Every garage should have one

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PeterV
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Every garage should have one

Post by PeterV »

Here's the cradle I made for the Ent. It allows me to get the car and motorbike in the garage with the Ent on it's side, and the Finn instead of the car in the winter. It supports the Ent on it's side and allows me easily to tip it right way up and move it about as well. It's also fairly easy to get it from it's side onto trestles for painting the hull. The trolley is just another piece of plywood with castors on it.
cradle copy.JPG
PeterV
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GAv
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Re: Every garage should have one

Post by GAv »

What an excellent device, you could sell the plans for that? Now all I need is some space in the garage :lol:
thomn59
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Re: Every garage should have one

Post by thomn59 »

Brilliant idea - all I need now is a garage :)
roger
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Re: Every garage should have one

Post by roger »

beat me to it Thom
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solentgal
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Re: Every garage should have one

Post by solentgal »

Hi Peter............Yes, that's very similar to what I had in mind......except mine will be built of all sorts of bits of scrap wood.....recycled, I mean......It's nice to see that it works! I may make mine a little wider (i.e. along the length of the boat), as the boat is longer, and use 2 x1 or similar and have it as a frame rather than sheet material, but basically the same idea. All I need to do then is get the Fireball as shiny as your Ent!! Another idea I had some time ago, is to build a device similar to the sort of frame that is used to turn car bodies to restore them.......you know the sort of thing, like a giant gimble.......that may get a few folk sketching! :)
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Brookesy
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Re: Every garage should have one

Post by Brookesy »

Excellent, that's given me ideas, I wonder how many Finns will fit in a single garage that way?.......
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davidh
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Re: Every garage should have one

Post by davidh »

Sami,

I know I have this somewhere (maybe ed or Rupert can help out) but down at Hamble, when they were making the hot moulded Firefly, they had the boats in a cage that could be rotated through 360 degrees. It's probably too bulky for most garages but it would make working on boat so easy!

D
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alan williams
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Re: Every garage should have one

Post by alan williams »

Hi David

Alot of garages have similar devices for servicing cars.
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Ed
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Re: Every garage should have one

Post by Ed »

Can't remember that.....

gosh...not that I was there....but I can't remember seeing a picture of that...

But.....with the wonders of modern science....

here you are the proof and pictures of it in action:

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=171

Tape No: *PM0075* in case the link doesn't work.

Wonderful.....very sensible indeed.

A pint of beer for the first person who puts one of these together.

eib
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solentgal
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Re: Every garage should have one

Post by solentgal »

Fascinating footage! Thanks very much for that Ed.
Yes, the 360 cage idea is basically what I want.....I think a crude version could easily be designed and built ....mostly in wood..........it would be fairly easy if one could rely on the rigidity of the length of the hull balanced between 2 points, but it depends on the individual design and condition really. I would feel fairly confident with my Fireball, as I have sort of tested the rigidity already..........I've always had to resort to ingenuity moving boats around, due to lack of strength, and usually working alone..............If we don't have to relocate for Lynne's job, I may well tackle this idea eventually.
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chris
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Re: Every garage should have one

Post by chris »

A simpler solution than a 360 cage...

The beams in my workshop are strong enough to take the weight of a boat easily. I have bolted to them four small upside down 'bridges' and positioned them above the four carrying handles of a merlin. With webbing straps I can hoist a boat up to the ceiling on my own but when I'm working on a boat I pass one long strap (one at each end) under the hull, then up to the ceiling, through the first hoop, across the ceiling through the second loop and down to complete a large circular strap around one end of the hull. The boat then sits on the two straps and when you need to turn it over you start lift one gunnel and round it all goes till its through 90 degreesand on it side. So walk round the other side to let that dise down. I usuall then rest it down on three stools or trestles rathe rthan try to work with it swinging everywhere. It not a perfect system but it is very simple and doesn't need storing when not in use. I have also found it usefull for supporting the stern when removing a transom. A batten screwed across the hull then a strap from the ceiling and under the hull keeps everything properly supported in place. The boat can still sit on the trolley but you just adjust the strap's tension so that nothing sags.

The things to watch are firstly that the straps don't slide off the sloping sides of the hull when it's on its side. I use a couple of other straps horizontally to bind the main straps so they can splay outwards.
Secondly, with care it is possible to do this with the straps rotating with the hull so that any rubbing only happens up at the ceiling and not the on the hull ie the straps rotate with the hull. However there will be pressure points to watch on the hull so carpets or cardboard can help. I don't usually use this to turn over a boat when varnishing as you would really have to be confident the varnish is hard first but for working on a hull it works well. A bit nerve wracking the first time but you soon develop your own technique.

I use the heavy duty 1" straps with a self locking buckle rather than a ratchet. For hoisting if you take much of the weight with one hand or shoulder on the hull while you pull the strap It is quite easly as it self locks when it takes the weight. and the buckle actually gives you a 2:1 purcase as well.2" straps would be better I'm sure but I use the same system for getting the pianos I make up and down. Three 1" straps will lift an 8ft fortepiano (much lighter than a modern grand though).

PS I take no responsibilty for pulling your ceiling down or dropping the boat!

Worth half a pint Ed?
JimC
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Re: Every garage should have one

Post by JimC »

chris wrote:The beams in my workshop are strong enough to take the weight of a boat easily. I have bolted to them four small upside down 'bridges' and positioned them above the four carrying handles of a merlin.
I do much the same... There are various strops round roof beams and various arrays of old blocks to give 2:1 or 3:1 purchases, plus some lumps of rigid insulation foam to provide padding and Queenie just gets picked up and put down where needed. Of course with a boat that weighs around 110lbs (probably quite a lot less at the moment with various decks and things missing) the loads involved are probably a little less than they are for the rest of you!
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