Overhead bridge crane

[Futbalfantic]

I am designing (in my head) my dream garage. I would absolutely love to have an overhead bridge crane. What are everyone's thought on them for a residential/ extremely light commercial use? Current dream is a 34'x ~ 50' foot garage 15-20' ceiling. And desire a 5 ton crane.

 

[rockcity]

I've thought about it multiple times. Each time I've found it much more economical to have a good sized jib crane on a central column and have a forklift for anything else.

The cost of a bridge crane the size of a shop usually mirrors that of the building itself. I just couldn't find the value in it for a home shop. A jib crane would do 90% of what I wanted for 10% of the cost of a bridge crane. The forklift would take care of the rest.

I even own a 20' bridge crane and installing it still isn't worth it to me. It would also help if I had a shop to put it in too.

 

[Fabrik8]

If you can narrow down what you're going to do, an A-frame gantry can often do most of the common garage tasks. There are folding ones too, so less floor space.

 

[jeepinmatt]

To do it is one thing, to do it right is another. Once you start introducing those kind of loads into the equation, everything has to be engineered and approved. So now you're adding significant cost and inspections to every step. I considered it for my shop, and then started thinking about how much it would cost to do it right. Weighed against how much I would actually use it, I decided to just keep the forklift. Also, how often would you actually be lifting several tons? An engine crane can do a lot if you can get the legs under whatever you're lifting.

 

[tkeaton]

Another vote for A-frame gantry

 

[Futbalfantic]

To do it is one thing, to do it right is another. Once you start introducing those kind of loads into the equation, everything has to be engineered and approved. So now you're adding significant cost and inspections to every step.

My thought was to build columns into the structure to support the rails for the bridge and come back later if desired. Spread the cost out quite a bit.

5 tons. Never. But gives a lot of head room and allows me to go Class B even maybe class A crane which is significantly cheaper. It would be more like a 1-2 ton crane.

 

[braxton357]

I've thought about it multiple times. Each time I've found it much more economical to have a good sized jib crane on a central column and have a forklift for anything else.

The cost of a bridge crane the size of a shop usually mirrors that of the building itself. I just couldn't find the value in it for a home shop. A jib crane would do 90% of what I wanted for 10% of the cost of a bridge crane. The forklift would take care of the rest.

I even own a 20' bridge crane and installing it still isn't worth it to me. It would also help if I had a shop to put it in too.

This exactly. I had a Gantry and have a trolley on one of the 24" beams going across the shop that never gets used... Screw all that, got a pneumatic tire forklift and never looked back. Also worth mentioning, a 5 ton overhead is huge and would be extremely expensive even to half ass.

 

[rockcity]

My thought was to build columns into the structure to support the rails for the bridge and come back later if desired. Spread the cost out quite a bit.

5 tons. Never. But gives a lot of head room and allows me to go Class B even maybe class A crane which is significantly cheaper. It would be more like a 1-2 ton crane.

If you are still wanting to do a bridge crane in the end, I'll sell my 20' wide 1 ton crane for cheap.

 

[awheelterd]

How cheap?

 

[rockcity]

How cheap?

How much ya got?

 

[awheelterd]

I'll give you fo fiddy for that pos

 

[Tacoma747]

Just buy a truck with a crane!