# Most used tool in shop now changes chucks



## theperfessor (Mar 30, 2020)

We just moved into new larger shop. The old shop had an I-beam crane over our manual lathe to use for changing chucks. The new shop doesn't have any overhead lift capability. One of the most used tools in our shop is a foot powered hydraulic manual fork lift we got from Grainger. It will lift 880 lbs so a 100 lb chuck is no problem.

I milled down some 3 x 3 x 3/16 angle iron to make a U channel that would just clear the width of one fork. Welded a strap across the bottom of one end to make a box section to keep it on the fork and drilled a 1" cross hole in the other end for a piece of 1" cold rolled (1018). I tacked the rod in place, I think I will replece it with a longer one now that I've used it a couple times. It slips on and off, no tools needed.

I lifted the heaviest chuck we use and even though the fork extension sticks past the front wheels a few inches it doesn't seem to want to tip. I was prepared to make some counterweights to attach to the frame but I don't think I'll need any. And now we can change the chucks on both our lathes, our other one is a Haas TL1.


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## brino (Mar 30, 2020)

Looks like a great solution.
I bet you will miss that I-beam though.......

Those are some strange looking chips on the floor....what kind of metal is that?  

-brino


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## theperfessor (Mar 30, 2020)

It's pinewood metal chips! The old crane is going to be moved over to the new shop, put on caster wheels, and positioned over our material rack. Plan to use it for moving stuff to rack and from rack to cutoff saw.


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## brino (Mar 30, 2020)

theperfessor said:


> The old crane is going to be moved over to the new shop, put on caster wheels, and positioned over our material rack.



Nice. Everything is getting an upgrade.
Congrats!

-brino


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