almost looks as the ones they sell, except without the pneumatic arm.
i really like it! it looks like michael schumacher's F1 
check out the welding on this thing!! like a pro and bear in mind, i'm using an arc welder! (3rd pic...)
finished hoist
looky looky
finished hoist 2
the weld
professional weld
thanks to everybody for their support when designing this thing. 
[Edited on 8/6/06 by robertst]
Nice! That reminds me - Makro are doing (or were) that electric hoist for £29.99 + VAT.
Cool job.
Might have been tempted to put castors on the rear legs to aid manoeverability (is that spelled right?)
bah.. dont really need to move it sideways. just using it to pull the engine out from the front. the hoist is to lift it slightly ajar.
Goody! I'd like to copy your design - how about some specs?
What sort of Safe Working Load are you intending on this thing??
I think James is thinking the same thing that I am....
Without knowing the grade or wall thickness of the steel used for its contruction - especially in the upright section, I would say you have 2 fairly
stiff looking triangles joined by a rather unsupported upright section.
I would be very careful what you use it for and how much load you intend it to take - especially since it has an electric winch and you may exert
large dynamic loads during the starting and stopping of the motor which will be difficult to control.
Im not being an arse about it - I think its really nicely finished but it pays to be safe
Geoff
thanks for your concern
i have made extra care in setting up the proper welding for perfect weld penetration and also on the triangulation. the tubes are all 3mm thick and
some tubes are 40mmx40 and others are 50x50
i intend to use it to support the engine and gearbox combo when taking it out of the donor car. the engine is a pinto with a type nine box. i guess
they both weigh close to 150-170 kgs.
as a test drive, a friend and i hung from it and it bent, but no cracking or stress sounds. he weighs 80kgs and i weigh 65 so i guess that gets close
to the real stuff.
Thank you for the specs.
check my photo archive, i have the designs there.
But did you and your friend hang on it and try and bounce up and down? Repeatedly? That would be a more realistic test. How much did it bend by the
way? Hope it works but be careful.
Liam
My money is on the legs bending. Just around the area where your cross members are welded across.
BTW, the welding doesn't look to clever. Can you run a cap weld over it to get rid of the undercut and burn out the slag?
what about just putting the rear part of the bracing on (ie from the bit out the back to the bracing coming up from the floor).
Also, there is no sideways bracing. Probably isn't needed but my crane has some gussests welded onto the side of the upright and that looks like
its 75x75mm (guess) and 3 or 4mm thick min. (guess).
(i've got the machine mart, folding 1 tonne one - biggest issue i have is that the front legs won't fit under the car 
)
How about a 4mm steel wire fronm the bit that sticks out the back down to the back cross member with a turnbuckle to tensionit? the vertical should
then be in compression with much less of a tendency to bend?
Caber
problem with that is that in the event of failure, the wire can decapitate you.
Hmmm. decapitated or crushed under falling engine, your choice of a way to go
Caber
simple, do a test lift first. Its easy to look and it and work out the weakest point, and then work out how to make that point stronger. Id replace
the wire with a small tube, no stretch then. Maybe a 25mm tube? Can only help.
quote:
Originally posted by JoelP
simple, do a test lift first. Its easy to look and it and work out the weakest point, and then work out how to make that point stronger.
quote:
Hmmm. decapitated or crushed under falling engine, your choice of a way to go
Caber