I Beams

I'm looking for I beams to set up for engine lifting , boat turning etc. does anyone know of a good source in western Michigan ? Also the beam rollers ?
Does any one have some good photos of their shop set up ?
Thanks Kirk

Kirk, hopefully Pete provides some input as beams/rollers were part of the build on his shop up North. He had (2) beams 8' apart. Can send you PDF's of the drawings if that would help you at all, just need an email address.

Not as nice as Pete's setup with the 2 beams, but this works out well for just lifting (not flipping).

Beam trolleys and hoists were just from Harbor Freight and they work just fine for the amount I'll use them. I had a local steel supplier in town that got me the beam.

Kirk,
What is the span that you have. Many times the span has more influence on the W beam size than the weight you are lifting. I've got my charts here at home an will look it up.

I supported mine with timber strand 4x6 columns in the wall. Being a 2x6 wall, that gave me room for 2" of iso (R20} insulation. Where the W beam meets the OH door, there is a tripled 1.7 LVL header it sits on. Then, the header is sitting on triple trimmers on each end.

For the manual hoists, I went Northern since they have the Jet brand which is a higher quality. The trolleys came from them as well and are Jet also.

Or get lucky and obtain one for free. Those of you that know Jeff Toro (77 SN)... I got a call from him one Thursday night a few weeks ago... he needed help picking up this beast.
They were throwing it away at a local Stewart's shop as they removed and replaced their old coolers.

What a nice find.

Craig - how do you like those hoists? I saw them at HF and was thinking of getting them. I am close to renting a 3 stall garage with steel beams already in place.

ny_nautique wrote: Or get lucky and obtain one for free.

Jeff,
Be very careful - hopefully there is a load rating on it!! You picture is not the greatest but it looks like a packaged bridge hoist. They are not as "beefy" as you may think or are just guessing at.

ny_nautique wrote: Craig - how do you like those hoists? I saw them at HF and was thinking of getting them. I am close to renting a 3 stall garage with steel beams already in place.

I don't have a problem with them at all. Keep in mind they don't get used a whole lot either. If I were lifting boats up and down for a living I would probably get something a little nicer, but for what I will use it for (less than 5 times a year max) it works just great.

quinner wrote: W14x26 Kirk

Kirk,
Chris is correct and that's what I used since I wanted a safety factor. The W14x26 is rated for 9.4 tons at 30 feet. You could drop down all the way to a W12x14 which is rated at 4 tons but doesn't leave anything for safety. A W12x26 will handle 8.9 tons.

Add up all your height dimensions so you know you will have enough height under the hook. I have 11' walls plus only 6" of the W14 is below the ceiling. That gives me about 8'8" under the hook.

Pete also had a 30' span.