When the town we live in told me I couldn't replace an old shed with a new, larger one because they had increased our property's setbacks to 20' along the sides and 50' from the water, I was forced to place a much smaller one, closer to our house (It's OK, since the old shed is still in place, outside the setbacks and "grandfathered" in... I'll make that bigger too... By going up... Revenge can be sweet:)
Still, I wish it had more room in the new shed. The kind of shed I purchased was the "lofted barn" type. It didn't take me long to change the "loft" part into a "floor" part, nearly doubling the inside storage space.
After I completed the new floor, and within an hour of struggling to get a heavy box up the ladder, I was busy designing and making an elevator... All the while nursing a sore back that lasted a week.
Still, I wish it had more room in the new shed. The kind of shed I purchased was the "lofted barn" type. It didn't take me long to change the "loft" part into a "floor" part, nearly doubling the inside storage space.
After I completed the new floor, and within an hour of struggling to get a heavy box up the ladder, I was busy designing and making an elevator... All the while nursing a sore back that lasted a week.
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After drawing up a number of ideas, I settled on one that took up the least amount of space. The ladder was already in place and I had left additional space in the overhead to fit bulky materials, so I decided that would be the best place to locate the elevator as well.
In order to keep the platform as level as possible, without having to handle multiple lifting lines, I settled on a rig that "ancient" drawing boards used. If you went to school before the 90s, chances are you've seen one. The drawing board rig keeps the platform perfectly level in one direction. I could have placed another just like it facing the opposite direction, but opted instead for a simple bridle that keeps things steady as long as the load is somewhat balanced.
I purchased all the parts I needed at our local hardware store. I chose 2 sizes of line, which is a bit of overkill. One for the hoist, (3/4") and a lighter line for the stabilizer (5/8"). Using 5/8" for everything may have made things a bit easier and less expensive.
In order to keep the platform as level as possible, without having to handle multiple lifting lines, I settled on a rig that "ancient" drawing boards used. If you went to school before the 90s, chances are you've seen one. The drawing board rig keeps the platform perfectly level in one direction. I could have placed another just like it facing the opposite direction, but opted instead for a simple bridle that keeps things steady as long as the load is somewhat balanced.
I purchased all the parts I needed at our local hardware store. I chose 2 sizes of line, which is a bit of overkill. One for the hoist, (3/4") and a lighter line for the stabilizer (5/8"). Using 5/8" for everything may have made things a bit easier and less expensive.
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On mine, I wanted to get the line over to the opposite side of the ladder, but paid for it by needing 2 additional pulleys (I've reduced it to 1 since publishing the Instructable).
The fewer pulleys, the more efficient it'll be.
Good luck and enjoy your summer.
Thanks for your compliment. That was kind.
You only have to remember that the heavier the load, the more pulleys will be needed and the more friction will build up, overtaking any advantage of the pulleys. On mine, It's good for about 100 lbs if I get all the twists out of the line, but it still takes a fair amount of energy to haul that much weight up. Probably less than pushing that much weight up the ladder ahead of me though, but also less awkward and dangerous.
I don't bother using the winch on the lighter loads, but you'll need some form of additional purchase for heavier ones for sure.
Another point is, this rig has been used on the underside of drawing boards (albeit, quite a bit smaller in size) for as long as I can remember, and then some. I don't ever remember seeing wear at the crossing point.
Offsetting certainly wouldn't hurt, but it would be 2 of the diagonals that are offset. If the pulleys on one side were offset, the lines would still meet at the center (unless you're offsetting them in opposite directions, which would be correct).
Thanks for your logical suggestion and if you ever set it up, please let us know how it works. I'm not against adjusting things to make them better:)
How well does the stabilizing rig work? It's an elegant solution, but it seems like it might be prone to jamming.
As far as jamming goes, the stabilizing rig is very stable. If you use braided line and make sure it's untwisted (the pattern in the braid helps greatly with that), it will work reliably forever. It may need adjusting once in a while, but there isn't any stress on the line that would make it jam. It simply rolls back and forth. You can make a small prototype by putting 4 nails in a rectangle to represent the pulleys and loop a string with a single twist in it around them. You'll be able to see how the parallel sides move the same distance and direction as each other and how difficult it would be to make them jam. As a matter-of-fact, they really don't have to be snugged very tight at all. The line will still move the same distance, no-matter how loose or tight it is. The looser it is, will only allow the platform to swing further away from a completely vertical direction, so if that's not an issue, you can leave them pretty slack and it will still keep the platform level.
