Gantry Crane Update

[gradstdnt_99]

Hello All

Many of you may recall my Gantry Crane Project I posted earlier this year. I actually got to make us of its designed purpose of moving my lathe into the basement. I put a series of pictures in the metalworking dropbox labeled "Lathe Move" that outlines the stages of moving the lathe bed and how the crane facilitated the move.

http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/

Everything worked exactly as planned with no surprises. I've also used the crane to assist in organizing my workspace. Moving full tooling cabinets requires much less muscle with the crane.

[DaveD]

And I thought me and a few of my buddies did crazy things. I'm going to show those pictures to my wife and tell her 'I could be doing something like this you know' At least I stay outside.

Seriously, I like someone that thinks nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it. I'll bet your neighbors are constantly wondering what 'you are doing know'

I'd love to have you as a neighbor/friend. If one of us couldn't figure it out the other one could.

Looks like the guy that moved the drillpress to the basement had fun too. Reminds me how my dad and I moved a player piano from a pickup to our basement when I was a teenager. When we sold it the buyer hired a piano rigger to get it out. Next time I put on or take off my sons 2000+ pound toolbox on my pickup I'll have to take pictures.

[gradstdnt_99]

As a very hands on person with multiple engineering degrees, I don't see a barrier or obstacle, I see a challenge. Although it's been some work, mostly fun stuff, the basement shop is starting to really take form. As winter approaches, I'm very much looking forward to a functional shop to spend time in.

You got it right in that the neighbors kind of wonder whats going on. Keep in mind I live in an area where most of my neighbors don't even cut their own grass.

[morpheus]

nice work man !

I must say that carrying the lathe through the house to the basement on you rolling gantry crane was pretty slick! with my luck the late bed would have slipped and ruined the floor of my house.

do you have to disassemble the gantry crane to get it into the basement ?

your neighbors sound just like mine. they will off-handedly say "you sure do make alot of noise" ... lol

- jack

[Gumby]

Well done!!!1

Strong Work!!!! (as we used to say in the Air Force...not about how heavy the job/object was, but how well it was done).

I thought I was the only eccentric buying and putting stuff in my house and shop.

Don't let the "educated" snobs slow us down! Gearheads UNITE!!!

Keep up the good work.

[KenCo]

Reminds me of the time my uncle and I built a BEAUTIFUL dog house for his german sheperd in his basement. MAN, it was gorgeous !! 3/4" plywood ,2x6 studs, you name it. Took us all day and a case of our favorite beverage!. It was mid winter up north and we were having a real good time. 'Cept when it came time to take it up out of the basement. Guess what ? We hadn't thought about the doorways. Well, we had to cut it in half and reassemble it outside......Oh well... we still had fun

[gradstdnt_99]

Gangry Move

After I moved the bed into the basement, I indeed had to break down the crane and move it into the basement. The main beam slid nicely through the basement window. The legs can be managed by one person through the house. A few buddies helped reassembled the crane and moved the bed to a staging are to be degreased and prepped for paint. I have moved the crane by myself from the basement to the garage.

The nice thing about having the crane in the basement is that I can move around all my equipment without the need to be 300 lb football player. This will really come in handy when I get around to painting the floor of the shop.

[morpheus]

how far below the ground is the basement in relation to the ground outside the house ?

I think if I were you I'd really look into somehow adding some kind of door into the basement from outside the house.

- jack

[gradstdnt_99]

Basement is not extra deep but is about 6 feet below ground level. Believe me in that I have conceptually planned out this additional access to the basement. My father-in-law already gave me a brochure from Bilco Doors for such a basement access doorway. If I ever move in the future, this would indeed make life much easier to get out of there. One aspect is that I now know that I can move a Bridgeport down there using the same priciples as the lathe move.

[Northweldor]

Just finished looking at all the pictures of your lathe move and the gantry crane you built to do it. I was already thinking of building your design , but now I'm completely convinced that I have to have one of these! Thanks for sharing it with us!