Handling Heavy Plates of Steel

[AndrewMawson]

How to you lift plate up onto your table?

Although I do have a Forklift, it's a very tight squeeze in the workshop and often things have to be shifted first to get it in. I thought of making up a gantry but space is too small, so I bought a 'Double Scissor Scissor Lift' s/h off ebay - it's brilliant !

I've been cutting 3/8 plate today, and even in 2x4 foot sheets it too much to handle single handed.

I've had a 'single scissor scissor lift' for some while but it didn't lift high enough - this one goes up to 1.3 metres which nicely gets me on the table

Scissor-Lift.jpg

[motoguy]

2 ton engine hoist and plate clamp, or plate sling.

[HaasMetalDesigns]

that is why when I built my table I made it low at 26in
I do use a modified single scissor lift I made the wheels wider for more stable and also have the table tilt on a angle to make it easy to pull the metal onto the table.

[philb86]

This is the same thing I will be using once my table comes at the end of the March.

[chasxjs]

I have used my motorcycle lift the same way before.
It handles full sheets with no problem.

[jawslandshark]

I bought a couple of magnetic lifters, seems to also help slide full sheets on and off the table. When I bring home sheets in my truck I can slap one on top put a short choker on it and pull them off onto my roll around cart.

[AndrewMawson]

For handling fair faced sheets of 1.2 mm steel sheet I've had a pair of 'Glaziers Suckers' for some time - they pre-date my plasma table - I used them to get full sheets single handed into my 4 foot guillotine. They now get used lifting half sheets onto the table. No good if the sheet is too rough though, but I tend to buy Zintec or galvanised to keep rust at bay.

Sucker.jpg

[philb86]

How to you lift plate up onto your table?

Although I do have a Forklift, it's a very tight squeeze in the workshop and often things have to be shifted first to get it in. I thought of making up a gantry but space is too small, so I bought a 'Double Scissor Scissor Lift' s/h off ebay - it's brilliant !

I've been cutting 3/8 plate today, and even in 2x4 foot sheets it too much to handle single handed.

I've had a 'single scissor scissor lift' for some while but it didn't lift high enough - this one goes up to 1.3 metres which nicely gets me on the table

Scissor-Lift.jpg

This is the exact idea I am building for the removal of sheet from the bed of my truck, then to load on my table. Still have time as my table wont be ready for pickup until the end of March. I plan on building a 5 or 6 slot cage to slip different sizes to have on hand when needed. Using the top slot to unload a 4 x 8 sheet to put on the table to cut in half since my table is a 4 x 4.

[SeanP]

You might have seen this before, I'm still using it and it really works well, 8x4 - 15mm plates no problem, scrapped the hook on the far side of the sheet and just hook onto a g-clamp on the front edge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYwryq0O-q4

[AndrewMawson]

Sean,

I really like that buggy / trolley. Sadly I have nothing like the acres of space that you have - oh that I had !!!

[Dana gear]

Man save your back. fab up a simple jib crane or a simple I beam gantry.
Disclaimer; I am not a fan of Harbor Freight, that said we built a few jib cranes in one part of the shop, ordered up trolleys and chain falls from our usual American made company at about 800.00 a piece and a few days later one of our employees hauls into the shop a H/F 1 ton trolley and 1/2 ton chain fall that looked pretty good total cost 100.00 we purchased 3 of them and have used them for over 2 years with no problems.
A simple swing jib or a I beam gantry mounted over the center of your cnc table works great and saves your back.