How to Make a Patient Lift Roll up to Low Machines?

[warmstrong1955]

Since we are throwing out all kinds of ideas....here's a pic of a Northern Tool pickup truck crane I mounted for a friend. It's actually designed for a pickup, so I had to extend the vertical tube to make it tall enough to mount on the bumper, and still have enough hook height to load/unload power snakes & things. I added an upper mount to bolt to the top of the utility bed, and removed the hand crank cable winch, and mounted a small electric one. the crane was about $180 two or three years ago. Not sure on the 12V winch, as he had that.

Bill

[spro]

I like that crane. I wouldn't have much machinery if not for variations of it. The first was mounted inside my Dodge van and that one showed the utility.
Going to machinery auction/sale without a crane, limits the ability. Even heavier items can be worked in a step at a time as the crane swings inward. Changing the balance points allows most all the weight inside fair quickly. It helps to have a temporary "floor" or footprint the load slides over the main floor.

[liveaboard]

Last auction I went to, I had a big mercedes van to take my goodies home; the guys who bought the big machines killed the big shop gantry hoist and no one knew how to reset it.
I used a comealong hooked to a low beam and swung things in. It wasn't pretty, it wasn't quick.
On the drive home, I figured out the breaker had to be up on the machine. oh well.

Another time I rented a big trailer [pulled with the same 5 ton van]. The hoist was still working at that one, which was good because I bought a 600lb combination wood working machine and a 6' high bandsaw.

[spro]

These experience recollections are all interesting to me. I had small hoist inside the extended bed of a 4X4. It could also double as the last horizontal rack slat of a full length roof rack. Around that time; I was aware that the rear suspension sinks lower as weight is applied to the hoist. There are frames and there are half a frame to mount a hoist. There were bolted structures which allowed mounting the mast base securely but there was also floor jack tube which fit into the open base. They were secured inside with a 3/4" pin or shoulder bolt but dropped down, secured through another hole. There was "foot" and kept things stable while lifting.

[johnfreese]

Put the machine on blocks tall enough the legs of the hoist will clear.

[spro]

Yes but how does one get the machine on blocks? A drop down footer is baby steps to hydraulic outriggers but does work.

[spro]

Oh heck. I shouldn't mention again. There are times when no hoist is going to do it. When a #2 milling machine is forklifted into a box truck, there is reason to fabricate a gantry really quick. The legs are shorter for inside the box, longer at the exit and not an inch to spare.

[spro]

Since people are reading this, they know that consumer floor jack posts use larger diameter pins/ shoulder bolts of around 1 ". That's what I used but flat forgot. I do have a floor jack post in the basement but it is solid heavy pipe with foot flange. The pipe was cut to size and the screw jack fit in it.
Screw jack thread is 1 1/8" OD.

[johnfreese]

I lift my machines with a pinch bar and blocks until I can get my toe-lift jack under it.

[spro]

Sounds good to me. I mean, I recollect the same procedures. Blocks of wood, whatever but a "pinch bar" can mean many things. It isn't just a crow bar.
There are Johnson bars with wheels for moving and some where the wheels were removed. These pivot around the base axis for shifting and moving a machine sideways with the lifting edge near parallel to the floor.

[spro]

It is only a conversation. Your "toe lift" jack is probably more interesting. Really.
To the topic, there is is a basic fact. When the weight is placed only on the hoist, it should be secured as a hoist Some way. Screw down footers as in this case. Start lifting and see what is happening. That is where the footers are used. When the load has swung across the rear axle or safely set into the cart, the footer/s are free to be retracted.

[SteveHGraham]

I found someone selling a new patient lift nearby for $75, and I let them know I want it. Yesterday I threw out a small refrigerator and nearly threw my back out with it. I think the patient lift will be very useful around the shop and home.

This may be one of the great unknown bargains for tool users.

The manual says it weighs 84 pounds, which is not good, but it comes apart easily, so it should be possible to put it in the car and use it when I'm not at home.

The wheels are on the tall side, making it harder to get the legs under things, but it would be easy to install smaller ones.