My new shop gantry, that is. I need a hoisting machine that can go down low
enough to roll into my shop through a regular garage door, or go up high enough
to lift a tall machine into a pickup truck bed. I figured I'd design it with two
ton capacity, even though I doubt I'll ever lift that much with it. It has
casters with a feature I like, which is swivel locking. Each caster has a
spring-loaded pin which if actuated, engages one of 4 slots to hold the caster
in a rigid locked position. In other words, they can swivel or they can lock in
any of 4 directions. Makes it easy to drive, and easy to keep it from rolling.

It isn't a very good picture, and it's only an inexpensive 1-ton chainfall hung
on the trolley, but you'll be able to get the idea. The top beam is 8x18.5 steel
in good shape, you can still clearly read the manufacturer's name and heat
number stamped in the side. The whole thing is painted in Rustoleum rusty brown
primer.

http://www.tinyisland.com/images/temp/gantry.jpg

It took me a disgustingly long time to get it finished, but now she's ready to work.

GWE