Had to make a wood lifter

[Kevin in Ohio]

A family friend gave me this jack and decided to use it to make a log lifter for the stove. Normally not a big deal as if I can pick it up, I'll burn it. This year I'm going to have shoulder surgery and be one armed through most of the heating season so I needed to come up with something before then. I had loaded the furnace house prior to all this and have 15 cord in there. Didn't want to bother family and friends to load so this is why I'm doing this. Don't want to modify the jack that it can't be put back and used normally so we'll see what we can come up with.

Here is the jack. It is an older bumper jack style and has quite a bit of lift to it. It has safety locks in the siderails that will hold in case the jack gives way. Hand pump is on an eccentric and has a high release on the back side. Really a nicely build jack.

The rails with pads slide out and are adjustable, width wise. Jacks piston was froze and pin sheared off so I took it all apart and pressed the piston out. Cleaned the bore and piston and O ring was fine. Put it all back together and it works fine with no leaks. Kind of happy about that one!

Here is is at full up and it has more than enough reach to get into the boiler.I just have to come up with a holder for the rounds. I want to stand them on the end and then just push them over into the stove. One big round a load will be fine.

Just a little over 29 inches high as you can see.

The extendable arms have a pin that keeps them from over extending. One pin and a spring clip is what holds them in. that was easy.

I'll put these away to use them when I'm back to normal.

My plan is to extend another box beam out to the edge of the feet. That should be more than enough to keep them there. There are no wheels on the from of this so that will have to be addressed too. It was designed to roll in place and let it rest on the floor to jack. I want to roll the weight around.

2 thicknesses of 1 1/2" box gets me level. I'll do shorts on the ends so it clears the center bracket.

 

[Kevin in Ohio]

I needed really small, heavy duty casters so I decided to just make them. Easiest spot to mount them was space limited so I just used 3/16 x 1 strap. Drilled the holes and angled the corners.

Went to the junk drawer and got some thrust bearings for the swivel. Got some hardened stock for a spacer to go inside to neck it down and make them work nice. Made the spacer about .020 smaller in thickness than the bearing so it'll be smooth.

Wheels are hardened tool steel as w

Repeated the same on the other one.

I then ground them flat with a 9 inch angle grinder. This is what the bearing washer rides on so it has to be flat to make it work nice.

Like I said, they are LOW profile. Doesn't need too much as not really that much weight but I though plastic would give up quick as the jack itself has some girth to it.ell, Sometimes keeping junk pays off. i surface ground the ends and made them the same length.

I then TIG welded it all up.

Clamped it all in a bench vise for welding. Put the wheel in to keep the size and alignment right.

 

[Kevin in Ohio]

Back to the extension. I started by cutting out all the pieces. I'm going to use box tubing as well for the supports to go back to the original tube. Hopefully my idea will work.

I started by MIG welding the front feet on.

MIG welded the inside corners as well. This is 1/8" tubing.

All welded up and ready to try out

To attach it, I'm using 3/16" 1 1/2" strap. Plan is to bolt through the original box beam and the downward force will bind it on the lower part of the beam. Basically trapping it in place. I drilled holes in the strap to tap size for the taper headed machine screws.

I want everything to slide easy so I filled in the lows with more strap. I then ground the welds smooth to. Here is a before and after.

With those in place I clamped it to the jack. I now use the drill press drilled hoes as a guide. Keeps the drill straight, vertically and placement is right so things will line up.

Once they were drilled. I redrilled to size and chamfered the hole. Screw will be basically flush this way.

 

[Kevin in Ohio]

Added more pieces to the back as well so riding surface will be the same. Clamped and welded those in too. These will just lay there so the whole assembly will require just 2 screws to be taken off to remove it.

Everything is looking good so far.

For the caster mounts I'm just putting them in the inside corners at the front of the jack. Got a piece of 3/8" plate and cut it diagonally on the surface grinder. Makes super clean cuts.

Mounting spot is a angled so I'll address that know with another cut.

Trusty piece of cardboard works fine. A bevel T square is just as good.

Marked the line and ready to cut.

