poor mans rotissery idea

[is_it_EVER_done?]

Perhaps if you look at my comment in context, it might not infuriate you so. I even included a smiley to portray humor!

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.

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Wow! You Win, that's cheap allright

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

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CHEAP or SAFE. You can only choose one! 

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[The Ghoul]

Perhaps if you look at my comment in context, it might not infuriate you so. I even included a smiley to portray humor!

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.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wow! You Win, that's cheap allright

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHEAP or SAFE. You can only choose one! 

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do i realy come across as that angry?
Thats the second time tonight that some one has thought I was realy mad when im not.
just felt it required clarifacation that this can be done cheaper and in a safe manner. was just razzin you a bit, sorry if you thought I was angry... my fault for not throwing in a couple of these 
I rarly intend any thing angrily.

[Telvis]

You can't enjoy yur car if you are dead or paralyzed. My vote is do it right or don't do it. If you have to ask if it will work, it probably won't.  It might work great for a while but there might be that one time it fails. Why risk it?

[Big Sugar]

 





Ron

[Shakey]

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?

Having a couple extra $ for more important things - rehabilitation or a funeral are two items that come to mind when it comes to cutting corners.

[Shakey]

Perhaps if you look at my comment in context, it might not infuriate you so. I even included a smiley to portray humor!

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.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wow! You Win, that's cheap allright

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHEAP or SAFE. You can only choose one! 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

do i realy come across as that angry?
Thats the second time tonight that some one has thought I was realy mad when im not.
just felt it required clarifacation that this can be done cheaper and in a safe manner. was just razzin you a bit, sorry if you thought I was angry... my fault for not throwing in a couple of these 
I rarly intend any thing angrily.

When you start a post referencing another members post with B.S. (which I am going to assume means bullshit) it usually strikes a nerve.

[Shakey]

You can't enjoy yur car if you are dead or paralyzed. My vote is do it right or don't do it. If you have to ask if it will work, it probably won't.  It might work great for a while but there might be that one time it fails. Why risk it?

While I'll agree you can't enjoy your Charger if your dead, there are a couple of members here that seem to enjoy their Charger's very much who are shall we say, not walking due to unfortunate cicumstances.  Not only do they enjoy their own Charger's, they contribute as such so that other members can enjoy theirs as well.

Thumbs up to Dan & Mike for not taking the easy way out after being dealt a shitty hand.

[Mike DC]

"Safe" and "stupid" are pretty relative terms in this hobby.  

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We take 40-year-old car bodies with structural rust.  We cut the undersides out, and then we (who are usually self-taught uncertified welders) proceed to cut & paste the frames of the cars back togethe.r We use patches of scrap cars and Taiwanese sheetmetal that's obviously weaker than the original stuff.

Then we overhaul a used 40-year-old engine (often swiped from a totally different model car), pile it full of Chinese hi-po parts (produced with no corporate/legal oversight), and blast it with nitrous oxide.  All to push that rebuilt Johnson-era car chassis to 140 mph.
 
Then we stop the whole mess with disc brake setups that we home-made from piecing together parts from junk cars that were built in later decades, believing it would work because some fellow car-guys wrote a magazine article insisting that it would.

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What's the big deal if Ghoul wants to make himself some glorified jackstands from square tubing?  I'm not saying I'd reccomend a 15-year-old do this for welding practice, but let's keep things in perspective.

     

[Telvis]

You can't enjoy yur car if you are dead or paralyzed. My vote is do it right or don't do it. If you have to ask if it will work, it probably won't.  It might work great for a while but there might be that one time it fails. Why risk it?

While I'll agree you can't enjoy your Charger if your dead, there are a couple of members here that seem to enjoy their Charger's very much who are shall we say, not walking due to unfortunate cicumstances.  Not only do they enjoy their own Charger's, they contribute as such so that other members can enjoy theirs as well.

Thumbs up to Dan & Mike for not taking the easy way out after being dealt a shitty hand.

