Comments on: I’ve finally finished the Hoist Beam for the Workshop!

By: TWStud

TWStud — Mon, 01 Jan 2018 16:34:19 +0000

Thanks! I’ll try to post a pic of the Hoist mount later today. Not sure I’ll get to it – it’s a bit chilly in the loft right now
Tom

By: Ash

Ash — Mon, 01 Jan 2018 15:53:13 +0000

Hey there! I love this set-up, really clean and professional look! Would you be able to grab a picture of how you mounted your hoist to the double trolley skate? I am looking to install a smaller version of this in my shop to lift things into the lofts.

Thanks for documenting the build, it’s given me some wicked ideas!
~Ash

By: TWStud

TWStud — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 15:22:53 +0000

The track is typically used for hanging barn doors. You can find it at Lowes and other hardware stores. Look for: Stanley-National Hardware 10-ft L x 2.4-in W x 1.88-in H Plated Steel Plain Square Tube It comes in other lengths as well. I used two tracks side by side to improve the weight rating and also provide a wider track to hang the hoist from.

The hoist is still working reliably and lets me transfer an entire truckload of wood by myself.
Let me know how yours works out.
Tom

By: Gene

Gene — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 14:55:00 +0000

Can you give me any info/pictures on what you used for the trolley track. It looks like a double “U” channel of some type. I am building a barn shed and want it have some kind of a retractable trolley hoist

By: TWStud

TWStud — Sat, 09 Apr 2016 13:32:03 +0000

Surprisingly, I did find my electrical notes! Now all I have to do is turn them into something I can make sense of in a post…

I did think of one other ‘enhancement’ that I’d like. Right now, moving the hoist and load in and out along the beam is handled by a surplus reversible gear motor. This works fairly well and you can see the cable and pulley setup in one of the photos in this posting. However, there is only one switch to activate it, it is mounted on the beam in the loft. I would like to be able to activate this from the ground level. Not so much for lifting loads between ground and loft, but when I’m using the hoist to transfer heavy loads (like new machinery) between my truck or ground level and the first floor of the workshop.

In these cases, when I’m at the ground level, it would be nice to move the hoist between its fullest extension and to where the cable just brushes the trim above the lower doors. To move a heavy object into the workshop, I have to push on the suspended load while I lower the object onto the workshop floor.

Tom

By: TWStud

TWStud — Sat, 09 Apr 2016 13:11:14 +0000

Hi Steve, thanks for the compliment! I looked around for any detailed photos of the hoist itself and didn’t find anything that isn’t in the posting. Somewhere in my ‘files’ are the hand sketches of the rewiring I did to the hoist control so I could control it from two separate switch boxes (one at ground level and one at loft level). This really is essential if you’re working alone. Otherwise you’ll be constantly running between levels as you begin to lift or lower a load. I’ll look to see if I can find the notes, but I don’t have much confidence that I’ll find them easily.

The hoist has been serving me well and the only thing that I would ‘do differently’ (if I had the choice) would be to have the height of the opening to the loft larger. Since the beam is suspended from the door frame, its height and the height of the hoist and mounting mechanism subtract from the length of lifting straps of your load. I have a six foot opening and I doubt I even have 4 1/2′ left for load and straps. It forces me to get creative when strapping a long load.

I have successfully lifted 14′ beams into the loft, but its tricky. I can routinely lift 10′ pieces and can unload a truck load of wood and sheet goods without any other assistance.

Tom

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 08 Apr 2016 17:27:41 +0000

Hi there. I know that this is a very old post, but I am looking to add a similar setup to my existing barn. Now that time has passed, is there anything that you would have done differently? Also, I searched around on your site for a post about the design and build of your hoist but didn’t see one – do you happen to have anything a bit more detailed? All of the pictures are a HUGE help, by the way!

By: TWStud

TWStud — Sun, 09 Mar 2014 13:38:04 +0000

Mike, as you can see from my photos, the beam is pretty solidly attached to the building structure with the two main attach points being at the header over the loft door and the central pivot point above that which supports the stiffener cable. My set up could not be retractable.

An alternative that I considered, that may work for you, is a steel I-beam, that could in your case, be possibly supported by fixed beam trolleys. A steel fabricator on the coast of Maine had quoted a customized beam for about 30-50% more than this setup ended up costing.

I’m not sure why you don’t want the notched doors. With weather stripping these have managed to keep out some pretty severe weather. I’ve had more trouble with the weather stripping at the base of the loft doors than this notch.

By: Mike laramieI

Mike laramieI — Sun, 09 Mar 2014 11:45:28 +0000

I am trying to accomplish the same I am trying to figure out how to make beam retractable to not have to notch doors around it.