drewpster
Commander
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2006
- Messages
- 2,059
I have a co-worker who has a gantry he built to remove semi-truck engines at his home. I have not seen it yet but he said it is made of I-beam and is set in the ground with concrete. He has it for sale. I was thinking of buying it and welding lower supports and casters to it to use around here.
I pretty sure this thing is overbuilt and probably large. My concern is that it will be too much for my needs.
I need a gantry that is high enough to clear the deck of my boat on stands to pull the engine. (10 feet+) The deck, as it sits on stands, is about 7 feet off the ground. I need the additional height to clear the deck with the engine and trans suspended from the gantry. I also need the gantry to be movable as moving the boat is not an easy option.
I am having trouble deciding if I should go ahead and get the gantry or hire a boom truck to come in and do the job. The cost of buying the gantry would not be much more than the fee for the boom truck. (buddy deal) The only additional cost would be the steel needed to build bases and casters. I would love to have a gantry, but I am thinking the boom truck would be more practical. What would you do? Would a lighter built gantry be better considering the weight, or would a heavier gantry be better considering the height? Get a truck? Hmmm, gonna be a challenge either way.
I pretty sure this thing is overbuilt and probably large. My concern is that it will be too much for my needs.
I need a gantry that is high enough to clear the deck of my boat on stands to pull the engine. (10 feet+) The deck, as it sits on stands, is about 7 feet off the ground. I need the additional height to clear the deck with the engine and trans suspended from the gantry. I also need the gantry to be movable as moving the boat is not an easy option.
I am having trouble deciding if I should go ahead and get the gantry or hire a boom truck to come in and do the job. The cost of buying the gantry would not be much more than the fee for the boom truck. (buddy deal) The only additional cost would be the steel needed to build bases and casters. I would love to have a gantry, but I am thinking the boom truck would be more practical. What would you do? Would a lighter built gantry be better considering the weight, or would a heavier gantry be better considering the height? Get a truck? Hmmm, gonna be a challenge either way.