Lifting heavy things in workshop

**T91** · 23rd October 2021, 11:22 PM

Originally Posted by Ghallahad

I'm curious as to what, if any, people's solutions are for lifting and shifting around things they are making in the workshop, considering how heavy most of the timber is we use? I'm always struggling to move, flip over, etc. Block and tackle from roof beams? Or just good old physics and muscle? I've recently moved in to a new place, and with that a new garage/workshop, so have gone through the setup of things again, and just thought something like a block and tackle from the roof could be very useful.

We use a log arch for moving logs up to 500mm diameter & 2.4m in length from peoples backyards through side gates to a place we can load them conveniently into a trailer or a ute. Our Log arch can be hand pulled by 1 or 2 (older) people, and handles logs up to about 250Kg.
When the log has been through the sawmill we can put the slabs (50mm to 100mm) on the flat upper side of the log arch to move them round the yard, storage bays, kiln and workshop single handed. Very convenient.
We use a fold up engine hoist (2 ton) on casters to lift a log so that either the log is moved into the trailer, or the trailer moved under the log
We adapted a ute crane to plug into a hayman reese tow hitch to load a ute, but the engine crane is just as good.
We use 50mm to 75mm pipe rollers to hand tow heavy logs over uneven ground, using standard seat belt webbing.
We usually use 12 to 15mm solid bar rollers for manipulating heavy machines around the (concrete) workshop floor, and workshop dollies for the lighter stuff. Obviously the engine hoist also comes in handy for this with its casters
Other useful items are 1000kg ATV ramps, a 500Kg motorcycle jack, a 500Kg chain block, a come-a-long, various short length chains and shackles.

**GraemeCook** · 24th October 2021, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by stevenjd

I think all of the cheap lifting devices that you can buy are so cheap and really great. And most say they comply with AS whatever which is a very far cry from being certified. ...

Apart from legal obligations, it is hard to regard Standards Australia as anything other than a joke.

Standards Australia started as an industry association in 1922, then acquired a government memorandum of understanding and so operated, quite successfully, for many years. Then it changed its association into a corporation, and then in 2003 listed on the Australian Stock exchange as SAIG - I think that is a acronym for Standards Australia International Global. Then in 2016 SAIG was taken over by Barings Private Equity Asia (BPEA) based and incorporated in Hong Kong. With the abondonment of the "one country, two systems" policy Hong Kong is now effectively part of the China legal system.

Given its current bullying culture, one must wonder how long it will be before China starts to subtly or overtly influence or direct the activities of SAIG. And who knows what is happening behind the scenes?

**stevenjd** · 10th November 2021, 10:38 AM

I don't disagree with you at all. But if there is a design standard which all comply with it can't be a bad thing don't you agree? At the very least items should be designed to meet the minimum design requirement. If not everyone arbitrarily does as they please?

**Bohdan** · 10th November 2021, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by stevenjd

If not everyone arbitrarily does as they please?

You mean like the Chinese do.

**Bob38S** · 17th November 2021, 05:23 PM

I have a pneumatic engine crane which does all the lifting I need to do. The reason for the pneumatic is simple, hook up the compressor and depress the trigger. You can still pump it up with the handle if you wish but each pump only raises a tiny amount.

Have added a proper hook and have a spreader bar and slings which covers all of my bases.

**Greg Q** · 17th November 2021, 07:10 PM

I had some machinery scheduled for delivery at 06:00 Saturday morning! Spoke to the driver the day before and he urged me to hire a forklift, which I did. It cost me $500 with transport for the weekend. Since it was a short mast unit I could drive it right into the garage and place machines where I wanted after lifting them off the pallets. I have to say that was money well spent. (2.5 tonne all terrain since the driveway isn’t paved yet)

The driver, by the way, showed up at 06:00 sharp! He taught me some of the finer points of forklift operation since it has been 46 years since I last operated one. He stayed and chatted until 08:30.

I wish I had a dedicated shop just so that I could have a forklift full time.

**Greg Q** · 17th November 2021, 07:37 PM

Originally Posted by stevenjd

I don't disagree with you at all. But if there is a design standard which all comply with it can't be a bad thing don't you agree? At the very least items should be designed to meet the minimum design requirement. If not everyone arbitrarily does as they please?

The design standards are pay per view. I wanted to see a particular building standard but SA Global wants $187 for a PDF of an Australian standard. If these things are enforceable then they should be free to view, just like laws and statutes, right? Otherwise it would be like the cops charging you $50 to even see the speed limit. Also, the Australian building standards that I have seen are a sad joke compared to the International Building Code.

**GraemeCook** · 18th November 2021, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by Greg Q

The design standards are pay per view. I wanted to see a particular building standard but SA Global wants $187 for a PDF of an Australian standard. If these things are enforceable then they should be free to view, just like laws and statutes, right? ....

And the public Libraries stopped stocking Australian Standards because of rip off pricing.

Coincidental that SA Global is a Chinese company?

**clear out** · 19th November 2021, 07:54 PM

Re the OP, I’m moving all my wood machinery from the annex back into the main ‘shop.
Using my ute and a bit of ‘i’ beam and a chain block.
In the main shop I have an old Abbey floor crane amongst my lifting kit.
Most of my machines are on wheels for shuffling around as needed.
Whatever I can scrounge but I’ve been replacing squashed plastic rubber wheels with steel ones turned up on the lathe.
H.

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