Mini Skid Steer Owners

redwood

Hey guys, I wanted to run this idea past you to see if anyone had tried anything similar.

I'm trying to find additional ways to get my machine to help me. Like I am sure many of you have to raise beams up in the air. I'm too old to keep hauling them up a ladder, and I don't want to keep renting a Genie Superlift. So here is the idea that I came up with.

See attached drawing.

Just bolt the angle iron to the sides of the bucket, place 1/2" bolts @ desired height, slide beam on to bolts, and slowly raise away. Obviously, the beam will need to be carefully balanced and not move very far, especially on uneven ground.

Let me know what you think.

Attached Files

Skid steer Beam Raiser.PDF (25.4 KB, 154 views)

__________________
Mark
Los Gatos, CA
www.creative-redwood-designs.com

deckman22

I'm all for using machinery for manuel labor, I'd give it a go. Not much cost involved from the look of it.

Back in my framing days I used a boom truck for trusses & large beams whenever possible, always worth the $.

If your machine has a winch you could also fashion a boom & use a pulley to hoist up heavy stuff, I've done that before, not with that type of machine tho.

__________________
Deckman
www.alscustomdecks.com

redwood

No comments from all you mini skid steer owners out there. Or everyone is on their summer vacation.

__________________
Mark
Los Gatos, CA
www.creative-redwood-designs.com

Warren

I don't currently own a skid steer, but we have used them occasionally to lift beams and such. Seems like that may work but I would worry about the bolt connection at the bucket. There will be a lot of stress there. Other than that, it seems like it would work well.

redwood

OK, here is the first prototype of my beam lift.

Base Height is adjustable. As shown, it will raise bottom of beam to a height of 10'6".

I'll really get to check it out next week, when I need to raise a 28' 4x12 and set on posts.

Attached Thumbnails

     

__________________
Mark
Los Gatos, CA
www.creative-redwood-designs.com

Bone Saw

that looks like a recipe for catastrophy, I like to use a rotary lazer to pre mark, rack and assemble my beams/post on the ground, "foot" them against their respective footing, and use a winch attached center/perpendicular on the ledger with a rigging strapp slung around middle of beam, this is the only way I've ever raised big beams, works like a charm

Attached Thumbnails

     

__________________
Custom Decks & Carpentry LLC.
Chester County Custom Decks
Custom Deckbuilder Mainline
Philadelphia Deck Builder
Custom Decks & Carpentry on Facebook

redwood

Bone, where were those comments when I first proposed the idea?

The test with these beams went well. No rocking at all, just slow and easy. I really couldn't feel any weight. The trick was to keep the whole setup plumb as I raised it.

__________________
Mark
Los Gatos, CA
www.creative-redwood-designs.com

Bone Saw

sorry red, I've posted my "coveted" method before, have been offline for awhile. anyway you may fare better with that rig than me since you're tracked and Im' wheeled, your machine is prolly a little heavier than mine too, also your COG looks further aft and lower with boom up than mine, a $20 harbor freight worm boat trailer winch and some ledgerlocks work like a charm, I've raised spliced beams as long as 45' in a few minutes like this without breaking a sweat, a little forethought on your beam/splice assembely, carefull grade/laser work, and pre racking with CM calculator, she'll stand up like raising a wall, plumb and level, you may have to get a little creative with slopes and uneven terrain, but this is the only way I've ever done it.

__________________
Custom Decks & Carpentry LLC.
Chester County Custom Decks
Custom Deckbuilder Mainline
Philadelphia Deck Builder
Custom Decks & Carpentry on Facebook

deckman22

I like it Mark. Looks like it will handle pretty good size beams.

Be sure to get us some action pics.

__________________
Deckman
www.alscustomdecks.com

bert0168

So do you have to hoss it up on to the lifter by hand first?

__________________
www.ddcontractors.net

Quote:

Originally Posted by CCCo. Yep, you guessed, sold by a fancy white guy, installed by the brown army.

redwood

Yes, we have hump it on the beam raiser. Those pics show everything maxed out. Those brackets are 6'6" tall, and the mini lifts up just over 5' high. If I have 8' high posts, I will have to raise the beams 3' by hand, on to my lifter. I can handle that.

__________________
Mark
Los Gatos, CA
www.creative-redwood-designs.com

redwood

The dingo beam raiser went into action today. Lifted a 28' 4x12, 9'6". up on to notched posts, and held it until we could secure it. Yeah baby

You might notice that this particular beam had to be raised over a planting area and small rock wall. We also were not able to center the beam, due to a post. No problem.

Attached Thumbnails

     

__________________
Mark
Los Gatos, CA
www.creative-redwood-designs.com

redwood

2nd project for the mini lift. 4x12 joists and 6x8 PT Beams, lifted around 9' up.

Also, look at the completed framing for the first lift project. Over 600 lin. ft. of 4x12, raised 10' up.

Attached Thumbnails

   

__________________
Mark
Los Gatos, CA
www.creative-redwood-designs.com

Ed Joyce

How did you cut the scroll work on the ends of the 4 x 12's?

redwood

I can't take credit for that. Most of the corbels (over 40), were salvaged from the old arbor. The rest were cut at the lumber yard with a rolling bandsaw. We can cut up to 3x12's ourselves, but 4x12's are left to the guys with the big machinery.

__________________
Mark
Los Gatos, CA
www.creative-redwood-designs.com

deckman22

Kool design on those corbels. I see you're getting good use out of the new machine.

__________________
Deckman
www.alscustomdecks.com

curapa

Looks like that beam lift is working out great for ya!

__________________
www.ParkerFenceandDeck.com