"Christopher Tidy" wrote


I would want to give the upper support (where the davit is attached to the
building) some careful thought.

I will have a saddle made out of plate. It will start with a piece 30" x
17". Rectangles will be cut from two corners so that when it is bent, it
forms a channel saddle 5" wide for 30" long with two 6" legs that are 18"
long. This will be bolted through three 2x10s on edge that make up the
beam. The bottom 5" leg will stick out about 12" leaving about 18" of
saddling to marry to the beam.

I am now considering making a truss to run from the beam back to the cabin
so that when the load is swung, and the force is applied sideways to the
beam, there is a stiffener there. The roof joists sit on that beam, but I
think I would like another stiffener there at right angles that will have no
compression at all. It can be made of decorative iron, probably Indital
vineyard stock, which is solid, and 3/4" in diameter for the main
components.

My wife thinks this is way too complicated, but I'm having fun, and when I
do lift, I don't want any questions about the thing holding up.

Steve