Shop/garage info needed....hoist as well.

[patrick66]

My shop is an odd-sized 65' x 38', built on the slab my tornado-destroyed house used to stand on. It also has a 24' x 12' carport/patio on the front. Two 12' doors and one walk-in at the front, with another 12' door on the back, to be able to bring a 30' fifth-wheel RV through. It's all steel with R-8 insulation, and a peak skylight that runs the length of the building. I have a 200-amp breaker box, salvaged from the old house; four 220V outlets and one 110V 30-amp RV outlet. Full bath where the old bathroom was, so building and plumbing that was pretty easy. Shower, stool, sink, 40-gal hot water tank, with shared septic with the house. I have had one RV, two BMW 325i rags, two A-C tractors, my old Cummins Dodge, and my Coronet all inside, plus parts shelves and more stuff, but that was very tight.

You were asking about a lift. I designed the layout to accommodate a four-post or two-post easily. I'm leaning towards a four-post from a company in Fort Worth, Texas. It will go where you see the blue Dodge pickup pictured. Installed and ready to work is $2,599.00. I'll look for the pamphlet and give you a contact number for the company.

 

[polara71]

Is that lift company in Ft Worth building lifts or selling China made stuff?

 

[Ripinator]

My shop is an odd-sized 65' x 38', built on the slab my tornado-destroyed house used to stand on. It also has a 24' x 12' carport/patio on the front. Two 12' doors and one walk-in at the front, with another 12' door on the back, to be able to bring a 30' fifth-wheel RV through. It's all steel with R-8 insulation, and a peak skylight that runs the length of the building. I have a 200-amp breaker box, salvaged from the old house; four 220V outlets and one 110V 30-amp RV outlet. Full bath where the old bathroom was, so building and plumbing that was pretty easy. Shower, stool, sink, 40-gal hot water tank, with shared septic with the house. I have had one RV, two BMW 325i rags, two A-C tractors, my old Cummins Dodge, and my Coronet all inside, plus parts shelves and more stuff, but that was very tight.

You were asking about a lift. I designed the layout to accommodate a four-post or two-post easily. I'm leaning towards a four-post from a company in Fort Worth, Texas. It will go where you see the blue Dodge pickup pictured. Installed and ready to work is $2,599.00. I'll look for the pamphlet and give you a contact number for the company.

Patrick: I know it shouldn't be, but it sounds like that tornado incident was almost a blessing. . . Did you lose any cars or other valuable things when it happened?

 

[Fury440]

Wow - that is a garage!!

 

[patrick66]

Is that lift company in Ft Worth building lifts or selling China made stuff?

Both, actually. The lower-end stuff is under three grand, and the US-built lifts are higher priced. Several local guys have the lower-priced units and have no problems with them.

Patrick: I know it shouldn't be, but it sounds like that tornado incident was almost a blessing. . . Did you lose any cars or other valuable things when it happened?

Totaled a '53 Hudson Hornet, a '50 Hornet Pacemaker coupe, a '68 Polara sedan, a '70 F250, a '50 Dodge H-H-A flatbed 2-ton truck, along with bending the frame on a 1954 Allis-Chalmers tractor. The collapse of the shop flattened my BMW 325i ragtop I was restoring. Damaged my Cummins Dodge and my little Metropolitan. Thankfully, my Coronet 500 was at the shop of a friend that day and was the only one untouched. Totaled the house and shop. Lost 151 trees. We survived in the downstairs bathroom, which was the only room untouched by the tornado. Fun times.

 

[polara71]

I simply cant bring myself to buy a China lift even at one third the price

 

[patrick66]

I'd be leery of the two-post units, but a four-post is something I'd have no reservations getting. I know three this guy has sold locally, and all have been in service at least two years without problems. I know one owner regularly has one of his Ford Super Duty 350s on it! He's always jacking with that damn Ford!

 

[polara71]

I know, But it is the principal of things. I will lay on my back and crawl on my knees until I can buy an American lift

There was a lift company at Carlisle, I think U.S. lifts or something of the sort....... Asian made

 

[75LandYacht]

I guess when they talk about how "Size Matters"!!! This is what they were talking about? Lol

 

[livininharrow]

one thing to consider regarding a 2 post lift is that the arms swing under the car and if you have a car that is low to begin with you will be pissed when you whack your exhaust or anything else in the way. a 2 post lift in my opinion is good if you are doing brake jobs all day long or exhaust work. otherwise a 4 poster is the way to go. an extra parking spot to boot and you can still do anything you need to do without laying on your back. I also feel safer under my 4 poster. drip trays keep **** off the car underneath. should I go on. lol

 

[patrick66]

I'm not concerned about US or China with lifts these days. I'm sure if any of us or our buddies heard of a lift failure over the past three or four years, we'd have heard about it through many forums. I'd sure like one!!! The lack of a lift is directly correlated to my lack of desire to wrench on them these days.

 

[commando1]

A lift is not a necessity but an award.

