How Do I Build a Lift from Ground Floor to Eight Feet

I am in process of designing a similar lift for handicapped access to a house.

What I can tell you is I don't think a single cylinder will suffice ( I am assuming you are intending to use 3000 psi hydraulics.) I would not recommend lumber, but would use steel and aluminum for a better strength to weight ratio and better dimensional stability.Also the large lift pad and high weight capacity = more $$$! I have been using McMaster Carr to source my pump, hydraulic cylinder, motor and controls.

For easy to access examples of scissors lifts look at lifts at your local equipment rental outlet. They have hydraulic man lifts usually in the 4 'by 8' area but the weight capacity is less than 2500 lbs. A dual cylinder, steel scissors and aluminum lift pad would be the way I would choose to go

I worked on scissor lifts all had two or more cylinders. You talk about a dock and being submerged. If the cylinder is going to be submerged in water then it will not last very long. Most platform lifts utilize the weight of the structure to lower. Most manufacture of elevating scissor lifts vent the rod side to the atmosphere. As the dock needs to be on a firm level surface. At six inches it would need to be in a pit. The pit of concrete with a drain for rain water. I have had to replace many of cylinders where the drain backed up and water was drawn into the cylinders. My recommendation is to pipe it back to the reservoir. Will keep water from get into cylinder and return any blow by of oil from the swab from contaminating the environment.

Here is a few links to companies equipment I've worked on it may help.

http://www.pentalift.com/prodinfoLPE.htm

http://www.southworthproducts.com/

http://www.bluegiant.com/docklifts.html

http://www.ritehite.com/ark/rhweb/rhprod.nsf/dl/Dock+Lift

http://www.kelleycompany.com/products/lift/ld.php

Also you could look at this type structure.

http://www.waupacaelevator.com/images/base.jpg

Is there any of the Electric Linear Actuators that would meet your requirement? I've seen some that have some faitly high Thrust and Speed.

As a AHJ who enforces elevator codes, I must point out that you can not just "design" a lift for a handicapped person or to lift things in a facility.

You are well advised to check and see what codes have been adopted in your particular region and to communicate with those who are tasked with enforcing those codes. This caveat is especially so if any person is to use the installed device.

Your personal liability and in some places "criminal responsibility" is not something to be ignored, IMHO.

Hi there. Thank you for advice as to looking up the qualifications for such a lift. Unfortunately, the local building depts. in California are not so reluctant to give out this information, I would have to file with them or plan a not-so-soon appt. just to get the specs. I was hoping to get said information on this forum.

A question for you in particular is; what is an AHJ, what do you mean by 'caveat', and what is IMHO?

This particular project is for a Golf Cart lift. The party requesting this project would like to park his Golf Cart on his back deck that overlooks the Golf Course, he is concerned that people have and will tamper with his Cart on ground floor. Being that this is something you are in the realm of dealing with, maybe you have some insight into this odd project.

Hi NewTech, welcome to the forum. It is, usually, a quite pleasant discussion forum.

I can understand why your local building dept. does not want to offer advise. If you do something based on instructions from them and you do it wrong they could have liability under law. What they should do is tell you what codes and standards have been adopted and are in effect in your region.

They may also require you to submit plans for whatever it is you intend to install. If this is a commercial job and you are installing it for someone, you will need to work with them on this to cover your backside.

There are many such codes and standards. In Canada the one that would be impacted by your project is the CAN/CSA-Z256-M87 (R2006) "Safety Code for Material Hoists". In the US it is ASME that develops such codes.

Here is a link for you to the ASME site.

http://digital.asme.org/Codes_Standards_Digital_Books.cfm

The term "AHJ" stands for "Authority Having Jurisdiction". A "caveat" is a "warning, caution or an admonition". As to "IMHO", stands for "In My Humble Opinion".

I have seen a terrific solution for what your trying to do .

Simply remove the assembly from and old fork truck it has everything you need and attach it to the wall . I saw it done at a local repair facility it worked slick .

Of course at your own risk but as the man said he wants to do as he dam well pleases and I thoroughly agree with that.

North of 60,

Yes, I can design what I damn well please. It is a private residence in the U.S.A. and not for public use in a facility. The assumption that I would allow it to be hazardous to any user is offensive. I think you know what you can do with your codes and the enforcement of them.

