OTC Floor crane for lifting a Bridgeport

[Bill D]

I think this may be made by Ruger. One of these cranes is for sale a few hundred miles from me. I emailed OTC to find out if it has enough straddle to go around a Bridgeport base which is 24" wide. Anyone here used one for this. With the bend in the lifting boom I am not sure if it will have enough height to lift or not. It sure looks like a good step up from my no name engine hoist.
Bill D.

http://www.amazon.com/OTC-1819-Capacity-Heavy-Duty-Floor/dp/B0014DDHK2

 

[Sea Farmer]

My no-name engine hoist is certainly a piece of junk, but it suffices to move my Bridgeport around the level concrete floor in my shop. About once a year is all I ask of it.

Mine cost less than $300. Why is this one an order of magnitude more expensive?

Granted, my no-name one is made of a steel-like substance that starts to bend like overcooked pasta when I push its load limits, but its not necessary to push it just to move the Bridgeport. And I could replace it more than 10 times before I hit the cost of this one.

Is 10X really the price difference between made-in-USA good stuff, and made-in-China bad stuff?

 

[Bill D]

I have no intention of paying that much for a new one. I saw one for sale for $400 which seems okay to me.

Bill D.

 

[Toms Wheels]

At a cap of 2200 lbs, that matches the weight of a BP, The ratings are made with the boom in the shortest position, so no way could you lift the BP with any extension of the boom, yet to lift the mill it needs to be extended to get to a 65"+ at the lifting eye or sling. You need 4K+ to reach a point to lift the BP.

The boom capacity at extension is the issue. I have a 4K that also has extendable legs an item needed when lifting and rolling a heavy load. I would also say Almost NEVER should you roll a load with a cherry picker, lift an place on rollers, then move a lift again.

 

[ferretlegger]

When I got my Bridgeport it was in an awkward spot to move from. I tapped the 4 holes in the base with 3/4"-10 threads and used allthread with nuts welded on as jackscrews to lift the entire mill (slowly, evenly). I was able to get plenty of clearance to get a high capacity dolly under it, which made it easy to move around. The mill felt very stable and secure on the jackscrews, but for safety, I used cribbing under the base as a safety, and never let the gap get very big. This is a cheap and easy way to move the mill around. On a good smooth floor, it easily can be scooted around with a crowbar. The jack screws would also make putting pipe rollers under the base easy.

Good luck!
Michael

 

[Metalcutter]

What ever happened to rolling the machine on round bar, or pipe? It's a heck of a lot safer.

Regards,
Stan-

 

[SteveF]

My BP sits on top of a stand built of 4x4s and 2x6s. Moves easily and safely with my pallet jack.

Steve

 

[gustafson]

What ever happened to rolling the machine on round bar, or pipe? It's a heck of a lot safer.

Regards,
Stan-

exactly

Except when moving them out of a building I have not desired to pick a machine off of the floor.

 

[M.B. Naegle]

I dunno if I'd trust any hoist that's not lifting the machine directly over head unless you have a sufficient counterbalance (like on a forklift). We've moved all of our equipment ourselves (via pipes, skates, and pallet jacks) with the exception of our CNC's which riggers brought in. Once they were on the floor we used skates to get them into position.

To move something like a Bridgeport out of the building without a forklift, I'd recommend to roll it out over some plywood, lift it with a gantry hoist, and drive a trailer under it.

We're not professional movers but we've moved a lot of our own iron.

 

[Krutch]

I have a "crane" which claims 2 ton ability. My mills weigh 1 1/2 ton each and the lift handled a mill OK. But I lifted the mill high enough to shove heavy planks across the legs of the lift and let the majority of weight rest on them to move the machines. I once had a similar lift that tried to tilt and twist with the weight on the boom only. Almost dumped a load. Now I move a load with the lift by the method I described. More control and less chance of dumping the load.
BTW, With one swivel wheel on that one leg ya won't be moving much. Easily anyway.
I think I paid around $250.00 maybe ten years ago for the lift I now have.

 

[WILLEO6709]

that style hoist of mine the bottom legs bow and it becomes immobile. It will pick it to be able to get a pallet jack under the bridgeport but don't plan on rolling it anywhere on the hoist. That is overhead crane territory

 

[BobRenz]

I bought a Vestil 4000 Lb hoist for a whole lot less than OTC. The current prices are all over the place, but run from about $ 350-450 or so. Plan on about $ 1 per pound (=$200) for shipping.

OTC makes nice stuff, but I have never been able to justify the prices.

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Place a longish piece of lumber under the cross screw bracket on the front of the knee and wind the knee down. This will raise the front of the machine off the ground. When it's a couple of inches off the ground put a round bar under the machine and you can then rock the machine up and down to get more round bars under the machine. Away you go. It's that easy. Regards Tyrone.

 

[Cole2534]

I paid $900 for a 3000# Clark fork truck, used it for 3 years and sold it for $1000 yesterday.

Might be worth a shot?

 

[Bill D]

This is being bought to unload/load a bridgeport and some other smaller machines from a trailer. It is either this or a gantry crane that I would roll out into the alley. I could get a one ton gantry with hoist for about the same price but it is not much use inside the shop. Of course the gantry could be used to hold up a shade cover outside or sold after a few loads are done. If I get the OTC crane I would shoehorn it inside the shop somewhere. At least keep the ram out of the rain even if the main body lives outside under cover.
Bil lD.