Jib crane using a Lidl electric hoist

[John Stevenson]

Well started yesterday afternoon and finished tonight building my Jib crane for the small TOS using one of  the Lidl hoists that was on sale recently for £60

I already have one of these on the big CNC but this one is German and far better made, runs a little slower as well which is good.

Raided the local structural steel stock holders for some decent thick walled off cuts.



That rotor far left is what I want it to lift. Because I can't use any walls for support I'm limited to fastening it to the tailstock end of the bed and the floor for support only.

Bit of that 3" bar cleaned up and two collars fitted so that it's a tight fit in the 4" square tube before welding in, then a few support brackets welded on.





Jib tube cut from the 3 1/2" thick walled tubing and welded to the 4" x 2" 3/8" thick walled tube with some Nylatron bushes fitted, because I had some.



That was it by state of play last night.

Today fitted the hoist on heavy brackets, did a quick test on a bit smaller rotor then tried Big Bertha.



Lifts OK but serious design fault, can't swing the jib because the krauts have only fitted a 3' power lead to the hoist !!

Safety check for Elf and Pastry.



I think that's 50% <g>

Swapped the hook for a spreader bar and jobs a good un.



One hoist £60
Bit off steel offcuts £30
Lifting chain £6
No hernia - priceless.

John S

[DaveH]

John,

Well I think that is quite impressive

And a heck of a lot better than a hernia 

DaveH

[Rob.Wilson]

  Nice one John 

Rob

[sbwhart]

Great Job John   
 
A lick of paint to finish ? 

Stew

[Stilldrillin]

VERY nicely  done John! 

Several of us at our works in the 1970's, had bad backs. Things only improved when management could afford to supply hoists..... 

David D

[HS93]

Very  Handy as Dave H has said saves dropping a bollock 
 

    Peter 


PS I see the cleaning lady has had another day off 

[Marauder]

Looks great,Are you going to "paint" it lol,I don't think i could trust my welding on the end of that arm to have to hold the weight of the arm, hoist, plus the object......Mind you i think i will make one like that with a few mods at the end to take my welding into consideration,Good job.

[John Rudd]

Entertaining as ever..

What you going to be doing to the motor rotor then? 

Its a bit big to cut down to make it fit my little shaper.....

[doubleboost]

Nice one John
Could do with that to get my steam engine off the bench   
John

[John Stevenson]

Paint ?
Will it lift more or less when painted, if it will lift more then I might give it a splash 

It's actually a work in progress and alters as it goes along, I had no drawings or sketches, just used what I got hold off and welded it where it touched. At the moment it's on hold as I need to get two rotors and three end casting out on Monday, I have had this rotor over a week and they are now shouting for it.

It needs turning down on both journal ends plus one larger seal track to get under finished size and remove seized on material.
Then has to come out the lathe, go onto the welding bench to be well, welded, then back in the lathe for final turning on three diameters. To give an idea of size that journal nearest the chuck is 70mm diameter.
The bit smaller one wants juts one end doing.

I may fit a method of moving the carriage when the rotor is on to make it easier to push the rotors into the chuck instead of swinging them. Found a high lead ball screw kicking about and thought that would look cool but when i took the wrapping off it I found it was brand new and that seemed a wast although I have no idea where it came from.

Then found this.



Same length as the jib, 2.5 mod and I'm sure I can find a gear good enough to fit this kicking about.

More later.

[Divided he ad]

Bout time we saw the Earl make a little something     

Paint ?

    There in lies the difference between hobby and industry eh?


Looks like a very handy machine John, Far too much for the likes of me with a little 9x20 lathe. But as you have pointed out, a very useful piece of kit in your line of work 


So how did you used to get these things in the lathe?




Ralph.

[John Stevenson]

Large ones I either have to use one of those scissor tables and roll it onto the bed on two lengths of wood and then use a scissor jack to lift each end or waylay the next driver to give me a lift.

Medium ones I rearrange my right knacker behind my left ear, give a grunt, a howl and hump it onto the bed of the lathe, but not always in that order. 

John S.

[Divided he ad]

   Such a poet John     



All sounds like this is a very good thing to have made