Cut them on the surface grinder as well and then drilled a hole for the caster. Trial fit and welded them home.

Trial run and it picked a round up fine.

 

[Kevin in Ohio]

For some odd reason, I don't think it's going to fit! If it'll move this around, the normal stuff will be no problem. This one is 26" x 30" Beech

I put my jack stand back with it's mate.

This is the normal size. Some of you probably think it is a waste of time but trying to wrestle this one armed would be a chore. Most wood burners and an independent type and I am one of those. Some times you gotta do what you gotta do.

 

[Jakers]

nice build as always kevin

 

[Guswhit]

You are the man!
Fab work is outstanding as always!

 

[Johnny Yooper]

nice way to repurpose a piece of equipment. I see you live by my motto: A little overkill is just right.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Ahhh, if your having shoulder surgery, does that mean the shop is available for a few months?
Good luck with the surgery by the way.

 

[Kevin in Ohio]

Ahhh, if your having shoulder surgery, does that mean the shop is available for a few months?
Good luck with the surgery by the way.

Sure. Property taxes are due so you'll have to pay those!

 

[Guswhit]

Sure. Property taxes are due so you'll have to pay those!

Would we get to drive the Dodge too? I'd probably be in then!

 

[Kevin in Ohio]

Would we get to drive the Dodge too? I'd probably be in then!

Maybe a ride. I was out your way in Fairfield in 2014 for the Rally. Here a clip of the parade from then. I'm about the 13th one.

 

[muddstopper]

This year I'm going to have shoulder surgery and be one armed through most of the heating season so I needed to come up with something before then.

Good luck with the surgery. I had my rotator cuff repaired Sept of 2015. went back to work in 2 months, but had 5weeks of vacation to take before the end of the year so only worked 11days. By the time I went back to work full time in Jan,, I could do about anything I wanted. Been a little over a year now and I dont even think about my shoulder anymore. Been out with a total knee replacement since June, got to go back to work Jan 2nd. Not sure I will be ready for it.

 

[Kevin in Ohio]

Good luck with the surgery. I had my rotator cuff repaired Sept of 2015. went back to work in 2 months, but had 5weeks of vacation to take before the end of the year so only worked 11days. By the time I went back to work full time in Jan,, I could do about anything I wanted. Been a little over a year now and I dont even think about my shoulder anymore. Been out with a total knee replacement since June, got to go back to work Jan 2nd. Not sure I will be ready for it.

My tendons have been popping for a few years and got to the point where it was causing discomfort. I fractured 5 vertabrae earlier this so while I was down I had them look at the shoulder. They ordered another MRI and it showed calcium buildups, bunch of fluid build up but one tendon is split. That is what is causing all the fluid buildup and discomfort. Never heard of a splitting tendon and didn't ask the cause but I'm assuming a bone spur/build up is forcing it apart. He wanted ne to do it right then and warned me not to lift much as it could cause a complete tear. Mine , hopefully, is not as major as what you had as they will just scope the buildup. Other shoulder is the same less the pain so I'm optimistic that it will be just a scope. I'll have that done when this one heals. Getting old(er) sucks! I'm glad to hear you are fine as I need that. I'm not used to being down and it drives me crazy not being able to do the projects I want to. First time I've used sick days in 22 years. Heck, I broke 5 vertabrae and went into work. Got to the point where I couldn't hold my arms up after 2 hours and then found out why in the ER. Nothing holding my muscles to my back.

 

[muddstopper]

They had to put meat hooks in my shoulder bone to hang the tendons on. Just made a few little slits that You cant even see now. Two weeks after the surgery, I was helping tear down a storm damaged house and fell thru the floor. Except for a pretty good gash near my elbow, I didnt hurt my shoulder. Got a ear full from the doctor tho. He didnt want me doing anything with that arm. Same doc replaced my knee and he has been chomping at the bit trying to send me back to work ever since. I cant figure him out, bandade cut to my shoulder and I cant use it, cut my leg off and sew it back on and I should have been back to work 3 months ago. thinking about getting second opinion and not even going back to work.