# Gantry Cranes



## rwm (Jul 2, 2019)

There have been a few threads about gantry cranes over the years and they have a lot of useful information.
I need one that has a capacity of at least 1ton, no more than 2 tons.
I considered making one however after looking at the cost of the steel and wheels I am revisiting the commercially available products. HF sells one by "Pitsburgh" and Titan has models in 1 ton and 2 tons.

https://www.harborfreight.com/1-ton-telescoping-gantry-crane-41188.html 

https://www.palletforks.com/2-ton-adjustable-steel-gantry-crane-shop-lift.html 

Does anyone have a comment on which would be better quality? It looks like I can get the 2 ton for less than the 1 ton. I am open to other ideas as well. Do you own one of these?

Robert


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## astjp2 (Jul 2, 2019)

I would build my own...I have seen the HF, the ratings are anemic.  Craigslist a good gantry and chain hoist a 10" beam and some square tubing.  Weld some brackets and gussets, drill some bolt holes and you are done with assembly.  Coat of tractor supply paint and you are done.


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## rwm (Jul 2, 2019)

astjp2 said:


> I would build my own...I have seen the HF, the ratings are anemic.  Craigslist a good gantry and chain hoist a 10" beam and some square tubing.  Weld some brackets and gussets, drill some bolt holes and you are done with assembly.  Coat of tractor supply paint and you are done.


Ok. Question: Can I sleeve 3-1/2 OD tubing into 4" .250 wall square tubing? Or will I get interference. I am worried welding will warp the larger tubing? What size beam? 4 x 6"?
Still thinkin' bout that 2 ton Titan. I like the gussets and the lift handles.
Robert


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## Cheeseking (Jul 2, 2019)

Robert, I’ve had one for about 10 years now and IMO it’s been a great investment. 
Paid $600 +|- with a 20% coupon but I suspect they go for more now. Even at $750 it’s a good purchase assuming you will get utility from it. Only thing I dislike is the space it takes up at the back of my garage when not in use. Its quite heavy and due to where it sits straddling the stairwell to the basement, I had to remove the casters. Putting them back on isn’t fun but fortunately 99% of its purpose was to lower heavy things down to my shop. Its sits right where it’s at blocked in place.
There’s absolutely no way you can buy the steel tubing, I-beam, plate casters, paint, hardware etc, let alone the time and labor to fabricate. Unless you’re looking for a project, buying the HF is the way to go. Is it rocket science to make one, no but do the math. 
Buy it you’ll love it.

For grins here it is lowering my BP column into the basement. With no helper I’ve used it to get everything from a tormach 1100, a surface grinder, 11x 30 lathe, Bridgeport and more


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## rwm (Jul 2, 2019)

CK-  I saw that pic in the other thread! Excellent. I like the HF model but I am considering the Titan due to the 2 ton capacity, gussets and the $700 price! Hopefully someone has one and will weigh in!
R


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## astjp2 (Jul 2, 2019)

rwm said:


> Ok. Question: Can I sleeve 3-1/2 OD tubing into 4" .250 wall square tubing? Or will I get interference. I am worried welding will warp the larger tubing? What size beam? 4 x 6"?
> Still thinkin' bout that 2 ton Titan. I like the gussets and the lift handles.
> Robert


4x8" beam as a minimum if you don't want any flex, stitch welding will minimize warping, and trying to push anything into square tubing may have an issue with interfernece with the internal seam weld if it is a tight fit.


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## Cheeseking (Jul 2, 2019)

Wait Is the HF a 1-ton or 2-ton???
Lol I own one and don’t even know that vital stat


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## rwm (Jul 2, 2019)

HF is 1 ton.


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## jocat54 (Jul 3, 2019)

I have looked at the HF for a long time--but would need to modify it to get my trailer in between the legs--really only needs a few inches to clear the trailer. Probably would have already bought one if I didn't need to modify it--getting lazy in my old age I guess


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## 682bear (Jul 3, 2019)

I built one a few years ago... I used a 5x6 H beam for the top and 2 1/2 x 1/4 wall box steel for the legs. I have lifted around 3000 lbs with it.







It is 10 feet wide and 9' 6" tall... barely short enough to roll through my shop doors...

