Anyone build an overhead bridge crane in their brew area?

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akthor

akthor

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I'm moving to a 1 bbl BIAB system. A lot of the reason is due to a failing back. It may not make sense to you but to me larger batches means less times I have to brew. Which is less work. Plus I'd like to use mechanical advantage as much as possible.

So I plan on building an overhead bridge crane with an electric winch to do all the heavy lifting. Including moving kegs in and out of the kegerator. Im moving from cornys to sankeys as well so I am certainly not lifting those?

To do this I need a bridge crane that slides forward and back and side to side. This way I can lift and move things anywhere in my brewing/bar area.

I kinda have an idea of how to do it. I see big industrial ones at the factory where I work. The hard part I think will be finding and sourcing the parts.

Wondering if anyone else has done it? Might have some insight?
 
Going in the basement so rolling something around would be a pain.

I think I need to find smaller sized "I" beams I think. I don't need stuff capable of lifting 2000 lbs or nothing. They have trolleys and the winch at HF.

You'd think a company would make smaller sized hobby stuff for this kind of application. Be nice if there was a kit or something. But everything I see is for moving around a lot bigger stuff than I need.
 
I need to recreate something like this mounted to the walls without legs.

51Lk43-iKWL._SL1500_.jpg
 
akthor said:
I also don't think an engine hoist would go high enough its gotta lift a BIAB basket out of a 40 gal pot.
Click to expand...

The ones in my old shop could lift pretty damned high. The wheel question, now that's a little tougher. But not insurmountable, and it'd likely still be cheaper, easier, and faster, to buy a hoist and change out the wheels or something (and definitely capable of holding the weight) than rigging up something on your own.
 
Low if they are 7' I'd be surprised. I think I have a good plan of how it could be done I have the winch and the trolleys priced out. So sourcing the I beams will be the deciding factor. If I can get smallish 3" ones them for a decent price I can make it work.

So I need to hit up metal scrap yards and such first cuz the more I can save the better.

I'm not at the house I'm putting my new brewery together at right now but I'll have to measure the height and make sure I have enough height that the winch can lift the basket out of the kettle too.
 
I've used engine hoists. An overhead crane will be more work to create and install. But will be a thousand times easier to use than an engine hoist. I guess despite the fact I post in the DIY people don't understand the concept.
 
akthor said:
I've used engine hoists. An overhead crane will be more work to create and install. But will be a thousand times easier to use than an engine hoist. I guess despite the fact I post in the DIY people don't understand the concept.
Click to expand...

I guess you have your mind made up, good luck:mug:
 
Check out the Unistrut stuff. Not particularly heavy duty for over head loads, but assuming you are not lifting stuff heavier than 300-400 lbs that might work. Home Depot has some similar items including the trolleys. Look at the Unistrut web site for specs. If you are not lifting 500+ items could be an option for a custom setup. Still need a hoist though.
 
akthor said:
I've used engine hoists. An overhead crane will be more work to create and install. But will be a thousand times easier to use than an engine hoist. I guess despite the fact I post in the DIY people don't understand the concept.
Click to expand...

No, I understood what you were going for. But I'm also a believer of "don't waste effort or money when you can buy something easier for less money". Before you say it, the irony of that statement is not lost on me. If you can get the parts and get it assembled in a manner that will get it done safely, then by all means go for it.

Edit: Also, many (myself among the guilty) go through the "new posts" or "unread" function (depending on website vs app) and don't always notice which section of the forum it's in. Just FYI.
 
akthor said:
I've used engine hoists. An overhead crane will be more work to create and install. But will be a thousand times easier to use than an engine hoist. I guess despite the fact I post in the DIY people don't understand the concept.
Click to expand...


akthor,

I say go for it! I like your plan and think it would be pretty dang slick once you pull it together. I don't have anything to add to the conversation other than I look forward to seeing the evolution and completion of your project!

Pliny
 
akthor said:
I need to recreate something like this mounted to the walls without legs.
Click to expand...

