[TheForge] Shop Cranes was (Yes you do need power)

[Jerry Frost]

From: "Jerry Smith" 
<jerry_smith at anvilsandinkstudios.com>


> Frosty,
>
> Gross overkill is the best way to go. I was thinking
> of the 3 ton version for a new building.
>
> Jerry
>


You betcha it is.

When I was standing the frame up the guy I'd "hired" 
didn't show 2 out of 3 days, he was a desperation hire 
so it wasn't totally unexpected. Still, if it hadn't 
been for the neighbor I would've rented an off road 
forklift for no good reason. Funny how it works, I'd 
loaned the neighbor my portable welder so he could 
build a hitch for his motor coach to haul his trailer, 
w/Harley, tools and such. He'd had it a couple weeks 
when I asked if he could give me a hand with the 
building but he needed to get the hitch finished first 
and all he had at the time was the materials and some 
ideas. It took me about 3hrs to build and I had to run 
back and forth the 1/4 mile between our places for the: 
saw, drill press, etc.

Anyway, the neighbor and I got the arches stood and 
bolted down with enough girts and diagonals for 
stability. The next day Mr. unreliable managed to drag 
himself out of bed around 10:30am and showed up around 
lunch time. We managed to get the girts hung and 
miscellaneous brackets bolted on by evening.

The next day I was pondering why the girts on one wall 
were bowed as if they were under load while the ones 
below and the eve strut above were straight and 
relaxed. What I saw when I looked was a twisted corner 
post. It'd been rubbed by a forklift and I didn't see 
the damage when I checked out the package at the lot. 
(If you buy a red iron, steel building package take a 
straight edge, square and snap line when you check it 
out.)

I couldn't make the seller replace the post as I had no 
proof he or someone up the chain had done the damage so 
I dealt with it myself. As part of the repair plan I 
bought a section of 5" wide flange of the same weight 
as the post and the flat stock to make the brackets, 
flanges, etc. I predrilled everything, had beam marked, 
clamped in the saw ready to cut, jig and weld if 
necessary. I did not want to leave the corner of my new 
shop resting on a lumber scaffold any longer than 
necessary.

Then I made a lumber scaffolding to support the corner 
of the building and after triple checking the weather 
reports on several channels, the web and consulting the 
wife's joints (WAY more reliable than NOAA) I unbolted 
the twisted sister and pulled it out. Straightening the 
corner post was the first use my floor sockets got and 
with some chain and the porta power (cheap Tiawanese 
version) the post trued right up. I got it reinstalled 
before 3:00pm that day and everything was back on 
track.

When I bought the wideflange I was hoping I could 
straighten the twisted post and use the new member for 
my jib crane post. Funny thing was the stick of wide 
flange I bought wasn't what I got; I ended up with 20' 
of 5 1/2" 18lb instead of the 5" 11lb. (I think that's 
what the original was)

While it would've made a fine corner post in the shop I 
think it'll make a far finer jib crane post instead. 
<grin>

The boom will have a 15' reach so it'll easily pick 
from the truck or trailer, the forge or support heavy 
work under the hammer. It'll also have a trolley 
carrying the LN-25 wire feed, lights, power outlet 
recoil and an exhaust duct. Maybe more. <grin>

I've found over too many years as the fab guy on the 
drill crew my one real limit is lift capacity. If I can 
move it around I can do it by myself and while it can 
be enjoyable to have help I find myself working alone 
far more often.

A forklift would (will<grin>) be nice too.

Frosty
-------------------------------
If it ain't forged
it ain't real.
Wrought iron is.
The FrostWorks

Meadow Lakes, AK.

http://www.artmetalradio.com/