-Bear


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## MikeInOr (Jul 3, 2019)

I have easily lifted a 1.5 ton mill with my gantry.




The upright beams are laminated (glued) tripple 2x4's.  The overhead beam is trippled 2x12's (not laminated).  The best thing about it is I can easily break it down and store it.  All the pieces are lite enough moving them myself isn't an issue.  I think I have about $100 in lumber.  (I did have to replace the 8 foot laminated uprights shown here with 10' ones when I bought my mill).  Of course 3 laminated (glued) 2x4's are much stronger than a single 4x6.


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## turnitupper (Jul 3, 2019)

682bear said:


> I have lifted around 3000 lbs with it.


With or without the casters?


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## rwm (Jul 3, 2019)

Wood is an amazing material.
R


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## 682bear (Jul 3, 2019)

turnitupper said:


> With or without the casters?



Without...

Actually, I used it to lift my South Bend 14 1/2 lathe off the trailer. Just about the time we pulled the trailer out from under it, leaving the 1800 lb lathe hanging 4 feet off the concrete, I realized that I had the lathe and the weight of the gantry sitting on 4 casters that were only rated at about 1400 lbs... definately a 'pucker moment', but they held it.

Since then, I have replaced the casters with a set that are rated at 2400 lbs... but when I'm going to lift something over 1500 lbs, I take the casters off...

-Bear


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## rwm (Jul 3, 2019)

I reading about gantry cranes, it sounds like a caster failure can change the geometry enough for the entire rig to buckle and fail.
Does no one have the Titan? Titan and Strongway may be the same model?
Robert


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## bill70j (Jul 3, 2019)

MikeInOr said:


> I have easily lifted a 1.5 ton mill with my gantry.


MikeInOr:
Do you have drawings or even a simple sketch of your wood gantry?  I have often thought of this as the cheapest alternative.  Also, is it engineered and rated?
Thanks


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## MikeInOr (Jul 3, 2019)

bill70j said:


> MikeInOr:
> Do you have drawings or even a simple sketch of your wood gantry?  I have often thought of this as the cheapest alternative.  Also, is it engineered and rated?
> Thanks



I will be happy to add additional pictures when I get a chance. 

The engineering is pretty simple:  The tripped 2x12's header transfers the weight being lifted to the upright columns.  The columns transfer the weight to the floor.  If you could keep everything perfectly balanced this is all you would need.  The additional bracing is there to counteract any lateral forces that would knock the upright columns over, they do not directly support the weight.

The rating: you are on your own.  I have worked with wood and built enough structures to have a pretty good understanding of what wood can support.  I understand that a weakness in a 4x6 post due to a knot or other abbreviation in the grain will likely run through the entire width of the board.  By laminating three 2x4's any grain abbreviation will be supported by the adjacent 2x4's.  By gluing the tripled 2x4's they will support each other their entire length instead of just at specific points if I had just used nails or screws.

As for any guarantees... you need to use your own judgement... as with anything you find on the internet.  I do NOT hoist my mill up in the air then crawl underneath it to work on the underside of the mill.  As with moving ANY heavy equipment I move slow, take extreme care and keep myself out of harms way in case an accident does happen.  My assistant is my 14 yo daughter who is really just there to call the medics or the coroner.  When my father was alive we worked together really well as he taught me when I was quite small to do what he asked and not grab a hold and try to help without being asked... this is a difficult concept to convey to friends trying to help.  I VERY RARELY try to move anything with any sizable mass with brute force.  When presented with a large load I like to "think it off" instead of "muscle it off".


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## horty (Jul 6, 2019)

rwm said:


> I considered making one


Robert,
A lot of designs if you want to build yourself, I would, but thats your decision.
You can try this link, it might redirect you to an arcade site when clicking on images and plans.
I'm to old to figure out how to by-pass that stuff.



			https://imgarcade.com/gantry-crane-plans.html


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## rwm (Jul 6, 2019)

Watch those links! Some of them want to install malware!
R


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## NCjeeper (Jul 6, 2019)

A friend of mine has the HF one. Its ok but seems flimsy to me. I will probably fabricate my own.


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## horty (Jul 6, 2019)

I had one also, your right, it was way to flimsy for my comfort, it was a 1 ton,  how many people weight what is going to be lifted, might look like a ton but could be a ton and a half.

