In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

How to build a Firewood Hoist! 3 stories up!

Discussion in 'The Wood Pile' started by Machria, Dec 22, 2014.

  1. Machria

    Machria

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    Part 1:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=tceP0spHEuk

    Many of you may recall my stove installation. We had to lift the 750lb Progress Hybrid stove up to the 3rd level via my back deck. My house is on stilts, and the great room is on the top floor with a nice view of the Great South Bay and Atlantic ocean on the south shore of LI. A few pics of the installation:
    Stove install1.JPG
    Stove install2.JPG


    Well, when I first decided to install my stove, part of the plan was to also install a hoist to bring all the wood up. Carrying a hundred pounds of wood or more per day up 3 flights of stairs is no fun. And the white painted walls in the stairwell don’t like it either! Of course the older I get, the harder it will become. Hence, my hoist design started.

    First, I measured everything and drew up the basic design:
    Hoist Design.jpg


    Then I purchased a hoist motor and suitable hoist bracket from Northern Tool, as well as fabricated a hanging pulley on the bracket (since it’s normally used to hang the motor on):
    Hoist motor: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_420551_420551
    Hoist bracket: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200485108_200485108

    Next I designed a horizontal hoist motor box/mount which is thru bolted into the joists above the deck.

    Motor Box design.jpg

    Motor_box1.JPG

    continued next post....
     
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2014
  2. Machria

    Machria

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    Part 2:
    Next, I designed “firewood basket” to hoist the wood in, and had them both made by an aluminum fabrication shop.

    Basket design.jpg
    Basket rigged.JPG



    Then I ordered 3 custom 1” Tie Down straps (max load 883lbs each), notice what I had printed on them?
    http://customtiedowns.com/product2....d_length=0&webbing=cw1-y3pe&catlist=1&store=1

    Gimme Da Wood.JPG

    Straps and bracket design.jpg


    Next I opened up the ceiling and mounted the hoist motor box, and cut a 2” x 4” hole in the overhang for the hoist cable to go thru. I sealed the wood in the hole with epoxy/fiberglass to keep water intrusion out. I then mounted the motor in the box and fed the cable thru the hole.
    Motor box installed.JPG
    Motor box complete.JPG



    Next I rented a bucket lift and installed the hoist bracket above the deck, and then fed the cable thru the pulley assembly. The hoist bracket is mounted to some kindorf type steel bars, which is then in-turn thru bolted into the joists(the lower one), and the upper one is thru bolted right into the inside of the house (it goes across 2 studs on the inside of wall) all using galvanized 3/8” x 10” bolts.
    Bucket lift1.JPG
    kindorf installed.JPG

    continued next post.....
     
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2014
  3. Machria

    Machria

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    Part 3:
    Now attach the straps to hook on the cable, and done! The basket holds about 6 full sacks of wood, which ends up being between 200 and 250 lbs of splits. That is what I used to carry up every 2 or 3 days. When the basket gets to the top, you just swing it in, release the gate and unload the wood onto the deck and into the stove room which is right there. This will save me ALOT of work over the years! Here is a video of it in action:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=tceP0spHEuk

    Basket unloading2.JPG

    Basket unloading3.JPG

    basket loading.JPG

    Swing Basket over.JPG
     
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2014
  4. Tony2Truck

    Tony2Truck

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    That is awesome. A lot of thought Into that.
     
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2014
  5. My IS heats my home

    My IS heats my home

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    Talk about engineering and fabrication, this is incredible!
    What a great job you did. The research, the drawings and the actual
    mechanics in place to make it all happen. I love it.
     
  6. Thoreau's cabin

    Thoreau's cabin

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    Absolutely Awesome!!!
     
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  7. Shawn Curry

    Shawn Curry

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    PROfessional job there! :thumbs: That thing is awesome! LOVE the custom straps! :rofl: :lol:
     
  8. prell 73

    prell 73

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    That is flippin cool.
     
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  9. Pallet Pete

    Pallet Pete Moderator

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    I remember this from somewhere? Freakin awesome job!
     
  10. bigbarf48

    bigbarf48

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    Me too. Nothing short of amazing. Great design skills :yes:
     
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  11. Stinny

    Stinny

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    Very impressive system Machria !!! I'll bet you'll find lots of other ways to use that over the years too, lifting things up or down. Great job!
     
  12. bigbarf48

    bigbarf48

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    I wouldn't mind riding on it :D
     
  13. Machria

    Machria

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    Thanks guys. It was a lot of work, mostly planning and measuring and re-planning... I didn't want holes in the house in the wrong spots... which would be my normal course of action. ;) You know, measure twice, cut once, F it up, and start over....

    Already did! We came home from BJ's yesterday with lots of bulk stuff, cases of water..., dropped it all in the hoist.



    .
     
  14. Stinny

    Stinny

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    Do you also have a wireless remote? ... I see that hapnin someday... ;) Awesome rig crane man... :yes:
     
  15. swags

    swags Moderator

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    Heck my kids would be in that all day. That is awesome and will save you a lot of work.
     
  16. Hellbent

    Hellbent

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    Super cool! The aluminum fab work is great!

    Great job on doing something that most would only dream of!
     
  17. bogydave

    bogydave

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    Great idea !
    Neat, clean. well engineered & well made . :yes:

    Thought it was gonna be a conveyor belt ,
    this is much nicer !
     
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  18. NYCountry

    NYCountry

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    Genius. Great work. The plans and engineering
     
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  19. Smokinpiney

    Smokinpiney

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    Ok, you took firewood haulin to a whole new level! Awsome setup :thumbs:
     
  20. rottiman

    rottiman

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    "Plan your work" "Work your plan"................. Really sharp looking installation. As Stinny says, you'll find a lot of other uses for it as well. Well done..............:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs: