[TheForge] Fire place crane update

[Bob Ehrenberger]

I just delivered the fireplace crane and the customer was delighted.

For mounting hardware, I decided to go with the flat strap with the bend on 
the back side to hook on the back side of the brick.  I used a piece of 3/8" 
x 1 1/2". I tapered it down to about 1/8" thick where the hook was.

Other information on the crane. For the top bar, I used 3/4" x 1 1/2" which 
I drew to a long taper and ended up 1/2" x 3/8" at the very end where I had 
a short section turned up. I made a 1/2" tennon on the end that attached to 
the upright bar. The top bar started out 19" long and ended up 31" long 
after the taper.  I could have used lighter stock for this and had enough 
strength, but the other cranes in the village had very heavy top bars.

The upright was made from 3/4" sq. with 1/2" tennons top and bottom. I slit 
and drifted the hole where the top bar connected to it. The original cranes 
used 1" rd for the uprights, but I figured that a round bar would make the 
connections more difficult and the only 1" rd that I have in stock is sucker 
rod which would further complicate things..

I had a diagonal brace made from 1/2" sq. which was riveted to the top bar 
and the upright. I did a reverse twist on this bar for a little decoration. 
There was no decoration at all on the othere cranes, the customer had 
indicated that she wanted a little artistic touch. I figured that a simple 
twist would not be too fancy for the village.

I also made a gauge bar out of 1/2" rd. to help the mason line up the hinge 
bars (mounting hardware).  The gauge had tape marking the locations of the 
tennons on the upright, to make sure the hinge bars were the right distance 
apart.

All and all I am pretty happy with the way it came out, it looks a lot like 
the old cranes in the other historic buildings.

Robert Ehrenberger
Shelbyville, Mo.
eforge at centurytel.net