I think you'd get the most bang for the buck building a cantilever hoist that will swing left to right 150 or so degrees. As long as the boom clears the highest object you can really cover a large area with a small footprint.
 
A big thing is you are mistaking my resistance to hoists is not that I have my heart set on something but the severity of my back injury and the limitations that it is putting on my life. I am looking at a time in the not far future that tying my shoes will be a painful struggle.

Pushing and pulling stuff around will be very challenging for me. Hell milling and dumping the grain in before its soaking wet will be an iffy business let alone disposing of the wet spent grain.

I've done a lot of thinking about if, why, and how I can even continue to brew.

AND

Since I can't keep up with supply and demand with a 10 gallon system and Cornies at my less disabled self now going smaller isn't an option for the future.

So I've thought a lot and an overhead crane will be best for me. I will have to lift very little and it will take little effort to move the crane around. Laid out right I will even be able to lift and drop Sanke kegs right in the kegerator with little effort.


akthor said:
I've used engine hoists. An overhead crane will be more work to create and install. But will be a thousand times easier to use than an engine hoist. I guess despite the fact I post in the DIY people don't understand the concept.
Click to expand...

Qhrumphf said:
No, I understood what you were going for. But I'm also a believer of "don't waste effort or money when you can buy something easier for less money". Before you say it, the irony of that statement is not lost on me. If you can get the parts and get it assembled in a manner that will get it done safely, then by all means go for it.

Edit: Also, many (myself among the guilty) go through the "new posts" or "unread" function (depending on website vs app) and don't always notice which section of the forum it's in. Just FYI.
Click to expand...
 
akthor said:
A big thing is you are mistaking my resistance to hoists is not that I have my heart set on something but the severity of my back injury and the limitations that it is putting on my life. I am looking at a time in the not far future that tying my shoes will be a painful struggle.

Pushing and pulling stuff around will be very challenging for me. Hell milling and dumping the grain in before its soaking wet will be an iffy business let alone disposing of the wet spent grain.

I've done a lot of thinking about if, why, and how I can even continue to brew.

AND

Since I can't keep up with supply and demand with a 10 gallon system and Cornies at my less disabled self now going smaller isn't an option for the future.

So I've thought a lot and an overhead crane will be best for me. I will have to lift very little and it will take little effort to move the crane around. Laid out right I will even be able to lift and drop Sanke kegs right in the kegerator with little effort.


Click to expand...

Sounds like you know what you need, let us know how it goes, and post some pics as you go.

Cheers
 
I've heard of the unistrut stuff and people using it to build brewstands and things I had no idea it could be used for my crane that is awesome!

The heaviest thing I will be lifting will be full 15.5 gal Sanke kegs so far less than even 300lbs.

There are lots of options for hoists if I can get the gantry crane that slides forward and back and side to side worked out the rest is gravy.

In looking online I was getting a bit dejected seeing prices on I beams and the weights of beams. Since I wasn't sure I'd be able to move them into place to install them. Back in Maine I would have had lots of friends to help but moving here to MN not so much.



saazall said:
Check out the Unistrut stuff. Not particularly heavy duty for over head loads, but assuming you are not lifting stuff heavier than 300-400 lbs that might work. Home Depot has some similar items including the trolleys. Look at the Unistrut web site for specs. If you are not lifting 500+ items could be an option for a custom setup. Still need a hoist though.
Click to expand...
 
Pretty cheap and will be an easy install bolt struts to floor joists along the long sides insert trolley in each. Insert trolley in cross strut attach the side trolleys to the ends of the cross strut. Attach hoist to trolley in cross strut. Each trolley is rated to 600lbs @ 30 FPM. I won't be pushing stuff around faster than that so the whole should easily support the weight of the hoist plus a full Sankey keg which won't be anywhere near 600lbs.

I may have to reinforce the floor joist supports in a couple places. Probably will add a joist to each joist I plan to attach to and attach the strut to the new joist. The house is old so just to be safe.

But very doable, much easier than steel I beams. I'm sure way cheaper. About $100 for the 3 trolleys, the struts are about $20 per 10' so say another $100 for the struts and lag bolts to attach to the floor joists. Say another $50 for materials to reinforce the floor joists.

