I just can't handle what I used to so I have to get more "creative".

Since I'm going to be moving about 600 sheets of 3/4 MDF and another 300 - 1/2". I decided that I needed something other than just a flip cart.

I contacted a hoist/trolley company...
OMG are those things expensive!

So I decided that if I wanted one, I was going to have to make it my self.

Following are a few (not so good) pics of what I came up with.

It uses a small vacuum pump I got from Joewoodworker made for a veneer press. The track (40 ft) & trolley wheels are for barn doors from Tractor Supply. The electric hoist is a harbor freight special (1100 lbs. cap.). The suction cups I ordered on line. & the rest I scrounged up & fabricated.

I still need to mount the pump & hose reel up top with the hoist. But it works great.

Scott W.

Very cool, Scott! Nice engineering in the face of a particular need.

What are you doing with 900 sheets of MDF?!?!?! Yow! My back hurts just thinking about it.

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I don't have as many Festools as Fred. Or Marcou's, or Brese's, or Lie-Nielsen's, or Lee Valley's, or Blue Spruce's, or Harold and Saxon's, or...

Peter,
Remember that "H" Project?
Here is the thread.

Well, it turns out that Habilitations is really desperate for work so I finalized the designs for 6 stands and a plate to manufacture so I can keep them working until things turn around. I contracted them to paint the parts. It should keep them going for about 3 months.

Scott W.

Scott, your ingenuity continues to amaze me!

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John

I was thinking that might be it, Scott. I hope you can sell them all. You're doing wonderful things, keeping people employed.

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I don't have as many Festools as Fred. Or Marcou's, or Brese's, or Lie-Nielsen's, or Lee Valley's, or Blue Spruce's, or Harold and Saxon's, or...

Very cool Scott!

I'm just sorry your shop is so small...

Scott, The hoist company that you are dealing with should be able to steer you in the direction of material handling (air operated) balancers that would be many times faster & easier than using an electric winch hoist. They are adjusted to the #load and offset the weight to zero for lifting & moving by hand. Probably about the same cost.

I went that route first. I called the local co. that does this sort of thing, told them what I wanted to lift & how far I needed to move it.

They came back with a suction lift & trolly system for just under $14k installed.

Granted, theirs was good for 1200 or 1500 lbs & mine is only good for 1/2 that but I really only lift around 100lbs or so.

I built it for around $1,000 for materials/track/pump/hoist etc. + my time.

It works great, effortless on my part with the exception of pushing it down the track which is almost effortless.

Plus now I have a great source of vacuum for clamps,jigs etc.

Believe me, If they were at all reasonable, I would have had it done because time is one thing I don't have much of.

Scott W.

I'm not suggesting that you move away from your vacuum system, that's great as is the "barn door" trolley. Just possibly replace the hoist with an air balancer -- I've purchased ~250lb. units for about $600.

I'll check into it with them & see what's what.

The hoist works pretty well only takes a few seconds to lift a panel, If I remember correctly I think it something like 33ft/min.

Scott W.