Source for server lift/hoist?

[steven at malikoff.com]

---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: Source for server lift/hoist?
From:    "Noel Chiappa" <jnc at mercury.lcs.mit.edu>
Date:    Tue, July 5, 2016 8:57 am
To:      cctalk at classiccmp.org
Cc:      jnc at mercury.lcs.mit.edu
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> So there was some discussion a while back about using lifts to put heavy gear
> in racks. I'm going to be doing some of that soon, and I was wondering how I'd
> go about acquiring something like that at a non-exorbitant price? (eBait was
> not useful, and Googling "user server lift" didn't produce anything either.)
> Any ideas?
>
>     Noel

I've had a look around for something but they are either all expensive or not
available where I live.
So, I'm working on one at the moment, but haven't yet cut any metal. My idea uses
a cheap hand trolley (because I have one spare) with a couple of steel extensions
welded to to the base plate so it slips under the front of an H960 and provides
forwards support when the trolley is flat.
On the vertical frame of the trolley, from the base up past the handle are to
be two bars with a moveable horizontal plate capable of 50+ kg that can go through
the front of the H960. I bought a cheap ratchet hand winch off eBay for the back of
the trolley, I picked one with a belt rather than cable so it can go over a amall
pulley. Withthis arrangement it should be capable of lifting my gear (currently on
a plywood 4-caster trolley) and manouevering into the rack whilst being incrementally
adjustable. That's where my project is up to, next is to knock up a CAD drawing so
I can get some metal RHS etc. and use what I have in my steel scrap bin.

Steve.