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[lefty69101]

Hey!They call me lefty and I live out in the Mojave desert out in the sticks so to speak.Completely off grid. As far as my skills go I am definitely learning as I go and it is a lot of heavy, hard manual labor! did I mention I am a 39 year old woman? lol. So yes!, I am looking for all the help I can get out here to make the work a little easier on my aging body!Today I am looking for advice on how to build an A-frame to lift an 1000 pound brick-making machine out of my trailer and onto a small platform.Thaks guys in advance!

[Jon]

Hi lefty - welcome to HomemadeTools.net

I'll move this question into our Tools in Progress subforum, and you can get some ideas for your build.

[Frank S]

Hi Lefty, welcome aboard Personally I think you will find that man woman and near child can be found posting or at the very least lurking here at HMT.net
If you could provide provide just a little information of your personal skill set, the available tools or machines at your disposal, plus the width the "A" frame must accommodate along with height limitations and the maximum hook height you will require I would be more than happy to design an A frame to suit your needs.
Will this Gantry need to be moved around while the load is suspended from it? if so on what type of surface IE sand gravel asphalt wood floor or concrete Next will it need to be maneuvered around like either making a simple rotational turn or moved completely sideways. I am talking about the whole structure not just a trolley to move the hoist from side to side of a beam.
Lastly and certainly not least does this assembly need to be constructed with disassembly for storage in mind and will it need to be made so that 1 person can safely assemble it by themselves.
One last thing there are several good home made "A" frames already posted here However none may be taylored specifically for your needs they may give you a fair Idea of how to construct your own.

[C-Bag]

Hi Lefty. Wow, you're just a spring chicken at 39 around here, but living off the grid in the Mojave would make anybody feel old! I feel tired just thinking about it. That is a LOT of work to do by yourself. For your own safety I hope someone else is around or checking in with you.

I recently bumped into this YouTube vid and found it to be inspiring for the basic logic and lack of woowoo that has shrouded Coral Castle for years.

There are tons of vids on Coral Castle but none IMHO make as much sense as this. There were pics of the old guy building the place and they always involved him around a tripod. I don't know what your place looks like or what resources you have close by but most rough construction sites don't have a lot of cement or paving and when I think of A frames I think of the ones I've used and they were always on rollers and pavement. They require welding and fabrication. The progressive tripods that Mr. L used n the building of Coral Castle are brilliant IMHO in that they can support tons of weight are fairly easy to construct ( wood poles, chain, comealong and chain hoists) and can be moved and set up on rough ground that no A frame that I've ever used could do. Just a thought, good luck and be safe.