So built one my way and alot cheaper than $600-$900 and can lift around 4 ton...

Tim


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## Bi11Hudson (Jul 6, 2019)

Not having or using a "gantry crane", my opinion is not the most useful. However, having worked in the steel mills and foundries in this area, I do have a good concept of what a structure will take.

With any Harbor Freight device, I have a rule of thumb that has held up well for me over the years. I assume any device of their's is usable at *one half* its' rated capacity. A device rated at one ton will lift one ton, *one time*. Then be useless beyond a place for hanging stuff. Used at half capacity, it will hold up pretty good for an amateur. An example being the sheet rock panel jack. It'll do 3/4" plywood, but is pushing the limits.

The same thoughts apply to any hoist made overseas. The one from "palletforks" is rated at two tons. Used as a one ton hoist, you would be well enough off. With a slight margin for error if it ever came up. That is the key to any lifting equipment, a good safety margin. A 100% margin is minimal. From an industrial perspective, three or four times is comfortable, five or more would be even better. HF stuff is rated in absolutes, no safety margin.

I have used wooden ramps a number of times for unloading things over the years, usually with _little or no_ margin of error. But the wood is then used as "scab" lumber, nothing structural. The thoughts of trebling the timbers given above is right on point. The key is the grade of lumber used. Spruce or fir is trim lumber, not structural. Pine or oak would give better service.

A truss configuration would give better service than a solid. That a given in wood or steel. A roof truss of great span, 30 ft or more, when used for a small 10 ft beam would hold a pretty good weight. I'm rambling now, designing by remote. A bad move at the best of times.

Bill Hudson​


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## Barncat (Jul 6, 2019)

I have the 2 ton titan one from pallet forks. I think it was about $670 delivered this past summer.  When I factored in my time plus mostly new steel and wheels, it was a no-brainer to buy a kit and have it Delivered. It seems like a nice unit. I haven’t tried to lift anything too heavy yet, but currently my truck topper is suspended from it. It went together pretty easily, all the bolt holes lined up, the instructions weren’t great, but good enough. The castors actually seem like a pretty good quality. The handles to raise and lower are a nice feature, although if you do buy it, there are four bolts that should be replaced with carriage bolts, the heads with sharp corners get stuck and make the handles hard to operate. If you buy one, you will see what I mean. Definitely research the inside width and compare to a trailer you may want to have it straddle. I also like that it is bolted together and can be taken apart and moved if needed, as opposed to welding one together.


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## rwm (Jul 7, 2019)

Thanks for all the comments. I am thinking the 2 ton Titan will be the winner since I will rarely lift more than a Bridgeport. I believe they are about 2200 lbs. I will check my trailer width!
Robert


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## rwm (Jul 9, 2019)

I ordered the 2 ton Strongway gantry. It will clear my trailer. Now I need a 2 ton trolley and hoist. Any thoughts on those? What do you have that you like.
Robert


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## westerner (Jul 9, 2019)

MikeInOr said:


> I VERY RARELY try to move anything with any sizable mass with brute force. When presented with a large load I like to "think it off" instead of "muscle it off".


My line of work occasionally involves moving big, heavy, awkward stuff. Sometimes, no previous experience or data to support the rigging effort. The quote above is the essence of the job. Involve more than one qualified "thinker", if available.  I still have all my appendages, and so do the men I work with.


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## Winegrower (Jul 9, 2019)

I have the Harbor Freight 2 Ton engine hoist.   It had no problem lifting the 2500 pound or so Takisawa lathe.   I recall it was on the 1.5T setting, and it was surprisingly easy to move the equipment around on a not perfectly smooth concrete floor.   The legs fold up and minimize the storage footprint.


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## rwm (Jul 12, 2019)




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## rwm (Aug 12, 2019)

Finally got it and got it up:





It's the Strongway from Northern Tool. Hey... what's the best way to keep the trolley from moving when you don't want it to? Beam clamps? Straps?

Robert


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## NortonDommi (Aug 13, 2019)

rwm said:


> I reading about gantry cranes, it sounds like a caster failure can change the geometry enough for the entire rig to buckle and fail.
> Does no one have the Titan? Titan and Strongway may be the same model?
> Robert


Hi RWM,
               I had some castor failure problems when moving some heavy stuff and ended up making my own which is pretty easy.  I knocked up a whole batch of wheels of different sizes and make fixed or swivelling mounts to suit to application.  I got the incentive for making the wheels from here:


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## Dabbler (Aug 13, 2019)

rwm, you acted so fast that I missed this entire thread while I was away on holidays, and now you have it...

