poor mans rotissery idea

[The Ghoul]

Ive been thinking about this for a while... basically what it is is two box friams that bolt to the front and back with connector bars to keep it from tweeking (wich I think is a bit of over kill).
basically when you want to put it on its side you take the wheels off of it and lower it down to the ground with a cherry picker.
then roll it on its side (frame is bigger in every dircection than the body).
then use the cherry picker again to lift it up and put the wheels on the other side.
what do you guys think?
it would be easy to store.
I wonder what thickness tubing I should go with if I tried it?

[Telvis]

I don't know about that. It would make me a bit nervous.

[Mike DC]

           
This is the first time I've ever heard a person who as access to a cherry-picker talking about saving money on a rotisserie.


The idea might work if you built it right.  I don't see any theoretical reason why not.  I'd definitely go ahead and use the extra bracing, though.

           

[phat69charger]

You could just make your own if you can weld and have tools:

http://www.autorestorer.com/articles/art106.html
http://www.autorestorer.com/articles/rotisserie_art106.gif

http://www.prostreetcar.com/body_rotisserie.html

[shag766]

hi; i understand your therory but i am missing the cherry picker.

[The Ghoul]

You could just make your own if you can weld and have tools:

http://www.autorestorer.com/articles/art106.html
http://www.autorestorer.com/articles/rotisserie_art106.gif

http://www.prostreetcar.com/body_rotisserie.html

I have seen the rotisserie's made out of engine stands and its a very slick idea. I was always nervious using the stock engine stand stance... just seems like it would tip to easy.
also you would have to get the car pritty high in the air to get it on the stands which might be tough for a single cherry picker.
my last consern with it is hight. if you look at my pics you can see my garage door is kinda low so if I use the engine stand idea it might be too high.
for my applacation I need large phneumatic tires because of my gravel drive way... I guess I can mod it to work tho.
the chevell artical is about what I had in mind.
oops, eather I forgot to upload the photo-chopped pics of what I was thinking or my cpu at work isnt seeing em...
tonight I will check it out and see about uploading the pics again.

[dodgecharger-fan]

Eastwood used to sell something like that.

The steel frame was arched and you would actually just roll the car up on it's side.
They showed in use with the engine still in the car and everything.... obviously you need to drain the fluids first..
But I'll bet that's why they don't sell it anymore. 

[Big Lebowski]

Just pull $1300 out of the wallet for the one with yard tires or shop wheels, the jack lifts the car then rotates it. It's really cool, my buddy has one, I want to borrow it.

[is_it_EVER_done?]

If you have the room to use it (side to side, and overhead), your idea would work great, but if you used 2.5" square 11 gauge steel, plus the plate that you would need for connectors, you will be in for around $250.00 just for steel.

I'm currently building/finishing one, but I'm using two 2-ton engine stands that I extended (height and width). They were only $50.00 each (on sale), about $70.00 in steel, $25.00 in grade 8 fasteners, about $100.00 in mig wire/gas, cut off wheels, and about 10 times more labor hours than I initially calculated.

Over all, I would have been ahead by just buying one, but there is a certain amount of satisfaction in building one yourself (though I would gladly trade the satisfaction part if I could regain all the time and labor I invested).

In the long run, you would probably be better off just buying one, unless you have plenty of extra time.

[Charger_Fan]

How about this one?  

[sharpspike]

you can try this one, they flip a truck on its side. looks scary to me.

http://www.accessiblesystems.com/etfiles/et01.php

[Big Sugar]

Sometimes trying to save a buck will cost can cost you triple ! If you need a rotisserie to do the job, hunt down a used one, or find a reasonably priced one. Chances are you can probably sell it for about 1/2 the initial cost  when your done with it ! ! You can't build one that Cheap. !!
   Secondly you've got to take in how much money that Rott. will save you in labour, Your time is money as well. you'll do a far better job on your car if the work is easier.
    Thirdly and probably the most important. SAFTEY rigging up a jig to support an awkward chunk of Charger
could easily backfire on you and still have you working in weird positions.
   Wanna save some money now ??
Get yourself 4 good Jackstands and a Comfy Creepy and a good set of goggles. Have fun, Don't Smile.


