Overhead 'crane'

Fibre slings can easily be examined for damage by most people, the items that are of real concern are chains, hooks, shackles and eye bolts. These are being made in China and even look remarkably like ones produced in UK and Europe but unfortunately are made of steel which is of very poor quality. Tests have found that they will not even lift the marked safe working load let alone any test load, so beware.

Can I recommed these people ?

**LINK**

Usual no connection other than a satisfied and repaet customer. Their 1 tonne slings start at £2.06 each and are tested to x 7 working load. I replace mine quite regulary as i get paid to rig machines and no one wants to see thier pride and joy swinging about on a set of tatty slings.

I have no provision for testing hence the replacement but as a quick test one day on a tatty 1 tonne one I hooked one end over the bottom of the mast on the fork truck and the other end over the fork and tried to lift. Fork truck is a decent 2 tonne model but it just stalled the hydraulics.

That'll do me.

Couple of orders ago I also bought a set of ratchet starps to go with the new truck. Bought 4 of the two tonne x 6 metre ones and thought I'd get some of the cheap 1.5 tonne jobbies for holding the crane and lift table in the truck.

There were only £3 each so thought only get a couple as if they are like the Lidl ones don't want to waste my money.

When they were delivered the small ones are the same webbing [ but narrower ] as the bigger commercial units.

Dead chuffed so ordered a few more pairs.

Can't recoment these enough.

John,

Astonishingly good prices ...

Thanks for the link and recommendation.

MichaelG.

Update.

I bought a couple of the slings that Nick mentioned, before JohnS' post, and they arrived yesterday.

Thanks to Nick's description of the way he lifted his chucks, I did the same using a piece of steel tube but with one sling only.

The chuck lifted easily, and much more safely as well this time.

I, however, made some wood cradles for the chucks to be lowered onto and nearly melting in the 30 deg temp in the carport, the cut-out in the wood positioning the chucks at spindle height, so all that's needed is to push it up to the spindel and screw the chuck on. So so much easier now!

For the 3-jaw I had to cut a groove in the centre of the cut-out for the jaw adjusting screws as they are proud of the chuck circumference. Did think of turning them flush, but sense prevailed.

If I was lifting the chucks by means of the cradles, I would have made them wider of course.

Just need to figure out how/where to store the chucks now.

More photos added.

Geoff - Changing chucks now a pleasure

Hi Geoff, yes that looks a lot safer and as you have found out makes it a little easyer.

Do those slings look good quality may I ask? I should have said in my previous posts, that I have no connection with whoever is selling them.

Regards Nick.

Nick,

They are indeed quality items, with neat binding/stitching and no frayed bits in sight.

If, however, I was buying for commercial use I would split one open just to make sure, but for my purpose they are fine, being nice and supple.

I did use a couple of those single layer stiffish nylon ones when I moved the machines into the garage.

These new ones are much easier to handle, especially for lifting the things I will.

Geoff - Coffee time then workshop time, headache just about gone

For anyone a bit unsure about these slings from the ratchet shop, these are a couple of 1 tonne x 2 metre ones in use today.

My first method of lifting the 4-jaw left a lot to be desired so soon revised that, but forgot to post as an update.

So much easier to slide it onto the spindle now as no longer need to rest the chuck on that special piece of wood first, in order to remove the sling.

Geoff -

Here is my 8" three jaw chuck suspended on my hoist, it is basically the same as Geoff's method, although the jaws are just closed on the bit of tube that forms the bottom portion of the lifting hook.

Ian S C