Need Hoist or Jack or Something

[DeathBrewer]

I cannot lift more than 20 lbs at the moment. literally...i have a bad disc and have been through so many doctors that i think it will be a while before it's fixed (if ever) so i need to find a way to brew beer without lifting to much weight or doing to much crazy stretching.

luckily i have full movement, so i can clean and sanitize all of my equipment with minimal pain, but lifting anything sends a sharp stab through my back and ribs.

i've figured out how to brew all-grain at home using multiple pots and i can always do extract without a problem.

now my only problem is transfers. i need to be able to raise my carboys and buckets so that i can get them high enough to use that lovely natural force of gravity to transfer to bottles and kegs and whatnot.

i live in an apartment where i can not install anything into the walls or ceiling, so no pulleys would work.

is there anything readily available on the market or VERY easy to build that would work for me? i'd need something like a jack, but cannot sit there spinning it for 8 hours...something light but sturdy...something on wheels.

if anyone has any ideas, please let me know. My friends are worthless. i've been trying for months to get any of them to help me transfer a keg to a corny for ONE OF OUR PARTIES and they refuse to help. i am sick of relying on other people for simple tasks i used to take for granted. any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[Vels]

Maybe something like these

http://www.liftmate.co.uk/Mobile-Scisor-Lift-Tables.html#363

Cheers
Jakob

 

[SuperiorBrew]

March Pump? Lift empty carboys and let the pump do all the lifting

 

[jdoiv]

I'm thinking something like a wort wizard or even a pump would work. Morebeer has this which is self priming pump. You could use it for transfers but will have to be careful not to aerate your beer by letting it run for too long. Ideally, you could use it to transfer your cooled wort (it doesn't like hot as the diaphragm will get damaged) into your fermenter that you place at counter height. Then you could transfer down to a corny without moving it. I have a couple of friends that use it to move 15 gallons post boil/chill to their fermenters about 10 feet away. They let it run until it starts bubbling up in the fermenter, which aerates the wort for them. From there, they rack directly to kegs that are below the fermenters. Then they just have to move the cornies, which you could do by rolling them, without lifting.

 

[DeathBrewer]

some good ideas, thanks.

unfortunately, when i'm at home, my chiller is on the ground, so i have to lift the carboys up to counter, otherwise the pump would be a great idea. i also use secondaries at times, so several transfers are necessary. not to mention the bottling bucket.

i've been looking into pumps but am pretty concerned about aeration, messes, and cleaning more equipment. "scissor lift table" looks kinda cool...i'll run some searches for those. it would be nice to get something rather flat, so i can just roll a carboy on it. we'll see how affordable they are...that's another issue.

 

[mr x]

What about using air or c02 for transfers. No lifting required for that. Use 6.5 gallon carboys instead of buckets.

 

[SuperiorBrew]

Have a Northern Tool

Northern Industrial Hydraulic Table Cart – 500-Lb. Capacity, Diamondplate Steel Top
Only $99.99
This Northern Industrial 500-lb. capacity hydraulic table cart enables user to lift or lower heavy cargo easily for loading or unloading, using foot pedals. Features durable diamondplate steel table and smooth-rolling casters.
Lift range is 10 1/2in. to 28in.
Foot pedals for lifting and lowering
Nonskid diamondplate steel table is 28in.L x 17 3/8in.W
Safety locking pins secure load at desired height
Rolls on 5in. polyurethane casters
2 locking casters
Some assembly required

 

[Germey]

Gotta love HarborFreight for stuff like this.
Transmission Jack/ Scissor lift - $60
or, if your apt is unusually spacious you could use an engine crane.

Edit, that one from Northern Tool looks way worth the extra $40.

 

[Dr Vorlauf]

Have a Northern Tool

Northern Industrial Hydraulic Table Cart – 500-Lb. Capacity, Diamondplate Steel Top
Only $99.99
This Northern Industrial 500-lb. capacity hydraulic table cart enables user to lift or lower heavy cargo easily for loading or unloading, using foot pedals. Features durable diamondplate steel table and smooth-rolling casters.
/IMG]

Damn this forum. I never knew how much I needed one of these. Ignorance is bliss.

 

[CodeRage]

Could you build a simple 2x4 frame with a pulley block? It would be fairly light, could even put casters on the bottom. Use it to lift what ever and then you can just swing it to where ever you need it.

 

[mr x]

Damn this forum. I never knew how much I needed one of these. Ignorance is bliss.

Yes indeed....

 

[Vermicous]

I use a 1/2 ton chain hoist in the garage. But it requires an anchor like a beam. I've seen diagrams using a step ladder and pulley's to lift carboys 4-5 ft, easy to put together and take down, but really probably not good for anything over 5 gallons at a time.

