Rolling Shop Lift Doubles As A Fork Lift

Rolling Shop Lift Doubles As A Fork Lift FARM SHOP Tools 25-2-32 Vocational ag instructor Jim Maguin of Burr Oak, Kansas, sometimes asks local farmers for ideas to challenge his shop classes. But when one of those farmers said he'd like a shop hoist that could double as a forklift, he did a little head scratching. "He wanted something that he could use as a crane and as a forklift. He wanted to be able to roll it around his shop by hand with a load on it so it needed to be stable, yet take up very little space when not being used," Maguin says. Heath Dewey, a junior at the time, took on the project. " "It will easily handle a 1,000-lb. load. The biggest load I've ever moved with it was 1,400 lbs. of steel and it handled that without a problem," says Kelly McNichols, the farmer who ended up with the combination forklift-hoist. The bottom frame of the crane is made of 3-in. square steel tubing. Upper frame and bracing are made from 3-, 2-1/2 and 2-in. square steel tubing. The crane base telescopes out so the center of gravity can be changed to allow for the amount of weight being lifted. Also, front leg spacing can be set narrow, straight or wide, by moving just two pins between three different holes. A bracket on the back of the hoist frame holds up to 500 lbs. of suitcase weights to help counter balance weight on the forks or crane arm. Fork spacing is adjustable. A hand crank lets McNichols change the angle of the fork head, making it easier to get the forks under pallets. The crane is lifted by an 8-ton hydraulic bottle jack. The jack has a safety lock so it can't let go unexpectedly. McNichols says both the hand pump on the hoist and the hand crank on the fork head are slower than he'd like. "If I were doing it over, I think I'd put air-over-hydraulic cylinders on it," he says. "That way, I could just attach an air hose and raise it faster with a lot less effort." Total cost for the hoist/forklift was about $700 for materials. Maguin has the plans for it on his computer and says he'd be willing to provide them for a fee if there's interest. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Jim Maguin, c/o White Rock High School, P.O. Box 345, Burr Oak, Kansas 66936; or Kelly McNichols, R.R. 1, Burr Oak, Kansas 66936 (ph 785 647-7541)

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