Boom to hang my wire feeder from

[drcoelho]

This is how I solved the problem with an even lower ceiling than OP has and with much higher weight capacity requirements:

 

[kustomizer]

This is how I solved the problem with an even lower ceiling than OP has and with much higher weight capacity requirements:

View attachment 345796View attachment 345797View attachment 345798View attachment 345799

That is a fine job indeed, I had thoughts of something along the same idea but much, much lighter

 

[52 Ford]

Personally, what I'd do is put a roller track in the ceiling have the wire feeder hanging at a convenient height, then have the power cable hung from a roller every few feet or whatever. Like a power cable going to an electric hoist on a jib crane. Well... I guess any crane with a traveling electric hoist.

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[DDoug]

Like unistrut but more better is spanco track. You can build a very low profile bridge crane for 1/2 ton +- and also have your wire feed on the same bridge.

disclosure: We do some processing for Spanco

Dragging a wire feeder hanging on that trolley/track is going to be much harder.

 

[DDoug]

Personally, what I'd do is put a roller track in the ceiling have the wire feeder hanging at a convenient height, then have the power cable hung from a roller every few feet or whatever. Like a power cable going to an electric hoist on a jib crane. Well... I guess any crane with a traveling electric hoist.

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AKA "Festooning".....
cable festooning at DuckDuckGo

 

[Cyclotronguy]

Were it me, I'd build a ceiling hugging bridge crane and suck the wire feeder as tight to the ceiling as possible. Build two runners, one fore and one aft, with the wire feeder in between rather than hanging below a single runner.

 

[kustomizer]

Were it me, I'd build a ceiling hugging bridge crane and suck the wire feeder as tight to the ceiling as possible. Build two runners, one fore and one aft, with the wire feeder in between rather than hanging below a single runner.

I am kind of leaning that way, similar to the yellow one above but without the ground support and from barn door track, there have been several good suggestions here though I imagine the lights are in the way of doing anything, oh well, it will be good when done. I only have 21 feet and there is a 12 foot hose on the feeder gun so I am thinking that if the tracks were about 8 feet wide down the middle I should be able to get anywhere in the shop and 8 feet or so out the door which should work fine. If I need to work outside I can just unhook the hanging feeder and take the welder out, it has a feeder in it.

 

[52 Ford]

Just another thing to think about - I've seen push-pull guns with 50 foot leads. They aren't cheap, but neither is building a bridge crane. I think MK Products or something like that is the name of the company I'm thinking of. Not sure of the exact cost, but I know that when you order them you specify what wire feeder you're using and they make it to fit. I dunno if they're worth it - I prefer stick welding... I still have the same spool of wire on my MIG that I put on there a year or two ago.

 

[52 Ford]

AKA "Festooning".....
cable festooning at DuckDuckGo

Yes! That stuff. Gotta gave some festoonery (festoonage? festoonagery?) if you go for a track in the ceiling.

 

[Windy City]

Find the wood supports in the ceiling(joist, rafters, whatever) if covered with sheetrock, steel sheeting or other. Weld plates with holes to the top of a W8 x 10# beam, coordinate holes with wood support centers, lag bolt the beam to the bottom side of the wood supports, use a standard lightweight beam trolley. You can also fabricate a section of beam, center supported by the trolly with the mig feeder on one end and counterweights on the other to keep it level to offset the feeder 5' or so if needed. No proprietary materials required. Festoon cables/hoses on a tensioned wire with cheap blocks from a hardware store.

 

[kustomizer]

Some guy put 8" of polyiso insulation with osb on it, I think I will send Wonder Woman up there in the attic with a cordless drill and have her drill holes next to the rafters then drop me down the threaded end of some "J" bolts. I will have to make her some kind of simple fixture to get them straight but that's easy

 

[kustomizer]

Just another thing to think about - I've seen push-pull guns with 50 foot leads. They aren't cheap, but neither is building a bridge crane. I think MK Products or something like that is the name of the company I'm thinking of. Not sure of the exact cost, but I know that when you order them you specify what wire feeder you're using and they make it to fit. I dunno if they're worth it - I prefer stick welding... I still have the same spool of wire on my MIG that I put on there a year or two ago.

I have seen that but I really like my ugly old feeder and I prefer not having cords on the floor, seems they are always in the way

 

[52 Ford]

Some guy put 8" of polyiso insulation with osb on it, I think I will send Wonder Woman up there in the attic with a cordless drill and have her drill holes next to the rafters then drop me down the threaded end of some "J" bolts. I will have to make her some kind of simple fixture to get them straight but that's easy

That'll work. Pick up some Irwin "Speedbor" bits. They work pretty well. You may want to drill to final size from the bottom of the OSB. You're liable to get a lot of "blow out" on the back side of the hole. Maybe pilot with an 1/8" bit from the attic and finish the hole from the bottom side with a Speedbor and a ladder.

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