Pallet racking=shop mezzanine, & the bootyfab mezz crane

[D60]

FINALLY found the time to floor the skeleton of pallet racking running down the shop. I wanted to do a mezzanine down the center for several reasons:

-takes advantage of the 19' peak, vertical space that would otherwise go unused (storage and office)
-allows me to postion workbenches and boxes so that they can service either bay
-makes for a great place to run air and electric in what would otherwise be an open void
-makes service of my peak lights, ceiling fans and exhaust fans safe and easy
-just generally gives the shop more structure and function

The lowest point of the mezz floor is 9', so it's still easy enough to move most large objects under it.

I never envisioned this when I first had the shop built, and it's another reason I'm glad I didn't do in-floor heat (lots of concrete anchors here and their locations were not very flexible).

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/613241/fullsize/mezzanine-006.jpg

Adds about 250sq ft of storage up top
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/613242/original/mezzanine-002.jpg

I built the stairs and anchored them to the floor, helping to add some triangulation.
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/613243/fullsize/mezzanine-029.jpg

[SPEEDCRAVIN]

Very nice setup!!!! I am doing something simillar ot the end of my shop... I picked up a mess of pallet racking about a month ago. i just need to find the time to set it all up. Business has been way to good to take a break and get it done...

Very nice!!

JOSH

[D60]

W my bum back and my wife's bum shoulder I knew we'd need a reasonable way to lift things like axles, t-cases, motors, etc up AND swing them over the mezzanine.

I've got the HF hoist in the back of my F350, and for the $100 it'll cost you I've been really happy w it for loading things like axles
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=37555

About 1.5 years ago (when this project was in my mind) the Cummins Tool traveling gypsies came thru. So I bought their hard-mount hoist. It's just an engine hoist w/out wheels.
http://www.toolsnow.com/browse.cfm/4,125.htm

I knew the lift of the ram would of course not be enough, so at the same time I bought their hand winch
http://www.toolsnow.com/browse.cfm/4,393.htm
How can a hand winch with a brand name of "American Camper" not be cool?

I brushed off 1.5 years of abrasive dust and put it together. I took a look at how HF did their crane and copied it.
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/613252/original/mezzanine-024.jpg

So I needed to add a second slot to my boom and make some rollers, adding tabs for the upper roller
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/613253/original/mezzanine-032.jpg

Then I needed to anchor the hand winch. The Cummins hoist has the strapping just like a regular engine hoist. I almost surely coulda been fine by just cutting it off, but chose to elevate the winch above it. The Cummins hoist only had two positions for the boom extension which I thought was lame, so I added two intermediate holes for greater adjustment
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/613254/original/mezzanine-033.jpg

In typical Chinese fashion, they impressed me by using a taper roller bearing at the bottom of the swivel base, but dropped the ball by putting 3" OD tube in 3.250" ID tube. They also left a nice gap of about .320 at the flange, which just kinda bugged me
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/613250/fullsize/mezzanine-019.jpg

I turned this spacer/bushing and tacked it in place to remove the slop
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/613251/fullsize/mezzanine-021.jpg

I built a base plate and welded it to the pallet racking under the mezz flooring. The mill DRO was the bomb-diggity for drilling the base plate bolt pattern, and allowing me to find the center so I could accurately holesaw the wood flooring above. I triangulated it to the floor (more concrete anchors) so something on the hook wouldn't want to pull the pallet racking out of square.
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/613249/original/mezzanine-030.jpg

Here you see a 44 on the hook. You might note my trailer in the background. I placed the hoist so it swings over my drive-thru bay and while it won't reach the center of my trailer, it will reach the edge, making for easier off-loading of heavy-ish items.

The hoist works awesome. Since pallet racking is nothing but a giant erector set, generally I'd just knock the "handrail" out for swinging items in, but here I was able to hoist over the handrail.
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/613244/original/mezzanine-031.jpg

[Azzy2000]

Very cool. Nice work.

[Azzy2000]

Did you buy or build the orange gantry crane in the background? Got any more pics of it?

[D60]

Did you buy or build the orange gantry crane in the background? Got any more pics of it?

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=644301

We used the gantry to bring up the 4x8 sheets of 3/4" OSB. There's just no way my wife and I could get them up the stairs (which are about 45*) or lift them up on ladders.

[DUG]

Nice setup, I wish I had the roof space for that.

[76scoutman]

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/613249/original/mezzanine-030.jpg


Love the use of space, especially the winch hoist. :smokin: Just curious why you didn't turn the support boards under the plywood on end for more strength. I would think if you're storing engines and such you would need the extra strength. Maybe the span isn't wide enough to make a difference.

Good job. :grinpimp:

[Pt_Ranger_V8]

Love the use of space, especially the winch hoist. :smokin: Just curious why you didn't turn the support boards under the plywood on end for more strength. I would think if you're storing engines and such you would need the extra strength. Maybe the span isn't wide enough to make a difference.

Good job. :grinpimp:


the way pallet racking is set up, the horizontal pieces have an 'L' shape to them - the space where the 2x's sit is ~ 1.5" tall. Hence, turning them on end would stick the floor of the shelf about 2" above the main supports for each shelf.


clear as mud? :laughing:

[D60]

Yep, 2x lumber is not *technically* the right way to do this. It comes up a bit short as you see it, so theoretically the floor can sag ~1/4" before resting on the 2x.

There is pallet racking specific steel material for this, but it's difficult to source in my area (no major cities nearby), and the 2x lumber works well enough that it's acceptable. Plus it was all free from a friend who just completed a remodel

[87JeepWrangler]

looks awesome. i wish i had half that space.

[D60]

looks awesome. i wish i had half that space.

Thanks. No kids and a supportive wife seems to be conducive to having a decent shop :D

[7.62FMJ]

Yep, 2x lumber is not *technically* the right way to do this. It comes up a bit short as you see it, so theoretically the floor can sag ~1/4" before resting on the 2x.

There is pallet racking specific steel material for this, but it's difficult to source in my area (no major cities nearby), and the 2x lumber works well enough that it's acceptable. Plus it was all free from a friend who just completed a remodel

We use 2x6's at work in our pallet racks, and they hold up just fine to 2100# pallets. I would love to have a rack system that spanned the back wall of our garage!



looks awesome. i wish i had half that space.


Ditto! Makes my 30x34 look like a dollhouse...

[tmorgan4]

Thanks. No kids and a supportive wife seems to be conducive to having a decent shop :D

Nice shop. What area of CO are you in?

[fj40guy]

We used the gantry to bring up the 4x8 sheets of 3/4" OSB. There's just no way my wife and I could get them up the stairs (which are about 45*) or lift them up on ladders.

Nice!

Thanks to a PBB tip, when building the shed, I ran into the same issue. Solution was to put together a little area (4' x 4') about 3' tall on the side of he building (8' walls). Load the 4x8 sheets of plywood onto that platform. Then, while standing on the platform lift and slide into place. :smokin:

I did something similiar with the "office area" of the shop leaving a loft above... but with 14' side walls and a shallow pitch, not a whole lot of room to move around, so I really like your set up!

Tom