That wasn't a put down at any disabled members. I know they enjoy their cars and contribute a lot around here. I also don't think they would advocate anyone go out and do something to make themselves paralyzed. If you get paralyzed or maimed because your car fell on you...I think it might put a damper on the enjoyment you get out of the car. It might also slow down that all important undercarriage restoration you risked your life for. If anyone wants to do a goober job and build a questionable rig to flip their car, then go for it. I guess we all have a value on our lives and have a right to endanger it as we see fit. I just hope they have health and life insurance. I would hate to think that our tax money will pay for the critical care and surgeries they might need if a tragedy occurs. I don't care if you risk your life. Just don't ask everyone else to pay if things go wrong.....I see the poor mans rotissery as a potential future Darwin Award winner. 

[Shakey]

You can't enjoy yur car if you are dead or paralyzed. My vote is do it right or don't do it. If you have to ask if it will work, it probably won't.  It might work great for a while but there might be that one time it fails. Why risk it?

While I'll agree you can't enjoy your Charger if your dead, there are a couple of members here that seem to enjoy their Charger's very much who are shall we say, not walking due to unfortunate cicumstances.  Not only do they enjoy their own Charger's, they contribute as such so that other members can enjoy theirs as well.

Thumbs up to Dan & Mike for not taking the easy way out after being dealt a shitty hand.

That wasn't a put down at any disabled members. I know they enjoy their cars and contribute a lot around here. I also don't think they would advocate anyone go out and do something to make themselves paralyzed. If you get paralyzed or maimed because your car fell on you...I think it might put a damper on the enjoyment you get out of the car. It might also slow down that all important undercarriage restoration you risked your life for. If anyone wants to do a goober job and build a questionable rig to flip their car, then go for it. I guess we all have a value on our lives and have a right to endanger it as we see fit. I just hope they have health and life insurance. I would hate to think that our tax money will pay for the critical care and surgeries they might need if a tragedy occurs. I don't care if you risk your life. Just don't ask everyone else to pay if things go wrong.....I see the poor mans rotissery as a potential future Darwin Award winner. 

I knew you wern't putting anyone down.

I agree with you 100%

[The Ghoul]

Perhaps if you look at my comment in context, it might not infuriate you so. I even included a smiley to portray humor!

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.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wow! You Win, that's cheap allright

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHEAP or SAFE. You can only choose one! 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

do i realy come across as that angry?
Thats the second time tonight that some one has thought I was realy mad when im not.
just felt it required clarifacation that this can be done cheaper and in a safe manner. was just razzin you a bit, sorry if you thought I was angry... my fault for not throwing in a couple of these 
I rarly intend any thing angrily.

When you start a post referencing another members post with B.S. (which I am going to assume means bullshit) it usually strikes a nerve.

sorry, guess I play a little harder than most. 

I think I may have crossed a fiew wires here
I am planning this rig to flip the car for painting purposes after all the metal work is done... so i will never be under it while its on this rig. I hate the idea of paying $500+ for something im going to use once than kick it around or loose half the money on.  Yes I would have lost the money on the tube steel but I could always use it for something else later down the road. I would be less inclined to chop up a store bought than i would a home rig.

[ChargerBill]

IMO if you can run a decent bead and get good penetration, AND you use good quality steel that rated to handle the load, then build it yourself. if not, I wouldn't even consider it. As far as using wood goes...I would probably use 4X4's minimum and SLEEVE all my joints with steel. I honestly think that as a ONE TIME use it would be OK. Myself, i would rather KNOW that I'm safe without ANY doubt and use steel. As far as the upside-down T shaped thing in the diagram...NOT ON YOUR LIFE..OR MINE. It looks IFFY at best. THINK about it long enough and you will figure out a way to build a better version. As far as CHEAP goes, I wonder if the ROLLER that Jeroen used could be fabricated out of anything that you might find in a salvage yard or trucking company scrap pile.

