My cab lift project...

[davepl]

I got a couple of quotes from steel vendors by sending in Lewis' materials and cut list, and they ranged up to $400 (ha!), but I found the local http://www.metalsupermarkets.com/ vendor here in Kent, WA, would supply -and- do all the cuts for $95, which seemed like a deal to me. I kicked in an additional $20 for delivery and had everything in hand 2 days later. I have a Dewalt multi-cutter, which is the next-best thing to a cold saw, but the cut price was so fair it saved wear and tear on the blade :-) You could do it with an abrasive wheel in a chop saw, or a bigger cutoff wheel, or even a hacksaw or sawzall, but you'd be pretty tired.

The instructions are good, though not great. It would have been better if they built one and took photos along the way instead of showing only pictures of a completed unit. Unless I just spaced them there are a couple of steps missing (like it never mentions to drill any holes in the pivot mount, but I did anyway). All in all though a good deal for the price, and thanks to Lewis Fab for making them available!

I have MIG and TIG (though no skills to warrant owning them!) and used almost only MIG. I did use TIG to make the T-handles. I also started with TIG on the weld-on nuts, but I found the puddle flowed into the threads, which would have been a problem, so went back to MIG on those and it worked fine. Maybe if you know how to weld that wouldn't be an issue.

After all the welding was done I sandblasted it and wiped it down with PPG wax and grease remover, and here's a shot just before I went to paint it. I shot it with DPLF90 two-part epoxy primer, and will decide tomorrow what to do for a topcoat. I may just shoot in matte clear, even though the PPG spec sheets don't say you can, I'm just preventing rust, not building a show car, so it'll save me a step or two.

I probably should have thrown them in with the next batch of powder coating, but was trying to save costs. It'd look nice if you powder coated it the same color as your hoist, though.

- Dave

PS: I'm no OSHA expert, but the specs call for Grade 8 bolts, which I used. I'm under the impression that welding on zinc or cadmium, which Grade 8 bolts are usually coated in, is bad mojo. I lived long enough to type this post, but use caution welding on plated hardware. And never, ever, clean stuff with brake cleaner if you're going to weld on it... welding on it makes some awesome nerve gas (no doubt to be featured on an upcoming episode of House).

[YBNORML]

You will love the lift. My Uncle and I have one each and they make life so much easier!