Alpha Jack/Stand- Think this.ll work?

[JoLin]

Been waiting for this to go on sale at HF. It's going for 69.99 right now. If I can make it functional it'd be perfect. I'm not physically able to lift an Alpha off the transom and hump it to someplace where I can work on it.

I'd need to remove the cross brace between the forks and replace it with a plywood saddle to stabilize them, and (I think) narrow the span between them. Also need to build a dolly under it to raise it up 8-12", but it looks like something I can modify with basic tools and cheap materials.

Trying to confirm that there'll be enough distance between the forks to fit around the drive. I can make it marrower, can't make it wider. Anybody know?

 

[flipbro]

Grab a tape measure and take some measurements.

 

[Fishermark]

No apparent reason why it wouldn't work. You do know there is a whole section of these in the stickies at the top of the page, right? Click here. Might want to check it out for other ideas.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Don't go between the pads... Go OVER them... Build your wood cradle and simply bolt or clamp on top.... That will give you the height you need without destroying to jack for other uses.

 

[smokeonthewater]

No Title

Well LOOKEY what I found in the sticky!

 

[bspeth]

I'm liking that! That's a nice set up.

 

[JoLin]

Grab a tape measure and take some measurements.

1. Boat's still in the water. I don't know how wide the drives are at the cav. plate. Anyone?
2. HF doesn't publish the width between the forks, so I'm asking advice from anyone who's made a similar setup, or maybe owns a motorcycle jack like the one HF is selling..

I think the drive's pretty narrow, and I think the forks would be wide enough apart to slide the drive between them, but I don't know, so I'm asking.

Kevin, going over the top of the forks with a shaped support was what I had in mind. I already saw the pics you posted, but I'm leery of making mine tall. That support appears to be metal. I'll be working with wood, and a raised cradle might not be stable enough. Or, I can build a dolly underneath the jack instead. The dolly approach would let me put bigger wheels on it and make it easier to roll around. Either way, I want the drive to be at a (reasonably) comfortable height to work on while it's on the jack.

Take the drive off the boat, wheel it into the garage, do what I need to do, then wheel it out and put it back on the boat.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Wood would be plenty stable as long as it was designed well... I have a 40' wood extension ladder and I've been to the top of it with my 240 lbs.... 100 lbs at 1' would be a non issue.

That said I can see bigger wheels being nice... Maybe JUST bigger wheels without a carriage.

 

[JoLin]

Wood would be plenty stable as long as it was designed well... I have a 40' wood extension ladder and I've been to the top of it with my 240 lbs.... 100 lbs at 1' would be a non issue.

That said I can see bigger wheels being nice... Maybe JUST bigger wheels without a carriage.

Entirely possible that bigger wheels and maybe some blocking between wheels and frame could do the trick. Anyway, I'll know in a week or so. I decided to order it. They only charged $6.99 to ship it right to my door. That's a lot easier than going to the store (if they even have one in stock) and humping it in and out of the car.

Great place to shop when I don't need pro grade tools, or when I'm trying out some wonderful new idea If it doesn't work out so well, it can go right on CL.

 

[smokeonthewater]

If you lived closer I'd say bring it over n we'd get to play with the bandsaw and the welder.

Glue n screw will work just fine too tho.

Either way keep us posted.