Advice - Gantry Crane Construction

[John_aero]

Good afternoon,

Been here a long time however life and work has left projects and workshop to the side.

Currently i have got my lathe, mill and workshop extension built.

What i would like to do now is erect a gantry crane in my workshop.

What i have is as follows:
- 10x6m workshop,
- large number of excess 6x3" I beams.

Plan:
- Erect I-Beam uprights about 2-3m apart on each side of the walls. Its a steel frame workshop so I can also tie this into the overall structure for extra support.
- use x2 I-beams joined together to span the 6m width (maybe 5.5m when remove wall width) gantry.
- Max weight would be my Colchester student lathe. however I would like make sure its capable of more but de rate it
- Uprights will have plates/webs welded in-between flanges to reduce any twisting.

Concerns
- Would x2 6x3" joined be too small for the span.
- Could I stretch the span to 3m between beams


Option 2.
- x2 6x3" goal posts at each end.
- Then span the 7m with a 12" bean to act as main gantry beam

 

[John_aero]

Pic from my attic.

please ignore the mess, this is about 5 years old and its totally laid out differently, plus beetle is now in a million bits

Plan would be a pillar in the corner and then tie it into the building for extra lateral stability

 

[Memmeddu]

The shortest the better in terms of strength.
I'd include plates that overhang the beams you use as rail.
Transpallet rollers to make the thing run and the bridge has to be at least 1/3 of it's width to avoid it to go sideways and eventually derail.
However lifting such loads especially machinery Is a bit dangerous so make sure to just lift enough to make the move and maybe use a rolling cart or a transpallet beneath.
So the gantry is not really lifting the entire weight.
A proper chain hoist from a reputable manufacturer is a must.

I've had the same thing in mind since I've got a cold saw.
In my case just over 300kg but enough to kill someone.
I've got a Beta Robur 2 tons hoist for about 200 euro, well call it luck or call it well thinking I'm now have to use it to lift a 700kg mill drill.
You don't really want a piece of machinery to fall to the ground.
It happened once to me and a friend.
When I've picked up my lathe he got a surface grinder, believe it or not but not even 5cm drop has been enough to break all the female dovetails on the machine.
So just be careful and never trust any single component used to lift things.
Fortunately the grinder didn't hurt anyone but it could potentially kill someone.
And worst thing is that it happened in not even a blink of eye, just a very loud noise and cast iron fragments flying everywhere like a grenade

 

[John_aero]

Thanks a million,

Was sitting in there last night thinking about it again, may have an issue with my spans, i have x2 double doors on one wall so could end up with 4m span on one side so its bit far.

I have a pallet truck to move heavy gear around on a pallet. 99% of lifting will be 200kg but if need lift mill/lathe onto a pallet that's where would need have a max loading (not in the centre of gantry more at the walls)

 

[gaz1]

to give you an idea

do not skimp on beam size needed or there width of post or between posts if you do you want a longer depth across that part

 

[John_aero]

to give you an idea

do not skimp on beam size needed or there width of post or between posts if you do you want a longer depth across that part

Starting to wonder would a forklift be cheaper hahahaha

 

[Memmeddu]

Starting to wonder would a forklift be cheaper hahahaha

Definitely

 

[gaz1]

kim built a gantry for her use

 

[RWD3M]

@Memmeddu Did you spot the banner on the back wall?

I don't know what Emma did, but she did it in Sardegna (Sardiinia)!

 

[Memmeddu]

@Memmeddu Did you spot the banner on the back wall?

I don't know what Emma did, but she did it in Sardegna (Sardiinia)!

No I didn't I'll have to have a look

 

[John_aero]

kim built a gantry for her use

View attachment 501113

yes i was watching that and plan was similar but on a bigger scale.

Also followed kim's air line install for the air compressor.

 

[John_aero]

@Memmeddu Did you spot the banner on the back wall?

I don't know what Emma did, but she did it in Sardegna (Sardiinia)!

I promise nothing to do with Bonnie Blue.........

My wife, Emma, has had x2 kidney transplants and competed in the European & World transplant athletics.

That year she came home with x2 bronze if remember correctly. one in 100m sprint another in a relay event.

 

[RWD3M]

I promise nothing to do with Bonnie Blue.........

My wife, Emma, has had x2 kidney transplants and competed in the European & World transplant athletics.

That year she came home with x2 bronze if remember correctly. one in 100m sprint another in a relay event.

Fantastic acheivement! Please congratulate her for me.

 

[John_aero]

Fantastic acheivement! Please congratulate her for me.

thanks a million, will do, before we met she did a lot of the

 

[Memmeddu]

Ok I now understand I've seriously missed the banner on the picture I was looking for it in the linked videos and I didn't understand.
She's great, there's no words to say how mentally strong she is.
I'm still having backlash from the almost kidney failure I've had a year ago due to a kidney stone that obstructed my right kidney for about a week of hell.
It's amazing what she accomplished thanks to her will power after such important surgery