So even being late to the thread I thought I'd mention a thing or 2...  Our HF 'princess auto'  had 1 and 2 ton gantry cranes for sale here, but when I looked at them and turned a 'engineer's eye' to them the seemed to be very seriously overrated.  I might trust the 2 ton to lift a 750 lb load, but not if there was anything out of level with the location of the crane....

So for the price I made my own, learning a ton (!!) of stuff while doing it.  I paid a little more than the price of the 2 ton without a trolley, but have a crane that will easily handle more than I'd ever lift.

I sent my drawings and pictures to a relative who runs a crane building/design firm, and he says that my rated capacity should be about 4 tons (so I overbuilt it a little)....

so my next project is to build a trolley: my main beam is 4" X 8" .188 wall tubing, as no commercial trollies will fit it.

Here it is hoisting my 2000 lb surface grinder :


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## rwm (Aug 14, 2019)

Dabbler- Very nice crane you have built there. Mine is the 2 ton unit. The main beam looks adequate. The side posts look a little sketchy for 2 tons. I would probably never move more than a Bridgeport and it should be adequate for that. I feel like keeping the casters locked will be key. I still need a way to lock the trolley. 
Robert


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## dpb (Aug 14, 2019)

rwm, can you just put a threaded hole in the trolley, with a set screw that bears against the main beam?


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## Timwalker (Aug 14, 2019)

rwm said:


> I still need a way to lock the trolley.
> Robert



Definitely don't try and lock the trolley, they are meant to not only allow you to move the hoist/lifted item into position, but to also mantain the overhead lifting point above the center of balance of the object. 

For instance, if you wanted to stand a tall item up (a post or something), the trolley would be centered over the lifted end at first, and would then move closer to the low end as you raise it up.  This is to prevent a shifting load and reduce sideways forces on the gantry (not fun to see a gantry flip).  Also note that the 'safe' way to stand something under a gantry is to have the item lifted parallel to the beam and not perpedicularly.

If for some reason you absolutely need a fixed lifting point (second pick point etc) a short lifting sling choking the beam can serve well enough.  You can also bolt on a purchased/fabricated seperate stationary pick point.

No offense intended, but it doesn't seem like you have a lot of experience with rigging.  I would recommend finding someone who can teach/help you with any big lifts for a while, or at least purchase some books on safe rigging practices.


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## rwm (Aug 14, 2019)

Timwalker said:


> Definitely don't try and lock the trolley, they are meant to not only allow you to move the hoist/lifted item into position, but to also mantain the overhead lifting point above the center of balance of the object.
> 
> For instance, if you wanted to stand a tall item up (a post or something), the trolley would be centered over the lifted end at first, and would then move closer to the low end as you raise it up.  This is to prevent a shifting load and reduce sideways forces on the gantry (not fun to see a gantry flip).  Also note that the 'safe' way to stand something under a gantry is to have the item lifted parallel to the beam and not perpedicularly.
> 
> ...



I have no experience in rigging! Thank you for the tip on the trolley. That makes perfect sense. I will do some research.
Robert


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## Timwalker (Aug 14, 2019)

rwm said:


> I have no experience in rigging! Thank you for the tip on the trolley. That makes perfect sense. I will do some research.
> Robert



Most important 'rule' is fingers and eyes go over every square inch of rigging gear before being used, every time, to check for defects or wear problems.

Other than that it is the same as running machine equipment for the most part, need to have the right gear to do different lifts/moves, and need to know how to use it.

You can do a lot with a few different length strap pairs, some shackles, and a dog chain or two (be sure to never load both sides of a chain if you use these).  Other than that it depends a lot on what you need to be moving.


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## Dabbler (Aug 14, 2019)

rwm, if you don't want to have a movable trolley, wrap a chain around your main beam and hoist from that. 

