[TheForge] Re: bridge crane

[xlch58 at swbell.net]

I often hear people refer to engine hoists as cherry pickers.  It get 
confusing when they also refer to bucket lifts as a cherry picker as 
well.   I have considered taking the idea for imbedding attachment 
points or sockets in the floor for other purposes and extending it to 
allow a mast to be inserted in the socket and hoist mounted on it, such 
as one of those harbor freight truck lifts...

<http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=1647>

or

<http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=37555>


The problem I have with an engine hoist in my small shop is there is not 
enough room to move it around and then of course, the design requires 
the legs to straddle the load.  Not always possible....

Charles

Jay Hayes wrote:

> Dann,
>
> Your cherry picker is usually called an engine hoist. It is also a 
> handy helper around the shop, although it is a totally different 
> animal from a lift cart. The engine hoist is an arm with a hook on the 
> end if it that hydraulically raised. The load is lifted from above. 
> The lift cart on the other hand is a  platform that is hydraulically 
> raised from below the load. They are like a lift table on wheels.  The 
> advantage of the lift cart  is that the load just sets on the platform 
> an can be slid off onto another work surface or repositioned with out 
> rerigging.
>
> The engine hoist on the other hand has the advantage of lifting and 
> placing loads without being directly under them, although the front 
> legs must straddle under the load. Both toys are a must have in my 
> book, as are pallet jacks, floor jacks, hand trucks and lots of four 
> wheel dollies. Anything that can help lift or move heavy stuff around 
> the shop and doesn't break the bank is just worth having. The more 
> junk you have the more junk you need to move it around. <G>
>
> Jay
>