Many options on hoists this one is $150 http://m.harborfreight.com/1500-lb-capacity-120-volt-ac-electric-winch-61672.html

But there are ATV winches with wireless remotes for under $100 that will work as well.
 
That looks really good. I was just about to suggest combining uninstructed with some garage door track and wheels
 
I had a similar challenge when building my brewery and considered a bridge crane. From a cost and simplicity standpoint what worked for me was a hoist hanging from a truss and putting everything that was too heavy to lift by hand on rollers so I could move it to the hoist location. This also had the side benefit of making floor cleanup much easier.
 
All this talk of KISS, but what about a conventional 3 vessel, pump setup? I don't think BIAB scales to large batches particularly well for this reason.

Cost-wise, I'm not sure what engine hoists cost but you'll be in at least a few hundred....you can probably make a good dent in some pumps and keggles.

I'll now step aside with my contrarian views....
 
I really need to be able to lift full kegs right into the kegerator (chest freezer) stuff on wheels may work for alot if it but not for that.

jdieter said:
I had a similar challenge when building my brewery and considered a bridge crane. From a cost and simplicity standpoint what worked for me was a hoist hanging from a truss and putting everything that was too heavy to lift by hand on rollers so I could move it to the hoist location. This also had the side benefit of making floor cleanup much easier.
Click to expand...
 
Lol well i just sold an exact system you are talking about. 15 gallon keggles, SS single tier stand, 2 pumps. Bottom line is I got to do 3 brews to make 1bbl's worth of beer. A brew day on my rig doing 3 batches is a long day and a lot of work. At least 7 or 8 hrs if all goes well. I know cuz I have done it.

If I do a 1bbl BIAB with an overhead crane to do the heavy lifting, a pump to move liquids around I'm looking at between 2 and 3 hrs and done. I could make 90 gallons of beer in the time it took me on my single tier to make 30.

But way less cleaning involved in the new system as well.

I am OK with sacrificing efficiency (grain utilization) and adding to my grain bill to make up the difference in going to a BIAB system. 400 micron SS basket, not a bag tho.

I know it doesn't make sense but for me going bigger = less work not more. Especially if I don't have to lug anything around.

As I said I can't go smaller since I can't keep enough beer around as is.

But in for a penny in for a pound the guy is picking up my old system tomorrow. I have already ordered my 40 gal brew kettle and I am hopefully picking up my 3 - 42 gallon SS fermenters tomorrow.

broadbill said:
All this talk of KISS, but what about a conventional 3 vessel, pump setup? I don't think BIAB scales to large batches particularly well for this reason.

Cost-wise, I'm not sure what engine hoists cost but you'll be in at least a few hundred....you can probably make a good dent in some pumps and keggles.

I'll now step aside with my contrarian views....
Click to expand...
 
The uni strut stuff works pretty well. I have a mechanic that built one inside of his service van, that also pulls out about 18 inches. He loads 50 Hp motors using this and they weigh a few hundred pounds.
 
akthor said:
But there are ATV winches with wireless remotes for under $100 that will work as well.
Click to expand...

Be careful using ATV winches… most only power retrieve and freewheel out. You'll want to have power in and power out, such as the one you linked to at Harbor Freight.

Cool idea and i have added this to my list of stuff to add to my brew space when that happens.
 
Just FYI, all winch manufacturers all warn agents using their winches for vertical lifting as they are not designed for it , hence; "5. Do not use for vertical lifting.
Do not lift people or lift loads over people.
Falling loads can injure or kill people", that is from the manual of the winch you listed. You might be better off as a safety concern to use something like this from HF 440 lb. Electric Hoist with Remote Control , or with a higher load limit. We all need to stay safe in our hobbies, just a thought.

This is the great thing about brewing I like, Someone has a need to do it differently and the solutions are always great to see, I really hope this works out for you and you can keep brewing for a good long. Keep us updated, Brew on.

David.
 

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