1) No assumption of you allowing anything to be hazardous was made.

2) Whatever codes and standards are in effect in the jurisdiction in which you live are not "mine". They are the codes and standards of whatever body, your state legislature perhaps, that adopted them and who provides enforcement efforts.

I guess you are somehow afforded special status as being "above" the legislated requirements for your region. Must be nice to be so "special".

3) The only thing I can see that is "offensive" in this thread, to date, is your reaction to my comments.

4) And as for what I will do in the future with the codes and standards I am tasked with enforcing is to continue to be actively involved in their development and maintenance so that they properly reflect the "state of the art" in the discipline they cover and that they are "rational" and present as less onerous restrictions on society as possible.

A lot of good people in both my country and yours spend a lot of unpaid time working on theses codes and standards. They deserve your respect and thanks, definitely not the attitude you present.

North of 60,

First lets clear one thing up for all posters here, New Tech and I are two different people.As my comments have been and may be somewhat inflammatory don't confuse the two of us. New Tech shouldn't be burdened by my comments. I realise you are aware of this North of 60. Lets cover the rest point by point

1.Your statement that "you can't just design something " implies to me at least that the design may be hazardous or so insufficient structurally as to be dangerous.

2.In my experience most codes and standards that have been legislated are less for safety than for revenue. I don't seek any special status as being above any requirements. I do embrace the ideals of freedom and being able to equip a home as I see fit without bureaucratic interference.

3.If the codes and standards that are in place and you defend are so effective why are people still being injured? (New York cranes falling off of buildings.)

4. Good people may spend time developing codes and standards, that they are unpaid is doubtful, how those codes and standards are enforced is even more dubious IMHO.

If you can tell us the application of lift (it should be named as Lifting Platform), then I can suggest you a good solution. Do you need 10' long platform?

Suresh Sharma

There are car lifts, (garage type) many secondhand and usually
quite cheap, that could be adapted for your purpose.

While understanding your wish to do as you like, on your own
property, you may find it worthwhile considering "rules are to be
obeyed by fools, and for the guidance of wise men."

To have that weight, and at that height, will incur some risks;
and while no stranger may be there, for the owner's own safety,
you may think it prudent to consider the rules and take guidance
for all eventualities; even if it's only to prevent bumping ones head!
(e.g. or perhaps a visiting child / relative going near it?)

Hope this help.

jt.

Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome.

While you are free to design anything you want, in most of the US, there are rules about what you can and cannot build. This platform could easily be used to move people, and therefore will probably have to be certified as an elevator. If you are sufficiently removed from government oversight, you may get away with building this only to have problems in the future when you decide to sell, or if some busy body on the golf course passes the word on to the relevant authority.

Your friends request is not reasonable - you should no quote this project - politely of course.

Well you have a lot of details left out to be spot on but i can give you some good suggestions. If your total load is 2500 and the weight of the platform is 500 then working load is 3000. i would put a safety factor of the lift of 2x and the working componets at 2 - 2.5x.

Lift force max 6000 lbs by design.

If your platform is constrained by 4 corners then you can make up some steel brackets that attach to the wood on the bottom ( so the load is setting on the bracket and load is in compression) then from the bracket you have a 1" threaded "eye" bolt that a cable can be attached to. The cable from each corner would be directed to a Box made of steel through pullies. To raise 8' you can either have a 8' stroke ~ or use a pully on the end of the cylinder and use a 4' cylinder. A hydraulic pump unit connected to a 4" bore cylinder running at 1000 psi will have a force of 12500±. this will be halfed due to the pully leaving you with 6000+ design force. This is a robust design. You can generate the same force by using a smaller clyinder and higher pressure ( 2000psi on a 3" clyinder will give 14000lbs force) The fact that all 4 corner cables go to the same cylinder will keep the movement of the platform flat and stable. The cylinder should extend to raise the pad. If you use multipule clyinders you will need to use expensive flow control valves to keep the platform level. Also note that with simple controls and limit switches the operation can be push button.

Sounds like a fun project

Bill (BILLCLOSE @ CAPITAL.NET) TAKE OUT THE SPACES