As far as ingenuitive goes, a friend had these X shaped steel STANDS laying around his yard. The stands would LAY on the ground where they would leave an X depression/imprint in the ground. They were 6 foot from end to end and the cross section of the steel was 8 inches...the gauge was about 1/4". He was complaining about wanting to build a CHEAP rotisserie. I suggested cutting TWO legs off each X and welding a pivot sleeve at the cut point so that NOW the stands were an upside down V...(like this = ^ with a pivot point at 3 feet off the ground. He welded casters under each side of the unit, tied them together end to end once they were on the car with a piece of square tubing and constructed pivot heads from my design (should be on this site some where)...they could hold a Mack truck and the whole deal took him about 5 hrs to build and he has about $100 into it. You can build a rotisserie from ANYTHING that has a useable configuration and is made of sturdy enough material...just use your imagination.

Wait, it just dawned on me that you could possibly use TWO trailer frames standing on end (cut to proper length) where you would weld your pivot point/sleeve at the same location that you cut the trailer hitch off. I bet you could find a few junked trailers at just about any junkyard. Reinforce them if needed, build a couple of pivot head assemblies and shouldn't cost much at all...then bring them back to the junyard when you're done.

[is_it_EVER_done?]

Ghoul,

First of all, I want to apologize for getting your thread off topic, I think it is en extremely important topic. Secondly, I want you to know that I certainly took no offence to your comment, and only posted the quotes to show that I was replying to the posts after I pasted the photo of the Charger up on 2X4's. I offered this only as a humorous "sidenote" to your question - (I ran across it when I was planning a low cost rotisserie myself, and doing web research). I in no way was referring to your idea as dangerous, and most certainly was not trying to discorage your idea.

If you go back over the whole thread, you will find that I support your idea. As you will see, I too built my own, and only posted to give you an idea that (at least for me) it took much more time than I could have ever imagined, and cost more than I thought. Overall I'm happy with my decision, but it sure took allot of time.

If you can weld, there is nothing dangerous about your idea, and I say go for it. Even if you can't weld, threaded thick wall pipe and elbows would do just as well (except where the rotisserie connects to the frame/body). If I had a scanner, I would offer a drawing of an even far more "minimal" idea that this thread gave me, but yours will work just fine.

I say go for it! - As a side note to those that are crawling underneath their car to scrape undercoating, paint, etc., REMEMBER that these cars were built with asbestos based undercoatings and sealers! Whatever it takes to flip them on their side to restore the undercarage is going to be safer/better!

My hat's off to you Ghoul for thinking outside the box. your solution may be the answer, or spawn some other affordable solution that will help these cars survive another 30+ years, while helping keep backyard/garage restorers (like me) safe.

[The Ghoul]

Ghoul,

First of all, I want to apologize for getting your thread off topic, I think it is en extremely important topic. Secondly, I want you to know that I certainly took no offence to your comment, and only posted the quotes to show that I was replying to the posts after I pasted the photo of the Charger up on 2X4's. I offered this only as a humorous "sidenote" to your question - (I ran across it when I was planning a low cost rotisserie myself, and doing web research). I in no way was referring to your idea as dangerous, and most certainly was not trying to discorage your idea.

If you go back over the whole thread, you will find that I support your idea. As you will see, I too built my own, and only posted to give you an idea that (at least for me) it took much more time than I could have ever imagined, and cost more than I thought. Overall I'm happy with my decision, but it sure took allot of time.

If you can weld, there is nothing dangerous about your idea, and I say go for it. Even if you can't weld, threaded thick wall pipe and elbows would do just as well (except where the rotisserie connects to the frame/body). If I had a scanner, I would offer a drawing of an even far more "minimal" idea that this thread gave me, but yours will work just fine.

I say go for it! - As a side note to those that are crawling underneath their car to scrape undercoating, paint, etc., REMEMBER that these cars were built with asbestos based undercoatings and sealers! Whatever it takes to flip them on their side to restore the undercarage is going to be safer/better!

