My $75 shop crane

[Krooser]

I have a small shop crane that I bought 40 years ago and has served me well. But it does not have an extendable boom so dropping in an engine over a Mopar radiator support is tough.

I found all sorts of used deals but this one was a good deal @ $75...

Needs paint but I like it.

 

[YY1]

Looks heavy duty.

I like the stowable design.

Usually don't see both those features in the same unit.

A few years ago, I bought one that was owned by a pallet company mechanic.
He repaired their fork lifts and pallet jacks.
This one has been modified with an electric/hydraulic pallet jack ram.
It's a little fast, but nice not to do all that pumping, and it has a wired remote.
Was built to run 24v on two 12v car batteries, but I modified it to use a computer UPS.
Now it's cordless and rechargeable!

The best part- it was only 50 bucks and the guy threw in a heavy duty braced engine stand.

 

[Don Frelier]

Looks heavy duty.

I like the stowable design.

Usually don't see both those features in the same unit.

A few years ago, I bought one that was owned by a pallet company mechanic.
He repaired their fork lifts and pallet jacks.
This one has been modified with an electric/hydraulic pallet jack ram.
It's a little fast, but nice not to do all that pumping, and it has a wired remote.
Was built to run 24v on two 12v car batteries, but I modified it to use a computer UPS.
Now it's cordless and rechargeable!

The best part- it was only 50 bucks and the guy threw in a heavy duty braced engine stand.

I would think a 20v lithium ion for a DeWalt cordless would work pretty well. You just need a way to connect it.

 

[Daves69]

I have a small shop crane that I bought 40 years ago and has served me well. But it does not have an extendable boom so dropping in an engine over a Mopar radiator support is tough.

I found all sorts of used deals but this one was a good deal @ $75...

Needs paint but I like it.

View attachment 1927389

View attachment 1927392

That looks like some big tube there. What size is it?

I built mine last century with 2-1/2" X 3-1/2" X 3/16" wall tube. The boom extension is 2" X 3" X 1/8" wall.
I made the base to fit my pickup bed. My plan was to dual purpose the base to use as a run stand as well but that fizzled out.
It breaks down and mostly leans against a garage wall in its old age these days.
But............. I've found it's a good place to run the end of my rattle can paints out onto.

 

[493 Mike]

I built one 30 odd years ago with 2 1/2" and 3" schedule 40 pipe-used and wheels I dug out of a scrap dumpster. I initially bought a cheap long ram jack but it was so crudely machined, it wouldn't stop leaking. then I purchased a air over hydraulic that serves me much better. Can you tell I worked as a UA pipefitter?
Mike

 

[Virg464]

Score!

 

[OneWheelPeel]

Even folded up it takes a lot of bed space! Is that a Maverick?

 

[Krooser]

Even folded up it takes a lot of bed space! Is that a Maverick?

Yes it's a Maverick.

We drove an '04 LeSabre for 9 years that I bought for $2800 from the original owner. Great car but my wife wasn't happy driving a 280,000 mile Buick to Florida every February.

So I figgered I would buy her a roller skate for around town. I have an older Grand Cherokee and an F350 CC dually for hauling.

Well we looked around and even she admitted the Buick was better than anything we looked at... then I suggested we look at a Maverick.

She warmed up to the idea and now she enjoys going to the garden center to buy around six tons of potting soil every spring along with 2,000,000 flowers and other stuff we don't need.

Regarding the crane it is built from a combination of 2x3, 2 1/2 x 3 and some 4x4. It's a shop built deal and nicely done. Never had any paint on it.