Gantry build

[danomite33]

Hello: First welding project...a Gantry! Perhaps I should have started with the usual welding bench; however, I needed the gantry first. So, here goes! CAUTION: bolts are used in many locations throughout my build. The gantry is designed to be disassembled moved between my shop and my BIL's shop. If bolts offend you, please STOP here and look no further. Materials: pallet rack uprights, 4X10 12 lb/ft beam, 8 in wheels, 3/16 sheet, 1 X 3/16 square tube, 2X2X3/16 Angle.

AC225 tombstone used.
Most Horizontal welds are 1/8 701X rod @ 90 Amps.
All vertical welds are 1/8 6011 rod at 75 amps.

10 ft between uprights, lower edge of beam is 11 ft AGL.

Photo #1: early stages with major components in place.
#2: upright with support beams
#3: Finally a closeup shot of a weld!!!
#4 Stabilizing tie rods

[danomite33]

Photo 5: clevis

#6 upright and clevis attached
#7 Upper cleat
#8 lower support beefed up with angle

[danomite33]

#9 lower support boxed in
#10 upper support close up
#11 Upper support boxed in
#12 How long will it hang in there?

Now I gots to paint it.

[dieselbeef]

thats a good idea..ive got few of them racks around..brand new ones..i like it

[jreynoldswelding]

Looks pretty cool. Your welds would worry me...

[danomite33]

jreynoldswelding: Your welds would worry me...

Yes, I agree. When I become more proficient, I will have to fix much of this project. Probably easier to start over with new material as opposed to fixing it.

Hopefully the gantry will last long enough to finish my SA200. After some paint, though I have to build a bench, and saw table. More opportunity to practice.

Thanks.

[jreynoldswelding]

Originally Posted by danomite33

jreynoldswelding: Your welds would worry me...

Yes, I agree. When I become more proficient, I will have to fix much of this project. Probably easier to start over with new material as opposed to fixing it.

Hopefully the gantry will last long enough to finish my SA200. After some paint, though I have to build a bench, and saw table. More opportunity to practice.

Thanks.

I would not start over, Just grind and reweld. Much eaiser, other than that it look like a handy tool.

[T.R.]

that'll definitly get the job done. nice load test.

[danomite33]

T. R. - Thanks, the load test was also one of the driving reasons to build the gantry: to move the leg machine without having to disassemble it again. Load test and move complete!!

As noted above, my welding lacks credibility but, I have a few more projects where I hope to gain greater proficiency. I tried to enroll in a welding class at the local college; however, either I was out of town when the class was offered or, I'm in town and no class offered. In frustration, I bought a book, watched some internet videos, and read items from this forum. In short, my respect and appreciation for those who can weld has increased beyond words. When I go to fix my trailer hitch, I'll take it to the Pros to make certain the hitch is fixed properly.

[dumb as a stump]

I think that I would feel better having stabilization also, from the uprights to the ends of the i beams that the wheels are on too. Especially with ugly welds. If you roll something (and have weight on it(which you will sooner or later)) and the wheels stick in a floor crack the load may go beyond centre and topple it.

[norite]

Sorry but a gantry that you will work under is not a recommended first welding project.

Apart from your welds I would also be concerned about the "pallet racking", which is designed to support a static load, not a moving and swinging load. I would think the racking may fail at or below the angle brace where the rigid upper section is joined to the moving lower part. I would expect the most probable failure to be in the longitudinal direction (toward either end). The structural steel "looks" heavy enough and seems to be excessive compared to the strength of the vertical supports. I would worry that cracking may occur in the vertical supports and lead to sudden collapse.

An unrelated suggestion would be to weld a "foot" support underneath the beam next to where the casters are attached, about an inch or less from the floor so that if the caster(s) fail, the vertical support will only drop that distance.

[danomite33]

Notrite: I really like your idea of adding a foot. In fact it is a great idea which will help me survive my hobbies...4 legs coming up!

The issue of the rack being robust enough: I agree the rack has significant limitations as a rolling lift. However, the rack legs are designed for a large static vertical load. I simply want to lift an item straight up; then, place that item on a pallet or skid of some type. The leg machine used as the test load was set onto a rolling skid. Given a nonmoving limit, better welds and 4 added feet, I think it will do fine.

[WHughes]

90 amps for 7018 is pretty cold, go to 3/32 with 90 amps and your welds should improve.

[farmersamm]

I've been waiting for someone with nuts to say that this is a really unsafe project. One of y'all did.

The fact that this thing will only be used for static loads (yeah, right) is misleading.

An off balance load will put stress on the uprights, whether the load is moving, or not. The pallet rack uprights simply aren't strong enough. Any load is a dynamic load......period. Or at least, it has the potential of becoming a dynamic load.

[Texanjohn]

I'm no expert BUT have to agree with farmersam ANY load can become a moving load,without warning!!! mite want to move that propane tank out of warms way too. would hate to hear about to possible results, Most gantrys I have seen have bases much wider then your design, while I think it's great to try and build one yourself, maybe coping a proven design would be more prudent. Good luck but be safe always!

[T.R.]

heres an a frame I built so i could move stuff around the shop by myself.It also has a trolley that travels on the beam with the chainfall.

[SundownIII]

Any object designed for "lifting loads" is only as strong as it's weakest component.

Looking at the casters used, it would appear that they are ill selected for the application. Unless I'm really off base, those casters are rated for about a 700# load. Add in the dead weight of the base structure, and you don't have a lot of "capacity" left.

Let one caster fail under load and your "dead load" becomes a "live load" very rapidly.

[Rojodiablo]

It's a good basic project, so long as you keep in mind the concerns (All valid) that have been mentioned. For lifting a sensible light load and moving a cart/ chassis under it, and lowering it?? Good deal. For using the gantry as a swing device to rotate and move a project around while welding, painting, etc??? Keep the weight very low, and look to lateral supports to keep things from going from static to falling on you.

Thanks for the ideas it brings out in people.

[Mad about Metal]

Looks nice but them welds scare the living crap outta me..... I think you need to do a proper load test like FarmerSamm said, or even not use it until you can weld properly, but if you are going to use it just make sure no one else is in its path incase it lets go...