There's more chance for the hoisting rig to jam, since the bitter end (the end you pull on) is able to twist, which makes the line "lumpy", for lack of a better word.
When you coil line to hang it, do NOT use the method of twisting it around your arm. Coil it in your hand, putting a half-twist in every loop to take twist out. The best way to reduce the chances of jamming is to remove pulleys. For me, it was a choice among pulleys, ease of construction and space. I'll eventually be taking at least one and hopefully three out of the system if I can figure out how to rig the thing without having to fix them to the roof proper. That will also reduce friction.
Whew! Am I long winded or not?
I would like to SUGGEST adding some type of POSITIVE LOCK to the pallet when in the up position.
I can see me stepping off the ladder and onto the pallet and going for a ride.
Again it is a great idea for a lot of us, I am constantly going UP & DOWN the narrow ladder with simple loads.
Terrible Pictures, I know, but the last one shows the proper "nautical" way to tie a cleat. This is guaranteed to hold any load on the line (Non't use drywall screws to mount the cleat).
Good luck making something to carry your loads for you. I'll be modifying my Instructable as I modify my setup, so I'll be learning along with everyone else.
Thanks, all
bfk
I wonder if you could modify it to unlatch if you were to pull on the rope. That way, you wouldn't have to unlatch it with one hand while holding the rope with the other to inch the platform down.
Your assignment, should you decide to accept it :-)
btw, those weren't snatch blocks, but that's a great idea as well. That would certainly make loading the thing easier.
Thanks for your comments.
I'm working on a design to cut a hole in the floor of my kitchen corner cabinet that goes to our cool and dry crawlspace then to make a small box for things that don't need to be in the fridge but do need to be kept cooler than my regular shelving. it's only about 5' down. ....
Pulleys are machines and are subject to mechanical friction. If it's possible to reduce the number of pulleys in your system as I did in mine, friction is also reduced. The pulleys I removed had nothing to do with mechanical advantage, so I lost nothing there.
The line you use is also another area where you can get into trouble. If the line is too large for your pulleys, it will bind. If it's too small, it will jam. Your pulleys are designed to be used with a specific size line.
Finally, not all pulleys are designed alike. Mine are simple, inexpensive devices made to be used in situations like my storage shed. It sounds like your situation is a bit more "refined". Most low-cost pulleys rely on a simple axle. The more weight that's applied, the more difficult it is to turn. Like any other man-made machine, pulleys come in both low and high quality versions. There are some that use bearings, either low quality plastic, or high quality ball or roller. If your system is as simple as it can be, the line you're using is a quality, soft braid and you're still having trouble, it may be the quality of your pulleys. I know yacht quality is as good as it gets, so if you're in an area where there's a marine store nearby, see if you can purchase what you need with the stipulation that if they don't help, you can return them... btw, on boats, don't call them "pulleys"... Call them "blocks".
Good luck... And I like the way you think about using the coolness of your crawlspace.
bfk
I settled on "elevator" mostly because it would draw interest...
It's only a 10' x 12' shed... And an ELEVATOR? Ya gotta look:)
a great instructable by the way...
The actual reason I used 3/4" line was the pulleys I had were sized for 3/4"
There, you dragged the truth out of me:)
Of course, line strength isn't the whole story. My pulleys are held in by 3 drywall screws (each) and the lines are attached by 3/16" steel screw-in eyes and the best way to mount hardware is in shear, not tensile which is how mine is attached, but the heaviest thing I can imagine being on my platform would be me. Plenty of margin and if I'm using it as a seat, no big concern.
Oh... I don't stand under it when I'm putting things up.
I'm actually thinking about something like this onside my folding attic stairs. I think I can just fold the lower portion of the folding stairs (the lower 2' or so) and the door will go down more vertical (though not by much). Then I could rig a platform to lower from the same hole, and just pull up close to the ceiling when not in use. It wouldn't lower all the way to the floor, but lifting a heavy box 3' and placing on the platform is easier than sliding it up the ladder. Most of the items I store up there are more bulk than weight anyway.
I suppose you could cut a hole in the ceiling and mount the device above it so the load ends up where you need it to be.
You're right about hoisting a box 3'. When I had the trailer hitch connected, the line was too heavy to completely fit, so I shortened it so the platform only came down that far. That was OK with me, but cranking the winch took forever and got me more exhausted than shoving the load up the ladder (no back issues though:).
Thank you... Knowing you, it would be self-loading and powered. :-)