 

[DeathBrewer]

$100 for one of those hoists would be perfect. now i just need to find a good local place to buy one...online is an extra $100 to ship.

i didn't think about the closed system transfer. i already use only carboys, so that might work very well. i use glass, tho...isn't there a risk of the pressure making the carboys go boom!? you're talking about this, right?:

http://morebeer.com/view_product/18872/

i've thought also about getting some ptfe containers...maybe two of the 3 gal containers...it would be good for experiments, too

plus i could get a couple of those 2.5 gallon kegs and they'll fit in the fridge! they're expensive as hell, tho

 

[mr x]

The morebeer thing is exactly the kind of set-up I mean. Carboys are cool with aquarium type air pumps (3-4 psi). That's all I use. You could also use C02, but that makes me nervous - too much pressure sitting there and poor low end regulation on my regulator. I don't think there is any significant oxidation that takes place using air - the wort isn't splashing around. And you can purge the receiving carboy with C02 when you are done.

 

[Seabee John]

Have a Northern Tool

Northern Industrial Hydraulic Table Cart – 500-Lb. Capacity, Diamondplate Steel Top
Only $99.99
This Northern Industrial 500-lb. capacity hydraulic table cart enables user to lift or lower heavy cargo easily for loading or unloading, using foot pedals. Features durable diamondplate steel table and smooth-rolling casters.
Lift range is 10 1/2in. to 28in.
Foot pedals for lifting and lowering
Nonskid diamondplate steel table is 28in.L x 17 3/8in.W
Safety locking pins secure load at desired height
Rolls on 5in. polyurethane casters
2 locking casters
Some assembly required

This really is a great idea. I may set it up as the lower tier of my brew rig. I'm forever lifting my brew pot higher so I can fill my fermenter. It looks as though you have to pump a pedal to get it to rise, any ideas how you could outfit this with an electric motor?

Side note: I know I've said it before, but I love to tinker, invent, and make stuff work better. I think this is why I love this hobby so much. limitless possibilities, not only with the equipment, but the beer as well.

 

[DeathBrewer]

i'm glad this thread is helping others as well

i can probably get a lift locally from Harbor Frieght. i like the rubber top to hold it on securely. Germey mentioned harbor earlier...they have a bunch of local shops. $140 isn't a bad price. maybe i should check craigslist, too.

i think i'll try that closed system with my pump and see how it works...i have one of the racking setups already. :rockin:

 

[SuperiorBrew]

i didn't think about the closed system transfer. i already use only carboys, so that might work very well. i use glass, tho...isn't there a risk of the pressure making the carboys go boom!? you're talking about this, right?

Check this out. There are quite a few who do this method

http://www.spearfishingspuc.org/dean/Racking.html

 

[DeathBrewer]

nice link...thanks. i'll definitely give a try with the pump, move to the co2 if that doesn't work...small investment.

AND i think i'll still go with the lift in time...seems like a good investment for mah back

 

[Sir Humpsalot]

There are also motorcycle/ATV lifts that might do the trick. With economies of scale and whatnot, you might be able to find one reasonably priced. It's at least another angle to consider for basically the same thing...

 

[wild]

There's always slave labor (otherwise known as children). Which works with the option of Rent-To-Own.

 

[TheJadedDog]

There's always slave labor (otherwise known as children). Which works with the option of Rent-To-Own.

Or ones wife, which is who I used when I busted up my knee. I didn't think she'd be able to lift a full carboy, but she managed just fine.

 

[abracadabra]

If you've got the $ those SS Blichmann conicals allow for up to a 6' head of pressurized transfer.

I think a modified corny keg would make a good fermenter using the gas post minus the poppet covered by a tube as a blow off / airlock. Then the poppet could be reinstalled and you could pressure transfer to another corny for the secondary.

 

[DeathBrewer]

There's always slave labor (otherwise known as children). Which works with the option of Rent-To-Own.

lol, yeah...even if i had kids, they'd still be a little small to lift carboys. and i don't have a SWMBO at the moment.

 

[conpewter]

I think you could go with pressurized transfer using a CO2 tank. If there was ever too much pressure I imagine it would blow off the cap before doing anything to a glass carboy.

The small air pump would work as well but just would need to be more careful about oxidation

 

[Cookiebaggs]

I use this. :rockin:




A bowl lift however is a little spendy at 2K and not real pratical for someone at home.


I'd set up a tiered system with a pump.

 

[homebrewer_99]

How about finding a brew buddy?

Racking is not difficult or too much to ask of someone.

 

[DeathBrewer]

How about finding a brew buddy?

Racking is not difficult or too much to ask of someone.

i've been asking friends to come over just to put my stout up on the counter for MONTHS so i can keg it. and this was for a party where they would all drink it. My friends do not want to help me with this. i think they find my obsession a little unnerving or something (or maybe they're just ********.) They do enjoy my beer from time to time....perhaps i talk about it too much. i don't know and don't care.

maybe the months of aging helped that stout too...whatever. in any case, no one but me is drinking it now.

i have a roommate, too...but i try not to ask him for help too much. he makes me wait for 30 minutes for a 1 minute task and i get frustrated. he used to brew with me...i think i scared him away when i got too passionate and technical about it. oh well, my hobby now...i need to do it on my own. i can't rely on anyone else, obviously. it sucks, but i'm also trying to overcome this problem on my own...this is just another step.