Shop Gantry/Jib Ideas

#1
I am brainstorming something different than the standard engine hoist to pick stuff up. My limitations of my engine hoist are the usual, it needs to be a bit longer and the legs usually hit stuff when i try to push it under the vehicle.

I have a steel built garage. The side supports are pretty good size square tubing, but the rafter metal is kind of a joke, i would never hang weight from it. At first i thought about doing a A frame gantry setup but it is kind of bulky. I would like to do a jib setup that can pivot and stow to the side wall of the garage but i do not have the height for the support cable that holds the end of the arm up. I was thinking about having one side butt up to the wall support and be anchored to the ground. This will have a pivot point like a jib arm and an I-beam will pivot out and on the other end i will have a leg with wheels so it can roll on the floor as it pivots. That way i wont have a huge amount of weight put on the building support. I dont want a full on gantry setup because i will lose some space. With this setup i can spin the arm to the wall and secure it when not in use. Has anyone had experience in doing something like this?

Here is a crappy drawing
jib_zpswqduzkkq.jpg

What have you guys done for a lifting setup that works for your projects?
 
#3
Yeah, would basically be that, but with one side stationary and bolted to the floor and wall, and with a pivot on the ibeam to allow it to swing over to the wall to be secured when not in use.
 
#4
Your stationary leg and pivot will need to be very ridged. Do you have a pad of cement in front of your shop that you can anchor it to? And I think you would need some sort of A frame at the leg with a wheel if not that wheel will shoot out from under it if the weight gets a little off center.
 
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