I'd be very wary about drilling any holes in the trolley or altering it ain any way.  In my structures class in U.  we took transparent stress models and drilled holes in them, and found that the stress concentrations change radically.  In most designs, there is a lot of redundancy and overbuilding, so no biggie.  These trolleys from offshore have no safety factors or extra strength built in - a hole can be disaster.


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## brino (Aug 14, 2019)

Timwalker said:


> I would recommend finding someone who can teach/help you with any big lifts for a while, or at least purchase some books on safe rigging practices.



@Timwalker , Can you recommend any good online or book resources for rigging basics?
I have always wanted to learn more.
Thanks,
-brino


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## MikeInOr (Aug 14, 2019)

The cross beam now has a couple bolts on each end going through the upright holding the beam in place.  The 2x12's are not laminated.  It is MUCH easier to put them on one at a time when setting up in a tight space and take them off one at a time when dissembling.  They would be stronger if they were laminated.



Only the 3 center beams of the upright are laminated together.  The two outside supports for holding the beam are just bolted onto the upright.



The extra 2x4's glued to the uprights at the base are really only there because they were lying around when I was putting it together... but the "official" explanation is they give a bit of extra support to keep the beam from falling over left or right by increasing the distance between the bolts.



The angled braces fold down to between the 2x4 base for storage.  If you look close at where they attach to the base one has the block on top of the base the other one has the block below the brace so they fold on top of each other neatly for storage and transport.

When broken down I can pretty easily move all 5 pieces myself in case I need to move it the the sellers location to load my trailer.


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## Latinrascalrg1 (Aug 15, 2019)

For those making a wood gantry i would suggest that you look into "Laminated" beams using Plywood. 

In my experience for example i found using two 2x8's glued and screwed onto each side of a 3/4" thick structural plywood gave me more lifting capacity without sagging and being lighter weight compared to using three 2x8's.  Do your own research to be sure your building it safely and you will not have a problem so long as you pay attention to even the small details when lifting heavy objects!


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## Timwalker (Aug 15, 2019)

brino said:


> @Timwalker , Can you recommend any good online or book resources for rigging basics?
> I have always wanted to learn more.
> Thanks,
> -brino



Best way to learn is to work with someone who doesn't mind teaching you.

As for books, a lot depends on what you want to learn and how far you want to get into it.  There are a lot of "basic" rigging books out there, but my guess is they will contain far more info than most amateurs would need to know (for instance how the angle of sling/cable used in a choke effects the safe load rating, not a big concern if your slings are rated 2 or 3 times what you are lifting).  Something like






						Rigging Handbook 5th Edition: Jerry Klinke: 9781888724189: Amazon.com: Books
					

Rigging Handbook 5th Edition [Jerry Klinke] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Rigging Handbook 5th Edition



					www.amazon.com
				




would be a good place to start, but may be a bit more than most need to know.  Theater rigging books can also be helpful (different style of equipment, and lots of rope and knot work).

Edit:
This looks like a good visual resource on safe practices for setting slings





						Rigging - Methods of slinging hitches
					






					www.ehsdb.com


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## Dabbler (Aug 15, 2019)

Traditional rigging (like my Dad practiced) and 'rigging' as applied to machine tools uses different equipment, but relies on similar principles...

Here is a good free text on rigging basics... 


			https://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2014/01/f6/HoistingRigging_Fundamentals.pdf
		


An excellent intro to moving a lathe is here: Tom Lipton, OxTool...






I move local people's lathes and mills regularly, so I have built up quite a kit of moving stuff that really helps...  Depending on the job, all or none of it might be helpful...  but a pry bar, 2X4s for blocking and black iron pipe can get you a long way in a pinch, without much cost.


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## BGHansen (Aug 15, 2019)

I've got a Harbor Freight 1-ton with a HF 2-ton trolley and chain fall. No issues at all moving my 2000 lbs Bridgeport. The I-beam is still straight as an arrow. The weak point in the design is the tubular steel in the base where the columns attach.  I moved the BP by setting it on the ground and moved the crane so the mill was at one end. Lifted the mill (worst case load on the column to the base) and pushed it to the other end using the trolley. Dropped the mill and repeated until it was in place. My manual suggests not lifting a load and moving it with the Crane's casters.  Risk is supposed to be getting the load swinging and tipping the crane. I'd have to measure the caster axles but recall them being about 3/8" in diameter, so good for around 4 tons each.

Bruce


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