My hat's off to you Ghoul for thinking outside the box. your solution may be the answer, or spawn some other affordable solution that will help these cars survive another 30+ years, while helping keep backyard/garage restorers (like me) safe.

yeah,
its cool man.
I was too touchy..
sorry man, we good.
yeah, Im a bit undecided still... I think the two engine stands seems the best rout for making my own.
It would prolly be best to take the casters off em...
bout the aspestos thing........
ooops

least I was wearing a some what affective resporator

[ChargerBill]

Dude, you look like you belong in the group GWAR, or are an extra from Mad Max...LOL

Hey, just be safe is all I think ANYONE here is saying. Two engine stands has been done MANY times before, and if an engine stand can hold 1,200 lbs worth of engine then 2 of them can hold an empty Charger shell without a problem. If you need them I have pivot head designs that will give you proper dimensions and show where to mount o the body...they're probably archived on this site somewhere as well. Good luck bro.

[chargerkid]

Ghoul,

As you know, I am in the process of building two rotisseries.  Hopefully, it will be done this weekend.  I purchased the steel last week.  12 sticks of tube...21' tubes.  Cost is $1300.00.  Round tube $100.00.  Thread and bolts $267.00.  (4) Torin Long Ram Double Piston 3 ton...$270.00.  It will collapse and store easily. The rotisserie will be able to be moved in and out of the shop.  The car can be loaded on the flatbed to delivered to the media blast shop.  am sure the two rotisseries will be busy.  I'll show all when finished.

[The Ghoul]

Ghoul,

As you know, I am in the process of building two rotisseries.  Hopefully, it will be done this weekend.  I purchased the steel last week.  12 sticks of tube...21' tubes.  Cost is $1300.00.  Round tube $100.00.  Thread and bolts $267.00.  (4) Torin Long Ram Double Piston 3 ton...$270.00.  It will collapse and store easily. The rotisserie will be able to be moved in and out of the shop.  The car can be loaded on the flatbed to delivered to the media blast shop.  am sure the two rotisseries will be busy.  I'll show all when finished.

so what you are saying is you will drop one of them off at my place when it is freed up 
top shelf Idea, thats about when I will be ready to paint the under body 
just kiddin.
yeah Id go all out too if I were planning to keep it around for a good long time.
cant wate to see how yours turn out.

[Charger_Fan]

Since we're on the subject of inexpensive things like this, check out this guy's body lift! This one looks pretty tough, I'd endorse this one.

It lifts not only the car (complete with all the glass, doors & who knows what else), but the rotisserie too! And that sucker ain't no light duty rotisserie either.

[chargerkid]

Can anyone else hear the wood cracking? 

[Steve P.]

Wood is much stronger than most people think.   Just take into consideration the weight on most roofs in the snowy North. In much of upstate New York you are allowed (3) layers of roofing shingles. Dump on top of that thousands of pounds of snow. Add high winds and still the wood construction handles it with ease.

Looking at the pic. I would say at the very most he only has 500lbs. on each cable.. That's nothing. His "A" frames are well built and can handle much more..  The thing I don't like about it is that I would have to keep running back and forth to each come-along for a click at a time.. 

[4402tuff4u]

We quite often run into very difficult task at work that require some ingenuity to fabricate tools to get the difficult task done in a safe manner. One of the most important lesson we've learned is to use the right tool for the right job - simple premise to understand. Trying to reinvent the wheel to save money will only get someone hurt and possibly damage the car. Save the money to get the right tool or borrow the tool from someone. To go ahead and try to develop a structure that will handle the weight and size of a Charger for the sake of saving money will put anyone in a course with disaster, unless you understand the loads that will be transfered to the frame that will allow the vehicle to roll. The simplest form of turning a vehicle on it side on a safe manner would be something like PT's photo shows. Stay safe for the sake of your loved ones. You might really spoil someones life if something did happen to you.  Think before putting your plan in action!

[chargerkid]

I think 4402tuff4U said it all!

Here's the rotisserie that we built.  I feel safe and its easy to move.  One finger turns the car over with ease.