Ron
Look for a used one,Sell it when your done.

[The Ghoul]

Get yourself 4 good Jackstands and a Comfy Creepy and a good set of goggles. Have fun, Don't Smile.


Ron
Look for a used one,Sell it when your done.

I did that up to this point, the thing is when I finaly get down to paint.. It would be alot easier to spray the under body when the cars on its side.
I wouldent be able to justify buying a new rotessiry. I wouldnt have the room for a real one.
basical it boils down to this:
I havent seen one small enough with the tires I need.
I havent found one cheap enough to justify the expence.
My labor is free... to me 
I never bought into that whole 'my time is money' mindset.. this hobby isnt about money to me.
that wooden contraption seems very intresting.
this is what I was thinking. the box frames on the ends and maby 2 stringers connecting the bottems and one connecting the top (very overkill)

[Old Moparz]

You may want to save a lot of trouble & get a rotisserie kit from US Car Tool & weld it up yourself. They are a sponsor on Moparts & the guy's name is John. He sells a finished kit for more money, but I recall seeing the do it yourself one for a lot less. Maybe at least contact him to see what the difference in cost will be?

http://www.uscartool.com/

[Telvis]

I don't trust my welding skills. I woold be afraid my car would drop and fall on me. I have no where to store a rotisserie once I am finished with it. I am sticking with the jack stands and creeper.

[Charger_Fan]

I happened to trip over the guy's plans for that wooden thingie today.
One thing's for sure, it would be cheap!

[PocketThunder]

here is one that Jeroen (member chargernl) has/used from his website  www.charger.nl   that i reference every week

[Old Moparz]

I happened to trip over the guy's plans for that wooden thingie today.
One thing's for sure, it would be cheap!

Ratchet straps & wood?

Now I know you've been drinking today. I've done some weird stuff, like the 24 foot steel "I" beams on the lazy susan from under my TV, but I ain't rolling my car over with that set up.   

[Charger_Fan]

I happened to trip over the guy's plans for that wooden thingie today.
One thing's for sure, it would be cheap!

Ratchet straps & wood?

Now I know you've been drinking today. I've done some weird stuff, like the 24 foot steel "I" beams on the lazy susan from under my TV, but I ain't rolling my car over with that set up.   

Hey, I didn't say it was officially endorsed by C_F.

[The Ghoul]

I think it looks like a good cheap little set up.
if you get some beefy 4 X 4 it should be fine... Im not too sure about drilling thru it but I cant think of a better way to attach the shell.
The week point I see in the whole set up is the hinge.
If you think about it alot of people have easily hoisted out there engines with trannies attached by a chain hoist bolted to a 4X4 beam strung across two of there 2x4 ceeling beams in there garage.
What does a bare shell weigh? I know me and a friend can pick mine up off the stands and we arnt big dudes so Id say under 700 lbs..
my worrie would be about tweeking the frame but its been sitting on those dollies I made with no issues.

[is_it_EVER_done?]

You want cheap! I ran across this picture. I don't think it's possible to get much cheaper -- except for the story I heard of someone using several old mattresses, and a few friends to roll the car on it's side.

[Big Lebowski]

  Wow! You Win, that's cheap allright

[The Ghoul]

thats not so much cheap as it is frickin dangerious!!

[is_it_EVER_done?]

CHEAP or SAFE. You can only choose one! 

[The Ghoul]

CHEAP or SAFE. You can only choose one! 

B.S.
you can convince your self that the more you pay the safer you are, but Id rather save a couple $ for more important things. like Oh, say something id use more than once.
Plus, how safe do you think a mclaren F-1 is?