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Tip: Freeing up shop space with an attic lift?

DeltaRomeo

DeltaRomeo

doug reeves: unfluencer
Staff member
Has anyone installed an attic lift in their garage for less than $250? We are space-challenged in our2-car garage (bikes, gardening stuff, winter coats, etc), so I'm interested in seeing pics of some of these in action (if they exist).

I posted this today on the front page (relevant links):


“One thing I saw on that site that I thought was very, very cool was the attic lift (video in use). I've never seen one of these before, but the $1200 price tag puts it out of reach. One thought I had was adapting this $200 125 lbs. capacity motorized unit and it's $50 platform option, mounting them in the attic. Sure would make it easier for us folks with standard 2-car garages to free up room for the build. Might even be able to store the lawnmower up there if the joists are wide enough and the mower is thin. I'm gonna get out the tape measure...”[/FONT]
​
If anyone has a pic of their attic lift I'd appreciate you posting it here.

br,
dr

an attic lift (expensive model)
yhst-81563436181518_2090_203737622
 
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Attic Lifts

I don't have photos or info except a former neighbor built one from a garage door opener motor and track..........???
 
Attic Lift

Hey Doug,

I'm glad you started this thread as I was gonna send you a quick email. I sure wish I had known about this attic lift when I built my "airplane factory" two years ago. I hung in the attic a small rail from an old garage door opener "T-beam" and it works fairly well with a 4:1 rope hoist block and tackle. I have to pull the load up through the stair opening which isn't too easy at times.

Thanks for the post. I still may find a way to add this to my garage, but the extra money right now is going into the RV-7 build.
 
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Garage Storage

Doug:

This probably isn't as slick as you had in mind, but it allowed me to get a lot of stuff out of the way for not a lot of money:
http://www.onrax.com/

I also considered this for $200 but decided I didn't need to hoist stuff up and down since I could reach it with a step ladder or stool:
http://www.garageappeal.com/racorheavylift.aspx

It further helps things that all of my off season stuff and gardening stuff is stored in my big old shed out back.
 
Well, ....

$ 1200.00 to move a few cubic feet of stuff up and down that has a max weight of 250 lbs sounds rather pricey, and I do not think that it is worth the cost.

However, I expect that I (and quite a few other people here at VAF) could put together something that using a few 2X4's, an eyebolt, a block and tackle or boat winch, and some rope that would do the same job for about $ 250.00 without too much trouble. In fact, one may even be able to work in motorized boat winch and still keep within the $ 250.00 budget.
 
hyloft shelves

Doesn't include a motorized gizmo, but these are cool shelves that are designed to fill the space between the garage door and the ceiling.

It is amazing how much you can fit up there. Above a single size garage door with only about 18" of height. I have my entire tail, flaps, ailerons, pushrods, landing gear, etc.

If I was to fill the double door side of the garage (which has nearly 5' of excess space) I could probably store a whole RV up there.

The shelves are strong, but expensive. Got them at Lowes
 
Following on Dave's post, you could just hang a 2x4 platform over the doors like I did. I used a strong steel cable that runs under the entire width of the platform. In the attic I used some black pipe to span the load across the joists.

I've got two tails (anyone want to buy a nearly completed RV-7 tail?) and everything else for the plane that isn't on the fuselage now. I even had the wings up there at one point. Apparently I don't have any pictures... I'll see about fixing that.
 
Update: $167 attic hoist now installed

My $167 Electric Attic Hoist...freeing up space for the plane project.
It came to me late afternoon yesterday. Go search Northern Tool and see if they have an 110v electric winch. They did...it was $139. Two hours later I was done, with the help of $16 worth of 840'lb steel cable, some wire rope cable clamps and a paddle bit. Total cost $167.36. I now have a 200 lb strong winch hanging on 30' of 840 lb steel cable spread out over (8) 2x6 boards. Tested it out by moving up golf clubs, the fertilizer spreaders, a bicycle and a HEAVY Milwaukee sawzall. Today it's the hydraulic car jack, jack stands, some freestanding metal shelf units from Lowes and a bunch of knickknacks. Five gallon bucket from Home Depot that I have in the corner will pull duty on the small stuff (five gallons at a time). Anything that doesn't get used at least once a month is going up there.
My limited airplane-building garage space is about to get much bigger. Mark one down for the old school 2-car garage RV builder types.

Video in use: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OfwywtQkDg

Pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/VansAirForce/AtticHoist
 
picture link doesn't work

Doug, the link to the pictures doesn't work any more, for those of us who are not you.

[ed. Sorry....deleted the album. Oops. dr]
 
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Gator Lift

I use one of these in my shop to store my tandem recumbent bike. It has an electric winch that supports the 9 foot long bar. It comes with hooks on cables for supporting items. A couple of slings could easily be fashioned to support items for storage or work-in-progress. It will hold 220#. Costco.com has them on sale during the month of November for $100 (regularly $180)
387596.jpg
 
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