is it a better choice than a engine hoist? Definitely, and would be a lot safer, as it presents a more stable platform for the lift.

I ended up getting a good deal on craigslist for a 2 ton 10' gantry, which is built around an 8" I-beam. It had no problem with my G0709G lathe.

I bought a one ton from HF when I moved my shop and I picked my PM14x40 lathe up and placed it with no problems, I kept it low to the ground and worked real slow so there was not any surprise,s.:talktogod:
I have been real happy with the capabilities of the hoist.:thumbzup3:

 

[Cheeseking]

I have that HF crane and its awesome. Highly recommended. Not something you want to be assembling/disassembling but in a pinch for space I suppose you could. I keep mine setup over my basement access stairway in the garage. It was the only way I was able to get a lathe, surface grinder, Bridgeport and everything else down into my shop all by myself. It also made life much easier removing machines from trailers and dis-assembling them into manageable pcs. You wont be sorry you bought it. Maybe wait for the 20% coupon to go for it. Don't forget to add the cost of a trolly and a chain hoist if you don't already have them.
Another thing to consider is the height lost to the trolley and chain-fall. My garage ceiling is 10' so @ 9-6" you should be ok.
Pics putting it to work ...

 

[jlrice54]

I've been thinking about getting one of these rolling cranes. I see there are two models of gantry cranes on the HF website, but I can't tell what the differences are. The 69513 has better reviews than the 41188? Anyway, since I have a 3/4 Bridgeport (935TV) and G4003G to get settled into a new build (and that's just what I know about NOW), I thought it would be worth the cost in cash and square footage. My ceiling height is 9'6" and concrete on the floor.

I already have an engine hoist from HF and it's proved its worth more that once, but found it a little small setting up a 6x26 mill I used to own. The new mill's quite a bit larger.

HF sometimes gives an item a different SKU if it is store stock or online only. Sometimes, it indicated a different source in Asia or a different lot from the same source. It's unpredictable.

I looked at that gantry crane for a couple of years when I was working in a 2-car standard garage. After I moved to a property with a proper shop building, I lucked into a $200 deal on a shop built A-frame built around a 10" I beam and 4" drill stem on 6" 2000# casters. It clears the bottom of the joists at 13' by 1/2". We had to tow it home hooked onto the trailer hitch of my truck. I've lifted a 3000# lathe with it using a spreader made from a left over chunk of a 8" H beam. It didn't even groan. It needs a new paint job and some new casters as the original ones were buried in the dirt for who knows how long and the bearing are totally rusted and stiff. My father-in-law is a retired certified welder an millwright so he's going to check all the welds and redo any that he judges suspect before I wire brush it and paint it the summer.

James
Sherman, TX

 

[sk1nner]

We have a few of them at work. Seemed to support large hydrolic shafts we were HVOFing just fine.

 

[cvairwerks]

Something to consider is that the HF gantry is NOT designed to be moved with a load suspended on it. IF you look at where the uprights and the beam connect, there is absolutely no triangulation bracing and mating plates are pretty thin. Take a look at something like a Wallace or Goodwin. On the HF, if it's not level from one end of the beam to the other and you have much of a load, it's way too easy to let it get out of control and rack the verticals. At that point it's probably going to come down and if it does, hopefully none of your body parts are in the vicinity.

I've had two different gantries that were designed to handle moving loads topple over the years, and it wasn't pretty either time. One was due to a bolt failure and the other was due to sheer momentum of the load. Plan the move and plan in an escape route. Keep the load as low as you can and take your time.