Home made jib crane with photos

Dave J · 23rd February 2010, 03:54 PM

Hi,
I have been having a hard time lifting things on and off the mill and the lathe for some time and usually had to get a hand off someone (usually my son) to give me a lift. The problem is not age but a broken disc in my neck and after a MI scan and surgery (the operation was unsuccessful) the doctors told me I had an 80 year old spine at the ripe old age of 38 that was 4 years ago. About 12 months ago I had the son in-law help lift the 250mm (10”) rotary and he nearly dropped it, so I decided to build a crane to do the lifting as I still wanted to lift things on my own but safely.

After some research on the internet (not much out there) I built this jib crane last year but only put it up at Christmas. It was made of scrap that I picked up in a dumpster and the main post a mate gave to me.
The beam is 150mm x 75 (6"x3") and is 2.3 mtrs (7.5ft) long made up of 2 pieces welded together. The vertical leg is 1mtr (3.2ft) long.

The bearings retainers are from the rear diff of a Nissan 720 4x4 pickup with a standard 30mm inner bearing in the top retainer and the bottom one with the original taper bearing from the axle. There is a 40mm (13/4”) square trailer axle machined at both ends to suit the bearings welded to the back of the crane. I made plates up to go around them and welded them to the crane as extra insurance.

I made the brackets up to hold the bearing retainers out of 10mm (3/8") plate and they bolt onto the 100x100mm (4"x4") thick wall post. They bolt on to the post with 4 x 20mm (3/4) HT bolts top and bottom. I welded the nuts to a 300mm x 90 x 6mm ((1’x 3 1/2”x1/4”) plates top and bottom and then slid the plates inside the post while it was laying on the ground. A couple of small countersunk bolts hold them in place until the post goes up and the bolts go in. The top plates are 150 x 150x 10mm (6”x6”x3/8) with the same 20mm bolts and the bottom plate is 300x175x20mm (1’x7”x3/4) with 5x 16mm (5/8) pins into the concrete. I made the dummy bolts at the bottom because it has to be removed to another location latter. They have a hex head but no thread and are hammered 75mm (3”)into the tight fitting hole in the concrete.

You will see in the photo that I made up some temporary angle brackets with thread bar to do the final adjustments to the post when the crane was up, before welding the bottom. I was lucky I did that as when I first put it up it needed to go higher than I thought. So I lifted it 150mm higher and had to redrill more holes and plug up the old ones.
The beam trolley is made up to suit the electric winch my wife bought me for a Christmas present. I had an old beam trolley that I got the wheels off.

Just after getting it up I decided I needed a cable festoon for the electric wires so I found a deal on eBay plastic wheels and made some trolleys up out of 3mm (1/8”) plate.
I made it so the controller is separate from the winch and left provision for the power controls that I will be fitting latter to move it in and out and side to side.

I haven’t used it much as I am doing renovations on the house but it will be a big help in the future.
All up it only cost me $25Aus dollars and that was for the stickers and the festoon wheels.

This is the first time I have put together a post so I hope I haven’t left anything out and I hope it’s understandable.
Davo

**jatt** · 23rd February 2010, 05:50 PM

Looks the goods.

Recon u will get heaps of use out of it.

Nice mill, not a bad lathe either.

**gallegos** · 23rd February 2010, 06:17 PM

Looks good... whats the deal with the bracket bolts that have metric and imperial markings? weird.

Dave J · 23rd February 2010, 06:30 PM

Thanks Jatt,
The lathe is a Gasweld model I have had for about 7 years. I fiited a 3 axis DRO to it and way wipers , way protectors ect.
The HM52 Came with the DRO, so far I have changed the X scale to the front of the table, added 2 power feeds and extended the Y travel out to 280mm instead of 160mm that it came with. I have not long got it back together after tearing it down to clean up the casting.
I will be posting a thread on it soon but here are a couple of pictures.
Dave

Dave J · 23rd February 2010, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by gallegos

Looks good... whats the deal with the bracket bolts that have metric and imperial markings? weird.

They are 20mm but overseas (and people here) still use imperial so I wrote it for both. 20mm here is roughly equal to there 3/4" over there.
Dave

**.RC.** · 23rd February 2010, 07:56 PM

Very very very nice work... I need something like this in my shed.... I have a dividing head that must weigh 60kg with the 6" chuck attached.. I have to remove the chuck before I lift it onto the table..I would love a travelling gantry but unfortunately while the actual gantry cranes are cheap second hand, the shed is too low and not suitable for one...

I have here a formula for working out the safe working load for a beam..It was written up by a professional engineer in Melbourne.. I need to study it further to work it all out..

Dave J · 23rd February 2010, 08:25 PM

Hi RC,thanks for the coments
When I was building it,I just looked at the US jib crane suppliers web sites and got their measurements and went from there. I think from memory my crane fully loaded at 500kg on the end would be 1.1ton pull/push thrust on the post. I will never be lifting something that heavy on it, probably only around 100kg with the rotary table, mounting plate and chuck.
This is a good wesite you might want to look at.
Google Image Result for http://www.wallacecranes.com/fullcant.gif
Dave

**jackaroo** · 23rd February 2010, 09:14 PM

Very vice, its only in my dream for now.

**Grahame Collins** · 23rd February 2010, 10:54 PM

Hi,
Very nice work, looks very professional.
It's well executed. Is this a home shop or do you make a living out of it?
Grahame

Dave J · 23rd February 2010, 11:21 PM

Just a home shop. If somthing comes up to make a bit of coin for more tools I will do it, but I am selective of the jobs. The daughter and son have friends that have mini trucks. They want notched chassis grinding blocks etc and they expect it done really cheap, I can do it but I am not interested.
Dave

**chambezio** · 24th February 2010, 12:07 AM

DAVE!!!!!!!
What a beautiful job

You are really living up to the Australian ideal of neccessity being the mother of inventsion. The photos show that you are a meticulous worker and that you saw a problem and rectified it to keep going with your preferred craft and to boot the paint job and the decals set it off so well!!

I have a 150 X 75 RSJ attached to the apex of my shed. Its about 7.5 mts long (about 1/2 the length of the shed) with a 1.5T endless chain rolling along it. I use it for, loading and unloading my trailer, even swinging logs around to be milled with the chainsaw mill and it sure does save alot of gut busting and it does'nt get tired and it does'nt argue with you either (reference to female persons who live in the house).
One definite thing I will do now, after seeing yours is give it a bright coat of paint to show that someone loves it. The possums appreciate it too! Its a great highway for them while they scoot around the shed in the dark.(Bless their little furry behinds)

Dave J · 24th February 2010, 12:20 AM

Thanks Rod,
When ever I set out to make somthing I try to make it look factory built when finished. It dosn't take much extra time it's just planning. When my back and neck was hurting building this, I just thought of the years I wont have to be lifting things on and off the mill/lathe.
Yours sounds handy, I am already thinking of a extention boom to reach further as it's so handy. In my new shed I am putting up an over head crane but not looking forard to building it or the shed.
Dave

**chambezio** · 24th February 2010, 12:42 AM

Is the thought of building your new shed and gantry the thought of pain coming from your back and neck? If it is, the best thing to do will be to take your time and grab your son and son-in-law to help. But when its all done.... it will be a great day

If we could only hang up our sore backs on a nail while we do something enjoyable, then put them back on when we are finished, that would be great

**Harry72** · 24th February 2010, 09:12 PM

Put a JDN or a Demag sticker on it and know one would guess!
Very nice

**Woodlee** · 24th February 2010, 10:34 PM

Very professional job .

Kev

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