overhead bridge crane

[Frank S]

Every shop needs lifting devices I have a few jib cranes a couple chain hoists hanging from the ceiling, A large unwieldly forklift that is so big I can't turn it around inside the shop, But, what I really needed is an overhead bridge crane to service one of my bays. The way I built the trusses I can add more of them later.
Here is how I came up with a way to install one.
Many people are familiar with the way some roller-coaster tracks are mad out of pipe All they need is to support the rails more closely than a beam rail style the wheels are profiled to fit the OD of the pipe. My trusses as strong enough to serve as the supports so instead of needing beams for the crane to hang from or ride on top of square rails I used 2 7/8" oilfield pipes as the rails.

The pipe rails are welded to the top of the bottom truss member every 2 feet Via 1/2By 3 flat bar with gusset support on the pipe to prevent rollover stresses

The beginning of the rollers is a length of 3 1/2" round bar

A 2" hole was bored through it

Then flanges welded to it to allow for the profile machining of the roller

Machining the bearing locations for 6306 bearings 30 Bore x72 OD x19 mm wide

Machining the profile

I had a pair of cross rails from an old Globe 8000lb 4 post lift that I used for the end trucks and bracing of the bridge

View of 1 end truck assembly using a length of pipe for aligning

View of the end of the end truck with spindle welded in place note the compressed state of the end of the cross rail beam I used this proved to be beneficial in my design.

Aligning the spindles for welding

One end is bolted to the top of the bridge while the other end truck is welded this was done so the bridge could be installed. Note how the compressed beam pieces cut off from the ends of the cross rails worked out for bracing


Hanging the bridge



Only thing left is to come up with a hoist for it then testing.
Truss calculations show the trusses can support a 10k load at the center of the 68ft span, the 14 ft bridge is good for 3 tons center of span but I am only looing to install a 1-ton hoist,

[DIYer]

Thanks Frank S! We've added your Overhead Bridge Crane to our Cranes category,
as well as to your builder page: Frank S's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Overhead Bridge Crane by Frank S

tags: crane

[mwmkravchenko]

That was some press that squashed that I-beam originally. Like your Rollers Frank. Wishing I had a welder with enough giddyup to make such a weld. Did you form them by hand on the lathe?

Mark

[Frank S]

That was some press that squashed that I-beam originally. Like your Rollers Frank. Wishing I had a welder with enough giddyup to make such a weld. Did you form them by hand on the lathe?

Mark

Hand cut the radius profile, never got around to making a radius or ball profiling attachment.

[Christophe Mineau]

That's impressive work Franck, I've always been impressed by how things seem to be so easy to you when building such big things.
How did you manage to hang this big thing that high under your roof?
Did you do that alone ?
How much time did you take to complete this project ?

[Frank S]

That's impressive work Franck, I've always been impressed by how things seem to be so easy to you when building such big things.
How did you manage to hang this big thing that high under your roof?
Did you do that alone ?
How much time did you take to complete this project ?

I used my homemade 12" bucket on my backhoe with a hole cut in it near the cutting edge. I have a cargo D ring welded in the center of the top of the beam with a clevis I attached it to the bucket Set the outriggers of the backhoe to lift it as high as possible and the loader bucket down just enough to stabilize it Raised the beam as high as the backhoe could go then sitting in the backhoe with the end of a rope I had hooked on 1 end I rotated the beam enough so the rollers would align with the rails then curled the bucked in until the beam was resting in place and the shackles were freed disconnected and removed the backhoe. About half an hour to hang it but 2 days to build it
I hung the pipe rails much the same way with the back hoe then up the ladders to clamp them in place A string line stretched end for end used 12" C clamp to pull the pipe rails straight 1 mounting tab at a time A hose clamp around the pipes to hold 1 end of a tape measure using a ladder at both pipes a lot of climbing up and down until I had the ends parallel used maybe 6 clamps on each pipe . Welded 1 end of both of them then using the F150 with scaffolding I could work 3 mounting tabs then move to the next About 3 days to get the rails made and welded in place I wouldn't know what to do with a helper except for have them fetch things for me. Would have come in handy though when measuring the distance between the beams LOL.

[charles scozzari]

Every shop needs lifting devices I have a few jib cranes a couple chain hoists hanging from the ceiling, A large unwieldly forklift that is so big I can't turn it around inside the shop, But, what I really needed is an overhead bridge crane to service one of my bays. The way I built the trusses I can add more of them later.
Here is how I came up with a way to install one.
Many people are familiar with the way some roller-coaster tracks are mad out of pipe All they need is to support the rails more closely than a beam rail style the wheels are profiled to fit the OD of the pipe. My trusses as strong enough to serve as the supports so instead of needing beams for the crane to hang from or ride on top of square rails I used 2 7/8" oilfield pipes as the rails.

The pipe rails are welded to the top of the bottom truss member every 2 feet Via 1/2By 3 flat bar with gusset support on the pipe to prevent rollover stresses

The beginning of the rollers is a length of 3 1/2" round bar

A 2" hole was bored through it

Then flanges welded to it to allow for the profile machining of the roller

Machining the bearing locations for 6306 bearings 30 Bore x72 OD x19 mm wide

Machining the profile

I had a pair of cross rails from an old Globe 8000lb 4 post lift that I used for the end trucks and bracing of the bridge

View of 1 end truck assembly using a length of pipe for aligning

View of the end of the end truck with spindle welded in place note the compressed state of the end of the cross rail beam I used this proved to be beneficial in my design.

Aligning the spindles for welding

One end is bolted to the top of the bridge while the other end truck is welded this was done so the bridge could be installed. Note how the compressed beam pieces cut off from the ends of the cross rails worked out for bracing


Hanging the bridge



Only thing left is to come up with a hoist for it then testing.
Truss calculations show the trusses can support a 10k load at the center of the 68ft span, the 14 ft bridge is good for 3 tons center of span but I am only looing to install a 1-ton hoist,

Love what you've made. Will be well worth the effort. I noticed your band saw, did you make it.?

[Dry Creek Smithing]

Frank,
I love your overhead lift project. Years ago I worked in a truck shop We had two of these type of beasts in the shop. Between the two they covered the whole shop floor. We could could disassemble a truck in now time. Breaking it down to just bare frame rails in a matter of a few hours by lifting off and away the large components. Weight and mass seemed a non-issue with those two pieces of equipment. We were spoiled! You are going to love your new addition to your shop. Thanks for the great pictures of the process. Not an easy task while building. I would get so focused on the task that I'd forget to take shots of each step.
Wonderful work and great secondary use of material as well. Many of my friend don't get my "Stuff". They call it Junk, trash, scrap!

I've seen it posted on this site some where maybe your thread...
"It's not junk! It is inventory for future projects!".
Well said!!!

Doug D.C. Smithing

[Frank S]

[QUOTE=charles scozzari;227750]Love what you've made. Will be well worth the effort. I noticed your band saw, did you make it.?[/QUOTE
Thanmks; No the bansdaw is a W.E.Wells &Sons

[Philip Davies]

As it happens, Frank, I have just made up a workshop crane, for my 8’ x 6’ shed! I have a question for forum members. The new block & tackle is just to raise my compound table from its shelf onto the bench drill. The line supplied is 3-ply nylon and I don’t see how it can be used, since it twists, of course. Can I expect to remedy the twist by stretching the line against the twist, or have I sufficient grounds for a refund, doyouthink?