Tools making tools...

[bplayer405]

Finished up the welding and drilled the holes for pins. Mounted a chunk of 2×10 to the stand (will probably add a shim to accommodate the protruding bolts or modify with another piece). Testing will be next. May work for light outboards without the extra brace leg.

 

[CA_Bgrwldr]

What gauge is the rear tube?

Did you try hanging your weigh on it at this stage?

 

[bplayer405]

I thought it to be 12 gauge, but my calipers show around .085" (a strong 5/64")... most likely 14 gauge. I did not try my weight on it without the other leg until you asked. It doesn't flex with both legs with my weight and does flex yet holds my weight with just the back leg. Tried it a few minutes ago...

 

[Gary Fowler]

I built one too. I couldn't make the deck lift go low enough for what I wanted so I decided to scrap it (I might find a use for the 1/8" plate later) and use the wheels that swivel to go on my welding cart. They replace the HF ones that were a bit on the light side. These have good bearings and grease fittings on the axles.

 

[CA_Bgrwldr]

I thought it to be 12 gauge, but my calipers show around .085" (a strong 5/64")... most likely 14 gauge. I did not try my weight on it without the other leg until you asked. It doesn't flex with both legs with my weight and does flex yet holds my weight with just the back leg. Tried it a few minutes ago...

If it is stable with your weight on it, and just flexes, you likely don't need the front section, for your regular planned use. if all you are using it for is to transfer an engine to and from the stand, you aren't exposing the steel post to a shock load or fatiguing it from prolonged stress to the weight hanging on it.

 

[bplayer405]

I was a bit surprised it was strong enough without the front support. I'm no engineer so don't know the stress loads or how to figure them. Just glad my welds are holding well... Nice to know I can use it that way, makes it a bit easier. 11 gauge material would make me feel better though...

 

[Gary Fowler]

I built one too. I couldn't make the deck lift go low enough for what I wanted so I decided to scrap it (I might find a use for the 1/8" plate later) and use the wheels that swivel to go on my welding cart. They replace the HF ones that were a bit on the light side. These have good bearings and grease fittings on the axles.

I forgot to mention that just before I finished welding the jib on the frame, the rod arced right next to the switch and now the motor just hums. If I cant get the motor to run I can just hang my chainfall on the jib to raise something if needed. No idea what that might be at present since I removed all the wheels, it is a stationary lift structure now. I moved it back to storage with my FEL .

 

[CA_Bgrwldr]

I was a bit surprised it was strong enough without the front support. I'm no engineer so don't know the stress loads or how to figure them. Just glad my welds are holding well... Nice to know I can use it that way, makes it a bit easier. 11 gauge material would make me feel better though.

How you went about it was wise, overbuilding is better than under building, and have it fail damaging an engine or you, A lot of people new to metal work tend to go with thicker material then needed, until they get an idea of how structurally strong the thin stuff actually is.

 

[bplayer405]

Did some more testing and found it was actually flexing at the engine stand base. Has only one bolt to hold the wheeled members together. There's quite a gap allowing the flex. Needs a shim or welded solid. With the base flexing the top moves quite a bit.

Have to rework my original plan for it anyways. To hold my outboard it needs a minimum of 9 inches from the back side of the wood to the upright I added. Right now its only 4"... Not the best planning on my part. That's with the outboard turned (needs 16" to clear the tiller and be straight). May extend the upper arm and add an extended cross leg with 2 casters (replacing the single) for better stability.

 

[CA_Bgrwldr]

Have to rework my original plan for it anyways. To hold my outboard it needs a minimum of 9 inches from the back side of the wood to the upright I added. Right now its only 4"... Not the best planning on my part. That's with the outboard turned (needs 16" to clear the tiller and be straight). May extend the upper arm and add an extended cross leg with 2 casters (replacing the single) for better stability.

Will the distance between the engine mount and stand clear the larger outboards you will be working on?

 

[bplayer405]

Will the distance between the engine mount and stand clear the larger outboards you will be working on?

I don't believe so. As it sits I don't believe most outboards would fit. It just sits too close to the upright I put behind it. I'll either have to extend where the outboard will mount to the stand, reposition the 1/2 gantry on the back side for clearance or use the other side of the gantry...

 

[bplayer405]

It works well for its original purpose though...

 

[Lis2323]

It works well for its original purpose though...View attachment 1191View attachment 1192View attachment 1193

I’m the furthest thing from an engineer but personally I would be tempted to extend the square tube legs at least 10-12” each way

 

[bplayer405]

I’m the furthest thing from an engineer but personally I would be tempted to extend the square tube legs at least 10-12” each way


View attachment 1194

It's honestly quite stable. Yes, it could tip, but it rolled around great out on my dirty driveway. The uprights are easy to grab and manipulate to roll with the weight. I was a bit surprised how well it worked.

 

[Gary Fowler]

If I were attempting to roll it around with a lot of weight on it, I would make it a 4 wheel stand. I still get goose bumps every time I think about riding those old 3 wheel ATVs that were so unstable with only 3 wheels that the government outlawed them.

 

[CA_Bgrwldr]

I don't believe so. As it sits I don't believe most outboards would fit. It just sits too close to the upright I put behind it. I'll either have to extend where the outboard will mount to the stand, reposition the 1/2 gantry on the back side for clearance or use the other side of the gantry...

Meant this distance


With the front section, how much tube slides into the stand, is there enough to slide out allowing you to rotate the engine?

 

[bplayer405]

Its around 36" so its tall enough. Yeah, I can slide out the tube, but then I'll have to angle it downward (to mimic the transom angle) and probably have to weld it in place. Kinda hard to find that size tube OD, it's 2³/⁸". I picked up some 2.5" OD and its too big. May have to cut off the original tube from the plate then weld the 2.5" in-between to achieve the spacing I need. Can get the angle I need easier that way also.

 

[bplayer405]

Posted this in another thread also, but still a tool. Job specific, but I can alter or use as I need in the future. Its a 4' x 1.5" pipe F cheater bar. Made to tweak a treestand that got bent. Definitely did the trick...

 

[bplayer405]

Looking at rebuilding the transmission in my Silverado, so I took some scrap metal and welded up a bracket to hold the tranny on my engine stand. Should make it a bit easier to rotate and lock in position. Just a few drilled holes away from being done, then the real fun begins...

 

[bplayer405]

I have made a change on my outboard lift. I ended up robbing the material that made up the original half gantry for another project (tripod to tree leaner treestand) so I cut the other half to work in its place (thicker material). I have also switched outboards to a longshaft and haven't given much thought about mounting a bracket to hang the now 5" longer outboard. Its just nice to be able to lift the outboard off and back on the boat when I need to. There's no lift point on this outboard so I used a safety harness from a treestand as a lift sling, works pretty well also...