Sky Hook jib crane for milling machine accessories

[OldMachinist]

Made a floor mount stand for the shops christmas present.





Swings back out of the way when not in use.







I always dreaded needing to use the rotary table just because it's so heavy.










I never weight it before, 220 lbs no wonder it was busting my n%ts putting it on the table,

 

[8ntsane]

I have the same one, but don't have a floor mount for mine. For a crane that is only around 25 lbs, It sure does the jobs lifting heavy items. If I recall they are supposed to lift 500 lbs max, and easily lifted everything Ive tried, and very easy too. Also you gotta like the auto lock feature, no run away loads with this crane.

Just gotta love the Sky-Hook, in the way it will pick up single handed, and leave your other hand free to guide the lifted item into place. I think these cranes are the best for a small shop. My back has been thanking me every since the day I got mine.

Nice job on the floor mount you have built for yours. I probably would have built one for mine, but could never figure out how to get the bottom base off mine, and will only hit it so hard trying to drive it out. I just bolt mine down to the mill table, or compound when using mine. I also at times bolt it down to a hydraulic lift cart to make it mobile for loading or unloading things out of cars or trucks in the drive way. Great addition to your tool collection.

 

[OldMachinist]

The bottom base is pressed on to a piece of 2" tubing. If you look at the side of the main upright tube you'll see a indentation pressed in it. The 2" tube has groove in it that the indentation clicks in. If you use two pry bars between the base and the upright you can force the 2" tube out of the upright. After mine was apart I ground a small flat on the tube so if I needed to remove it again it would be easier. Then you can either make a new tube for whatever you want to mount it to or press the tube out of the original base and reuse it.

I am going to make a mount for the lathe because eventually as I get older those chucks are going to get heavy.

 

[8ntsane]

Thanks Don

I will try the two pry bar method a shot. Ive only tried hitting it with a dead blow hammer. I purchased mine used, and I suspect it may have chips and swarf lodged down there. I did find out the hard way one time that it not a good idea to turn the crane upside down, as the chain can get snagged up. I did get it sorted out by shaking the crane up and down a bunch of times. That seemed to be the fix for that one time anyway.

Ill see if I can get it out. I would love to have a floor mount base like you have built. I would be really handy to have the floor mount base close to the mill. As it stands now, I have to bolt the crane to the mill table, and that works fine, but rather have the floor base like yours.

I have found the Sky -Hook a back saver big time. I have chucks for the lathe up to 12 inch, and the crane makes easy work changing out chucks or loading heavy materials in the lathe chuck. On the milling machine, its just as handy for rotary tables. Mine is 12 inch, plus the chuck, not sure what it weighs, but I know its too heavy for me to handle without the Sky-Hook.

Between the Sky-Hook, and the hydraulic lift cart, I don't lift chucks, vises, R/Ts, to name a few. You will come to love that little crane in a short time.

 

[OldMachinist]

I got mine cheap, it was new in the box but the chain was jammed so they thought it was broken. I popped the tube out and used a wire hook to reach up in the tube to pull loop out of the chain.

I lifted mine off and took a picture of the tube so you can see what it looks like along with the flat I ground on it to make removal easy.

 

[OldMachinist]

Started looking at the accessories they sell for the Sky Hook and saw the choker. http://www.use-enco.com/1/1/66764-8507-sky-hook-choker-collar-lifting-aid-accessories.html I couldn't justify $69 plus shipping for it so I made one.