Gantry crane

[gwozhog]

After combing craigslist for the last four years I finally got my 2 ton vestil aluminum gantry crane. Wanted the aluminum version because it only weighs 350 pounds versus 950 for a steel gantry. Makes it extremely portable. Nothing wrong with my boat but I get to use it next week pulling an engine out of my buddies Malibu LSv. Safe to say he’s going to owe me a taco or two for the rental fee.

[gwozhog]

Now just have to figure out how to cut 3 feet off the I-beam so it fits in my storage unit. Any suggestions?

[MIskiboat]

Sawzall and a handful of blades.

Or, stop by a small machine shop and see what they want. $$. Wont take long on a big bandsaw and then the cut would be straight. They may even smooth up the edges for you.

I’d go with #2.

[H2ORidr]

Now just have to figure out how to cut 3 feet off the I-beam so it fits in my storage unit. Any suggestions?

It's aluminum so it will cut easily. Hacksaw by hand if you feel manly. Sawzall with a metal blade if you want to do it quicker but the blade might wander a bit and it will take some time. I personally have cut big hunks of aluminum into smaller hunks using a sawzall. Horizontal bandsaw would work but you gotta have that box in the friend resource matrix filled out because they are not cheap. Or lastly if you want it cut in under 2 minutes (if you are skilled with cutting) then an angle grinder with a 3M Cubitron II cut off wheel will make short work of it. I have heard of people putting a metal cutting blade in circular saws and doing it that way but that seems sketchy and I am not sure what kind of metal cutting blade for circular saw would work in that situation.

[Bouyhead]

That's a nice piece. Besides so many obvious uses gantry's are the cats meow for taking a boat off a trailer.

[ValveCoverGasket]

I recently got some aluminum compatible cutoff wheels for a project, off Amazon, and was amazed how well they worked. Was fairly skeptical but the reviews were positive.
Didn't smear the aluminum like you'd expect and cut just as quickly as they'd go through steel

[gwozhog]

It's aluminum so it will cut easily. Hacksaw by hand if you feel manly. Sawzall with a metal blade if you want to do it quicker but the blade might wander a bit and it will take some time. I personally have cut big hunks of aluminum into smaller hunks using a sawzall. Horizontal bandsaw would work but you gotta have that box in the friend resource matrix filled out because they are not cheap. Or lastly if you want it cut in under 2 minutes (if you are skilled with cutting) then an angle grinder with a 3M Cubitron II cut off wheel will make short work of it. I have heard of people putting a metal cutting blade in circular saws and doing it that way but that seems sketchy and I am not sure what kind of metal cutting blade for circular saw would work in that situation.

Would do think maybe a 12 pack to cut a 10” I beam with a hacksaw by hand😂?

[gwozhog]

Sawzall and a handful of blades.

Or, stop by a small machine shop and see what they want. $$. Wont take long on a big bandsaw and then the cut would be straight. They may even smooth up the edges for you.

I’d go with #2.

Probably will make some calls. To nice of a piece to do a hack job.

[gwozhog]

You will no where the extra money went buying aluminum when your able to move a 10” wide 15’ long Ibeam by yourself

[gwozhog]

.......

[H2ORidr]

You will no where the extra money went buying aluminum when your able to move a 10” wide 15’ long Ibeam by yourself

That was my concern. I got a friend with a bandsaw but the process of getting it there and setting it up to make that cut will take a lot of work. Sometimes one brings the project to the tool other times one brings the tool to the project. I think this is a case of the latter.

[Fullpass]

If it were me, I would buy another shorter I beam, look on eBay or what ever, keep the longer one

[gwozhog]

[QUOTE=Fullpass;1570852]If it were me, I would buy another shorter I beam, look on eBay or what ever, keep the longer one[/QUOTE

Im game for this idea. but Can I have you call my wife and explain to her why I need a second thousand dollar hunk of Aluminum in my life because its not going so well for me explaining the first one to her

[skydyvyr]

Man, I’d look at an out of the box solution, like trying to angle the way the upright supports mount to your cross bar so you could run the thing diagonal across your storage unit. Then you could keep the length and still fit across your storage unit.

—Sky

[bturner2]

See if you can find a waterjet shop near by. They'd cut that perfectly square in about 15 minutes. 10 of that being to set it up on the table. I agree with the comments that it's too nice a piece to hack on. Sure you could do it with sawzall but you'll wander with the blade with a piece this big. It all depends on what you want it to look like when you're done and if that matters to you.

Who ever is telling you to use a hack saw is, let's be nice and say not well informed about cutting metal like this. This isn't a piece you picked up at home depot. Do it right.