Beam for overhead trolley

[Magicman]

This is still in the planning stages so I'm just asking questions now.  We will need a 20' overhead beam for a trolley e/w a chain block.  My question is not about how much weight it could support, but rather which would be stronger.  SYP is what I have so that is the species that I am targeting.  My example is using 12", but it could just as easily be 16".  My question is which would be stronger, four 2" or one 8".  I could see where different grain orientation could come into play with multiples.  Dodge the pith and only use "side" lumber.  The donor trees are easily 30"+ dbh.  @Don P

Which should be stronger; Four 2X12 or an 8X12?

[Ljohnsaw]

Four 2x's. No contest.

[Peter Drouin]

A trolly on a piece of wood will not work. In time it will make dimples in the wood. Steel I beam is the way to go.
Rolling back and forth will be easy.

[Ljohnsaw]

Place some angle iron over the edges where the trolley rides or just some band iron on the top.

[beenthere]

Four 2x's. No contest.

And adding depth to the four 2x's if possible will add more strength to the beam. Plywood sandwiched between the 2x's also more strength. 
The steel to run rollers over a good idea to avoid the dimples.

[Magicman]

My thought would be to wrap it with 4" angle iron. Oh wow, I just thought about some 6" or maybe larger angle that I have at the farm.  It's thick too.  There are two of them and I think that they are 12' which would be OK for the trolley portion.  We are going over Sunday afternoon so I will take a look. 

As you can read, this is a masterpiece in progress.    It's for Marty and I have not even discussed it with him yet.   

[Magicman]

It's for Marty and I have not even discussed it with him yet.   

We have begun discussions.  He is thinking more of a rolling A frame and I agree because it would allow 4 way access to whatever was being lifted.  The A frame wheels would roll back and forth in C channels.

Anyway this takes the wooden beams out of the equation so I will be sawing the logs into mostly 2X6 studs and 1X12's for board and batten siding.

I am getting excited because I love building.  

 

[Magicman]

Next we will weigh one of the drill stems seen above between Ben & Luke and add the weight of the magazine to determine it's total weight.  Double that amount should give us the "working" weight of the heaviest item to be lifted.  I looked at McMaster-Carr last night to see what trolleys and chain hoists are available that run on I Beams.

[Ljohnsaw]

So you're just lifting a section of drill rod? What about just using something like an engine cherry picker with an extended boom to give you the height needed? Would be faster than a chain hoist, if that was the plan. Could even rig up a second hydraulic arm for versatility.

[Magicman]

He has the overhead trolley setup where he is renting now but it is only two way.  He is building a new building which will incorporate an overhead trolley similar to what he is using now but he needs the four way option which he reminded me of last night.  Reinstalling that loaded magazine requires precision and he wants it all mechanical.  Nothing electrical nor dependent of another piece of equipment.

[Peter Drouin]

Something sitting on the outside walls and bridge from side to side. They sell setups like that.
Then you can put your load anywhere in the building.

[Machinebuilder]

What he is asking for is called a bridge crane.

for working on machinery they are awesome. I prefer a chainfall to raise and lower because it is easier to get a fine adjustment.
I have not used one that is non electric for the X-Y movement. (We hung a chainfall from one because there was no fine move to it)

because it will be for a business it will need to be certified and tested periodically.
We had a crane company come and do a PM and certification. But one was a 5 ton.

It might be more cost effective to use a rolling gantry.

[Magicman]

Yes, he will use a rolling gantry and plans to use C channel on the floor for the wheels to roll in.  LINK.  The building that he is using now has an I beam across the bays which only allows 2 way movement.

I was originally thinking about what he has now which is why I was questioning using a "wooden" beam.  He wants 4 way movement and the chain hoist will not be powered. 

It's all in the future because the building has not been built yet. 

[Ljohnsaw]

At the Pick-N-Pulls around here, they have "field" gantry crains. They used wheel spindles and donut spare tires to make rough terrain casters. He might consider that and be extremely flexible where he can use it.

[Machinebuilder]

Since this is still in the planning stage...............and we like spending other peoples money

Look at a Jib crane, typically mounted to a post and swinging around the post.

I keep thinking about c channel mounted to the floor and how much I would trip on it.

[Magicman]

Tripping would be an issue as would it filling up with crap.