 

[cantflip]

I'm not concerned about US or China with lifts these days. I'm sure if any of us or our buddies heard of a lift failure over the past three or four years, we'd have heard about it through many forums. I'd sure like one!!! The lack of a lift is directly correlated to my lack of desire to wrench on them these days.

One pro story my entire career about a lift failure that was not operator error. I don't know how I would feel about the cheaper "parking lifts" 4 post models... compare the uprights to the pro versions and there is a lot of steel missing. The 4 post pro versions have locking mechanisms that are a constant source of adjustments in my experience... but are very stable. I have never dealt with the much smaller parking versions... the pricing isn't enough better to be worthwhile IMO.

Sorry Dave, I would prefer USA if I were shopping, but if I were shopping... I would need to see the ROI... don't think I would pay the premium "just because"...

Who am I kidding, if I was shopping a lift I would likely wind up with a 30yo Rotary for $1K and be happy. Installation is about floor strength, careful measuring and keeping the uprights plumb. Seen it many times, the job isn't rocket surgery.

BTW, that one failure, was never right... it was worked on under warranty from the time it was installed until it hurt(and eventually killed) the tech. Second hand information... so very sketchy details. A couple guys I knew, knew the guy... USA lift too... big name. Probably a Rotary painted red.

 

[Ripinator]

Both, actually. The lower-end stuff is under three grand, and the US-built lifts are higher priced. Several local guys have the lower-priced units and have no problems with them.



Totaled a '53 Hudson Hornet, a '50 Hornet Pacemaker coupe, a '68 Polara sedan, a '70 F250, a '50 Dodge H-H-A flatbed 2-ton truck, along with bending the frame on a 1954 Allis-Chalmers tractor. The collapse of the shop flattened my BMW 325i ragtop I was restoring. Damaged my Cummins Dodge and my little Metropolitan. Thankfully, my Coronet 500 was at the shop of a friend that day and was the only one untouched. Totaled the house and shop. Lost 151 trees. We survived in the downstairs bathroom, which was the only room untouched by the tornado. Fun times.

Patrick: Certainly no blessings there. . . Very sorry there was such devastation. It is a blessing you and your wife survived unhurt.

 

[tallhair]

No the higher foundation wall allows the run off from the roof to not splash up and wick into the building structure....and you can build the taller walls with shorter lumber. ;)



If I do go with 16' walls a mezzanine will definitely be considered....if not right away, down the road for sure.

Think about a exposed dumbwaiter style lift to get heavy / large stuff up there and support for weight Like on old barns but inside.

 

[polara71]

For me it is not just about safety and cheap China steel but rather country pride. I buy whatever I can, Made in America. From hardware to house. .... In fact it's become more about not buying Made in China

 

[tallhair]

Here's one with some of the features mentioned in the thread.

40 x 60 in Wilton, IA

epoxy metal flaked floor, scissor trusses 2-9x8, 18x8, 10x12 overhd doors

 

[Dobalovr]

Here's one with some of the features mentioned in the thread.

40 x 60 in Wilton, IA

epoxy metal flaked floor, scissor trusses 2-9x8, 18x8, 10x12 overhd doors

Now that is sweet.....

 

[thrashingcows]

Well I have been working on getting all my ducks in a row, and starting the permit process....still have frost in the ground, and weight restrictions on the roads so be another month or so before those are lifted. Anyway been talking with the planning dept, and inspectors trying to find out what's allowed, what's not, and all the other things that are required to build.

Bunch of the answers to my questions has caused me to have to re-think some of my previous ideas.

I was hoping to be able to build a pole barn type shop, but they have removed that style of shop/garage from their approved list....so I have to build a frost/foundation wall that is at least 54"...as well as I have to have special engineered drawings and structure if I build a shop with stud walls taller then 12'...if I do build taller then 12' then large stud walls and additional supports in the trusses are required as well. So with all this it has dictated I build the shop closer to the house, since with the rules for the foundation I would have to build a driveway, level and grade the area and bring in material for the foundation wall to be built upon, additional drainage and culverts might be required as well.....since very little of our acreage is flat. ;) So might be looking at a 32x48, or a 40x48 size shop now.

For The radiant floor heating is no problem, just have have vapor barrier, then a minimum R12.5 rigid insulation, then tubing, then the concrete, and then have to apply for a outdoor boiler permit when I get to that point. Also have to have an engineered drawing with pad/location, and below ground structure, for the hoist as well. I asked about a wood burning stove to heat the shop....huge requirements for that....has to be raised off the ground to protect from tipped chemicals and allow proper airflow, also have protective posts so you can't accidentally drive into it etc. So guess overhead natural gas for now, or perhaps a propane fired heater until I get the boiler....will have to see what the cost comparison is, might be a boiler is cheaper in the long run?

So that is where I am at now.....still jumping through the hoops.

 

[commando1]

Wow.
Just where the hell in B.C. are you?