Simple chain hoist question

Hi all,

I'm looking to get a chain hoist (the kind which has a load chain, a hand chain and a geared block at the top). I just want to know something really simple: is the hand chain usually shorter than the lift height so that it doesn't drag on the ground? The building in which I want to use the hoist is 3.51 m high to the steel sheeting on the roof. The hoist would hang from a beam which is below the sheeting. A used equipment supplier has a hoist with a 3.5 m lift height. If I installed this, would I end up with a messy heap of hand chain dragging on the floor, or would I be okay?

Best wishes,

Chris

Reply to
Christopher Tidy
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No reason why you could not shorten the hand chain. I have done this to my hoist, there even was a link that was not welded shut. Chain dragging on the floor only asks to tangle in something as you operate he hoist.

Klaus

Christ> Hi all,

Reply to
az_100

That's what I was thinking; I don't want the chain dragging on the floor and tangling in stuff. But as it's a continuous loop of chain which runs through a pulley, I'd have to do a neat job of shortening it.

What brand of hoist do you have?

Chris

Reply to
Christopher Tidy

My lift chain is 12 or 15 feet ( can't remember right now ) hand chain hangs down around 8 feet . So will how high you mount it would determine if it dragged on the floor or not . In practice it usually piles up on top of what I am lifting unless its something small and then it drags on one side until it can find something handy to get snagged on . I move mine around a lot so yep sometimes it does drag on the ground , never saw it as much of an issue . Ken Cutt

Reply to
Ken Cutt

They vary. Ask the seller! The hand chain on mine doesn't quite reach the floor from a height of about 3 meters. If yours is too long you could aways cut out some links and re-weld the hand chain.

Reply to
Don Foreman

You really don't need a 3.5M lift height. Your mounting point is below the roof and I doubt you really need the hook to go all the way to the floor.

cs

Reply to
Chuck Sherwood

I do not see what the big deal is. If you find the hand chain to be too long, cut, shorten and reweld. The load on this chain is minimal. All in all, I think, your lift is a little too much. I would look some more for a more appropriate hoist. Here in the US, they sell cheap chinese hoists for not too much, on ebay. I have one and it works for me.

I also have a super nice japanese hoist. It is much nicer and smoother. I will sell it one day, to US buyers due to weight.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus15937

Thanks for all the responses. On balance I think I'll go for the 3.5 m hoist. Last night I got the seller to send me a picture and it looks like the hand chain is about 2.5 m long.

The cheap 1.5 m hoist I bought on eBay, apart from being worn out, is too short for me. I'd rather buy one that's a bit long than a bit short. I'm also not keen on buying Chinese; I'd rather buy a decent second hand British hoist for the same money.

Thanks for the advice.

Chris

Reply to
Christopher Tidy

I bought the 3.5 m hoist from John Davies

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and it arrived today. Pretty sound piece of kit. I had that nice "man, that's cool" feeling when I opened the box rather than the nasty "man, that sucks" feeling. It's better made than the Yale hoist and easier to use, too. The hand chain is a little under 3 metres, so it's an ideal length. There are a few minor signs of wear but nothing significant. The gears are still packed with thick brown grease. A supplier's plate is dated March 1967. Guess the moral is that solid stuff lasts pretty much forever if you take care of it!

Chris

Reply to
Christopher Tidy

Christopher Tidy wrote: > Ignoramus15937 wrote: >

I bought the 3.5 m hoist from John Davies

formatting link
and it arrived today. Pretty sound piece of kit. I had that nice "man, that's cool" feeling when I opened the box rather than the nasty "man, that sucks" feeling. It's better made than the Yale hoist and easier to use, too. The hand chain is a little under 3 metres, so it's an ideal length. There are a few minor signs of wear but nothing significant. The gears are still packed with thick brown grease. A supplier's plate is dated March 1967. Guess the moral is that solid stuff lasts pretty much forever if you take care of it!

Chris

Reply to
Christopher Tidy

I just spent a little time cleaning the hoist and checking it over before putting it to use. I noticed that the sprocket carrying the load chain is a golden colour. All the others I've seen are a dull steel colour. Would it be bronze, or some kind of plating on a steel sprocket? I guess bronze is a good bearing material. Just curious as it's not what I'd expect.

Best wishes,

Chris

Reply to
Christopher Tidy

Run a file over it if you are curious . My guess is plating but a file will tell you for sure , luck Ken Cutt

Reply to
Ken Cutt

It might be zinc-plated with a chromate treatment. Zinc plating provides good galvanic rust protection but zinc is very vulnerable to even weak acids (acid rain) and salt spray. The chromate treatment provides much better immunity to those environments.

Given the age, it could also be cadmium plated with a chromate treatment. Cad works really well but it's "bad stuff" from an environmental perspective. It was widely-used in the '60's.

Reply to
Don Foreman

I had a better look this afternoon. The sprocket is definitely bronze-coloured, and I can't see a different colour showing through anywhere. I would have expected plating to show a few tiny holes at the points where the load chain rubs against it. I'm not inclined to rub it with a file - it seems like a bit of an evil thing to do to a nice piece of equipment - but I'll wash it with white spirit before I grease the hoist. I can take a photograph then, too. Based on the evidence it looks like bronze to me, presumably chosen for its bearing qualities? An unusual choice I would have thought, but it's stood the test of time well.

Chris

Reply to
Christopher Tidy

I had a better look this afternoon. The sprocket is definitely bronze-coloured, and I can't see a different colour showing through anywhere. I would have expected plating to show a few tiny holes at the points where the load chain rubs against it. I'm not inclined to rub it with a file - it seems like a bit of an evil thing to do to a nice piece of equipment - but I'll wash it with white spirit before I grease the hoist. I can take a photograph then, too. Based on the evidence it looks like bronze to me, presumably chosen for its bearing qualities? An unusual choice I would have thought, but it's stood the test of time well.

Chris

Reply to
Christopher Tidy

Is it magnetic?

Pete Keillor

Reply to
Pete Keillor

Good thought, Pete. I tested it with a powerful NIB magnet from a hard drive. It's not magnetic, so I guess it's bronze.

Chris

Reply to
Christopher Tidy

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