Back at the shop move...

[JPG]

Talking about cranes, my buddy was in the hospital and while visiting him I noticed that each room had a hoist. There were two tracks parallel to the side walls that ran the length of the room. Between them was another rail which carried the carriage.

It looked to me that this crane/hoist could go practically anywhere in the room and putting the hoist right over what needed to be lifted. The tracks were fully encased and looked to be about an inch or so wide about 6 inch high. The hoist assemble itself was fully enclosed but I assumed it could lift a patient so it was probably rated 300+ lbs and hoist travel was at least from floor to some distance above a raised hospital bed.

What caught my eye was the fact it totally finished and didn't look like something massive. I was connected to the ceiling in such a way that looked sturdy but not factory huge.

I have no idea of cost but since each room had one I can't imagine it was all that expensive (however I was in a hospital which tend to spend money like water because they are getting it from health insurance companies but that is another thread). It sure looked like something I would love to have in my garage. I will now keep my eye peeled everytime I see a remodel job in any hospital. I will bet more than one construction guy has one of these in his home shop to pick up various things in the shop.

More likely 500# +.

FWIW they work quite well with 350#+ load. A proper sling helps greatly.

I have noticed them mainly in ICU.







BTW, SWMBO does not share our awe of the thing!

[fixit]

I am investigating getting such a device for our home because of my wife's MS and my continuing struggle with an arthritic back which is making it increasingly difficult for me to lift her.

The latest quote we have is for a system which will work in our bedroom and a similar system for the bathroom. Cost: $8,500. The system is called a Portable Ceiling Lift System and the lift itself is called "Voyager" although that's strange because the farthest it will move someone is about 20 feet.

I'm glad I already have my Power Pro because after this expense it will be a long time before I have that much discretionary money to spend again.

I'm not complaining - just saying these systems are NOT inexpensive. Of course a hospital buying in large quantities would certainly get a better price than I can on a one off purchase.

[swampgator]

Thank you, Leonard, for your post. I had forgotten your situation, but your post gave me information that I, too, am needing. My high mileage is limiting me to getting my woman around. This is a great idea which I may start to acquire in piece meal projects. Again, thanks.

Sorry, Francis, for highjacking your thread.

[robinson46176]

Sorry, Francis, for highjacking your thread.

No apology needed... I am giving a "LOT" of thought these days to mobility issues for Diana and I. The problem I had a few years ago where for a fair block of time I could only walk about 100' at a time by using two canes, planted the subject quite firmly in my mind.
I thought long and hard about mobility and access before making the decision to put my woodshop in the basement. That location has the advantage of not needing to get out on ice to use it but the disadvantage of having to navigate stairs. Right now the stairs are just good exercise but probably will become an impediment in the future (I'm currently mentally working on that).
If I were to build a new house today it would be an even more open floor plan than this one is and like this one would have wheel chair / disability scooter access from the outside. The main floor is all accessible. The upper level is pretty much all storage plus maybe a thousand old books I don't have room for in the library.
The basement is the woodshop and some utility stuff and an about 12'x14' strong room / storm shelter. I have a large closet that could become an elevator between the main floor and the basement but don't really have a good place for an elevator to serve all three levels. Then again I don't really need regular access to the upper level.

Here is a kind of lift that doesn't need a track:
http://www.disabilityequipment.com/tmh_mtch.php

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[fixit]

I have one similar to that and it has come in VERY handy several times. Fortunately for me, between MEDICARE & TRICARE (retired military health coverage) the out of pocket cost was minimal.

The equipment I am working to get now is very helpful but UNfortunately, MEDICARE doesn't consider it "medically necessary" so I'll get no help with the purchase. I'm hopeful this will be close to the last durable medical equipment item I have to purchase. Power wheelchairs (2), a scooter, a Hoyer Lift (http://www.disabilityequipment.com/tmh_mtch.php), two (so far) modified vans with ramps, hand controls, etc. have consumed much of our disposable income over the years. We both have more enjoyable uses for our money - but none so useful in maintaining our independence.

It sorrows me to think that most of these "gadgets' were not available just 15 or so years ago. They would have helped so many people with mobility issues and greatly improved their quality of life. I know they have done so for us. Thank God for American ingenuity and industriousness (is that a word?).

[robinson46176]

It was kind of embarrassing this week after moving a bunch more stuff into the shop then sliding in a sheet of 3/4" plywood to discover that all of a sudden I didn't have room to work with the silly sheet...
It's not that there will not be room... there just isn't now with stuff stacked all over the place.
This evening I opened the "hole" in the outside wall and disassembled the temporary ramp from the outside. That freed up about 30 square feet.
I also started hauling in metal utility shelf sets to get stuff up off of the floor which will free up a lot of real estate. I have 4 shelf sets in there now (still empty) and I have 4 more sets still sitting in the farm shop. Most of the stuff I'll put on them will not be in it's permanent home but it will keep it out of the way as I work on the shop (I hope).
I have a bunch of shop company coming on 1-12-2013 and I hope to have it pretty civilized by then.


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[robinson46176]

I had some nice colors picked out for the shop walls but I probably won't be using them. I got over 20 gallons of Pittsburgh paint for free today... Kind of hard to pass up the price.
It's not a bad color but I can't find the color name on it. The best I can describe it is that it is close to the color of new yellow pine lumber before it darkens with age.
I might paint the walls from the top down 4' and then tint a batch with a brown tint to a light brown and use it like that for the bottom half.
I am kind of fond of free.


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[skou]

I am kind of fond of free.

Free is my favourite price.

Speaking of "free," just picked up another ER for
only $60. Not free, but not too far away.

I'd rather buy them, than see them scrapped!

steve

[tgamel]

I had some nice colors picked out for the shop walls but I probably won't be using them. I got over 20 gallons of Pittsburgh paint for free today... Kind of hard to pass up the price.
It's not a bad color but I can't find the color name on it. The best I can describe it is that it is close to the color of new yellow pine lumber before it darkens with age.
I might paint the walls from the top down 4' and then tint a batch with a brown tint to a light brown and use it like that for the bottom half.
I am kind of fond of free.


.

Hard to go wrong with free....Just painted my shop with 5 gallons of free white paint that my father brought me. Around here that paint runs $25 to $30 a gallon and we used about 3 1/2 gallons to apply two coats to the walls so my father saved me anywhere from $75 to $90.

[frank81]

I had some nice colors picked out for the shop walls but I probably won't be using them. I got over 20 gallons of Pittsburgh paint for free today... Kind of hard to pass up the price.
It's not a bad color but I can't find the color name on it. The best I can describe it is that it is close to the color of new yellow pine lumber before it darkens with age.
I might paint the walls from the top down 4' and then tint a batch with a brown tint to a light brown and use it like that for the bottom half.
I am kind of fond of free.


.

If you don't like the color, you can retint it to whatever you like at any paint store with a spectrometer.

Normally they are scanning something you've brought in to color match, and the default tells them how to mix starting with the white base. But there is also a part of their program that scans the old and new color and calculates the difference. Some retints get rejected by the computer due to cost or the volume of pigment needed, but more often than not it will work.

Find a store that carries the brand of paint you have and they will likely retint for free or minimal cost (those pigments are very expensive!).