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Got my a-frame moved to the shop

DMiller

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Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,430
Location
Hermann, Missouri
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Cheap "old" Geezer
Built this some three years ago, was sitting in two 10'x6" channel irons as slide troughs in the gravel floor barn. Got it disassembled and hauled to the shop welded some remnant salvage dumpster casters on the legs then set it back up. 12' tall, 12' wide 4" square legs on 4" channel bases and 1/4" plates at bottom ends of those. Did swap legs by accident or stupid as never marked, assembly pinning holes are just a 1/16 to 1/8" off so will need ream them to true, pins just hold together do not carry weight. Still trying to thin out the crap in the shop, getting there slowly.

IMG_4006.JPG IMG_4007.JPG IMG_4008.JPG
 

DMiller

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Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,430
Location
Hermann, Missouri
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Cheap "old" Geezer
Is a commercial 8x18 beam, 8"x 5.25" flanges, flanges average .330 and web .230. Engineer brother said should hold three ton at center no issues.

Legs are 4" OD over 3.5" OD .25 wall
 

crane operator

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
8,274
Location
sw missouri
Looks good. I told a guy the other day about my A-frame:

"if I would have known how often I would use that thing, I probably wouldn't have bought it."

Usually the a-frame means something expensive to repair.

I do find my aframe nicer to install and remove engines with, vs a crane or forklift. It's nicer to just get a little bump up or down while tugging around on the motor with a chain fall by hand, than one guy over trapped on the crane or forklift seat.
 

DMiller

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Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,430
Location
Hermann, Missouri
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Cheap "old" Geezer
Had one years ago for HE work so could do it alone, found them great for trans and clutch work on the old cabovers, the old dozers and loaders, when it came to engines were always a shade light or at least feared so, so stuck with light cranes or what we had on the yards. Built this one when got the Allis Crawler, been at it since. Best boom I worked with was a rotary jib but then they usually limited out well below where I needed it.
 

Tugger2

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Joined
Mar 22, 2018
Messages
1,366
Location
British Columbia
Im looking at building a standalone rotary jib in my shop. Id like it to have 360 rotation . 2000 lb cap. would be really good with a hand chain fall . Any interesting ideas out there. Ive seen them done with truck spindles as the bearing
 

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,430
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer

crane operator

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
8,274
Location
sw missouri
Im looking at building a standalone rotary jib in my shop. Id like it to have 360 rotation . 2000 lb cap. would be really good with a hand chain fall . Any interesting ideas out there. Ive seen them done with truck spindles as the bearing

The one I saw with a spindle (home built) used a wagon spindle - Iowa farm shop. Instead of free standing, they put a spindle on bottom, attached to the floor, but they also put a spindle at the top tying it into the ceiling of the shop with a extra heavy rafter/ Ibeam from wall to wall. That way they didn't have to have such a heavy base plate on the floor, saving floor space.
 

DMiller

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Feb 21, 2010
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16,430
Location
Hermann, Missouri
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Cheap "old" Geezer
Have seen side mounts on beams in the power station worked off two pivot points but not 360 degree capable and had a shop with a double end pivoting pipe tower between two spindles, never got used to the whole assembly rotating, seemed a bit too chance tip-outish or able to come out of the spindles under load.
 

td25c

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2009
Messages
5,250
Location
indiana
Im looking at building a standalone rotary jib in my shop. Id like it to have 360 rotation . 2000 lb cap. would be really good with a hand chain fall . Any interesting ideas out there. Ive seen them done with truck spindles as the bearing

Not a rotary but we put a bridge type in our shop . Built brackets that went around the wood posts & bolted them . C channel for the track .

1 ton chain hoist on the trolley . One thing I like about it is good reach everywhere and don't take up usable floor area .

https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/threads/outriger-repack.11843/#post-149321
 

Tugger2

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2018
Messages
1,366
Location
British Columbia
I like your bridge crane, your right about saving space . My shop is 28 ' wide im thinking a bridge might get a bit deep and take up head room . I had thoughts of driving some 16" pipe so there would be no base plate .A bit of a tricky low headroom piledriveing job .
 

DMiller

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Feb 21, 2010
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16,430
Location
Hermann, Missouri
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Cheap "old" Geezer
If had it to do over would have set up my shop with a rolling bridge at least 20' wide. There are quite a few available on used sites where could be converted from three to single phase and still used electrically. Steel columns set just off the wooden structure walls would take the weight off the actual building and transfer directly to the floor, also give more strength.
 
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