Lifting from ceiling

[strantor]

Doing some spring cleaning in the shop I came across this chain hoist I forgot I had. Then I remembered I have a beam clamp somewhere, found it. I hung the chain hoist from the center beam of my shop.



I haven't lifted anything with it yet; I can't decide whether this is a bad idea or not. The shop is 30'×30' so this beam is a 30ft span and supports the entire middle of the roof. It seems quite substantial but I don't know how to calculate what's a safe weight to put on it. Whoever designed the building did that math and I assume the weight they designed it for is the weight of the roof, nothing else. But there must be some safety factor, right? How much would you say is OK to hang from the ceiling? Is anyone here lifting from the ceiling like this? If so, how much?

 

[strantor]

Forgot to mention:
This is an engineered building, built to withstand sustained hurricane force winds. In other words, it's "over built" and certified as such, so that I can insure the building and its contents just a few miles from the gulf of Mexico.

 

[strantor]

I checked the blueprints to see if there were any clues. They give load ratings for the roof but I don't know how to interpret them.

 

[pacifica]

I would put a support column or two under it before I lifted anything over 800#. I lifted my 1200 # mill from ceiling joist and put 4x6 columns under each side, no issues, but it can go sideways pretty fast without the columns (which can hold substantial amounts under compression). the issue is shear forces.

 

[Diecutter]

When I had my home built 40 years ago the contractor put a steel I-beam across the ceiling in the garage. It still brings me satisfaction every time something heavy has to be lifted out of the pickup bed of my truck.

 

[strantor]

I found a good use for the hoist even if I can't lift heavy stuff with it. My shoes should be nice & toasty by the time I need to put them back on my toasty feet. My Dr. Put me on some thyroid medicine and now my hands and feet get colder than ambient. Im pretty sure I have good circulation but it's as if my blood has turned to freon.

 

[GL]

Good thing those aren't your size 17 snow boots, or you would be back to your original question. But sometimes a man has to do what a man has to do.

Your specs don't seem to offer any help. Are you able to go back to whoever built the building to get an answer? If you can span a couple of "rafters" and move the load closer to the wall you will have more lift capability, and as others have said, a vertical will help a bunch.

 

[strantor]

Good thing those aren't your size 17 snow boots, or you would be back to your original question. But sometimes a man has to do what a man has to do.

Your specs don't seem to offer any help. Are you able to go back to whoever built the building to get an answer? If you can span a couple of "rafters" and move the load closer to the wall you will have more lift capability, and as others have said, a vertical will help a bunch.

I texted the builder about it but no response yet. I'll call him Monday if I don't have a reply by then. I'm predicting his answer will be a CYA case "don't do it" without actually looking into it.

 

[tq60]

Do NOT lift anything more than about 100 pounds.

You have a triangle formed by two roof beams and the distance between walls...but...nothing holding the tops of the walls together.

W/o downward force at peak will try to spread the walls out.

The beams look substantial but they still can move as the leverage is great.

Without cross bracing under the peak or across the top of the walls the structure does not have much relative strength to lift, might have a bunch.

Place a call to the manufacturer of the building as they can tell you what the building can do.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

 

[mickri]

You definitely need to contact the manufacturer of the building. That is a prefab metal building. These types of buildings are only designed to handle the intended loads. Hurricane wind loads are an entirely different kind of load from the point load of lifting a heavy weight. To get a meaningful response from the building manufacturer you will need to know the weight of what you want to lift. That is the first question that they will ask you. Then they can tell you what you need to do to strengthen the building to handle the intended load and probably can supply the needed parts.