Op-need to fab a lift for a hand truck

I know these can be purchased but I'm running a non-profit and can't spend money for one. I need some ideas for adding a clamp and lift system to a hand truck. I need to be able to wheel up to my bee hives, adjust the height of the clamp/lift system, clamp onto the sides of the stack and back away from the Hive stand. Once I'm clear of the stand I'll lower the stack of 2-3 boxes and wheel them onto my trailer. I'll relocate and repeat. The hives may be 1,2 or three boxes and weight a max of 200lbs. I'm thinking of a tube inside of a tube design for the up/down frame and a simple crank found on boat trailers. I've added a second set of wheels to it so it would be more stable on the uneven and bumpy ground.
Any input is greatly appreciated

I'd be thinking lightweight forklift type carriage and mast with a hand winch.

Some pics / sketches would help, along with approx. dims, of what you're lifting, and how high etc etc etc.

You want a device that travels over rough terrain with a beehive, without tilting the hive, using only manpower?

This thread isn't getting much response because most of our members, who aren't beekeepers, can't figure out why you don't just slide the hive onto the nose plate of a two wheel dolly and move it.

If you assume that this forum is populated with beekeepers who intuitively understand the issues, I think you assumed wrongly.

And you haven't included a link or an image of the device you are attempting to reverse-engineer.

Perhaps it doesn't exist for rough terrain and beehives?

I can think of rough terrain hand trucks, and I can think of hand trucks that strap onto refrigerators, and systems that strap onto both ends of vending machines, copy machines, and "duct lift" devices, etc. but you seem to want a level lift over rough terrain without an internal combustion engine and most applications aren't that demanding.

I say what you want doesn't exist, yet.

S_W_Bausch said:

I say what you want doesn't exist, yet.

Click to expand...

Sure it does....just not at what price the O.P. wants to pay....

It sounds like what you need is a die lift on a heavy duty 4-wheeled cart (like the garden centers use). A die lift can be hand operated, or powered with a golf cart battery. The one I use has both a platform and forks.

I'm sorry for not being more specific. I should be included more details later when I get home.
For now I'll try to explain my needs better.
I'm not worried about the tilting of the boxes so that doesn't need consideration. I've been using an aluminum hand truck with pneumatic tires. The terrain is such that I have no problem navigating other than a few spots have dips. The double wheel setup takes care of this. The boxes are 17"X20" rough dimensions. I'll be picking and moving with the narrower side toward the hand truck.
These are absolutely available to purchase as well but, as mentioned above I can't pay without sacrificing $ for the cancer foundation I'm trying to help.
There are obviously many ways this thing can be made and there is one on YouTube that uses a hand winch for up/down and a pipe clamp to grasp the stack. This is OK but I think I can do better. His design grasps the sides by squeezing and I'm thinking that grasping the front and rear would be an easier design. I'll sketch something but I'm embarrassed ahead of time because it won't look good. Thanks

I would approach it more simply.

The 2 wheeled hand truck has been around since the Egyptians (or so they say )

I'd make the traditional "nose plate" adjustable up and down the mast with bolts, teardrop slots, etc. I would then tilt back from your stand.

Last point but an important one. Standardize the height of the hive stands...AND...fab up some equivalent height box-bases that you already have on your trailer. In other words, scratch lifting and lowering, just keep the spacer block the same and tilt it up and down...

I am possibly one of the few folks on here that can relate :-)

I kept five hives for several years (working them in what is called the "naked" method, which really means without the full suit, head gear etc). Treating bees with respect and understanding is easy. Crushing one bee during a "super" move is not a problem. Careless handling, crushing several will raise the pheromone level to the level that they will take defensive action. What I found was that as I got older, that I could no longer hold the super (the add-on comb box) when it was full and weighing as much as 80 pounds) away from my body, and I increased my likelihood of getting them excited.

What I did was to build a jib crane that could swing over the row that could pick off the supers by using the hand holds that are cut into the sides, lower them to the ground and onto the two wheeled dolly. I was dealing with quite steep terrain, and this was the best method for me.

Lee (the saw guy)

I don't understand the reasoning for the "naked" approach but different strokes etc. I don't wear any gear 90%of the time but it is due to the fact that I find it uncomfortable hot, and interferes with vision. I agree completely that some beeks handle bees roughly and therefore HAVE To wear a suit. Not wearing gear makes me much more careful but much slower as well. All that being said I must qualify it by saying I get a lot of stings every year. Sometimes one or eight around the eyes and/or nose makes me wear the veil again but it doesn't seem to stick so I go through the cycle again and again etc. The, "respect the bees" thing can't be bad but when I hear this kind of statement I always wonder if people somehow equate bees with people. I treat them "with respect" to the point that I do what I reasonably can to not kill many due to clumsiness or laziness. Still in all they are bugs and I am gentle because it provides me with better handling experiences so IMO I'm doing it my way.
Back to the lift. It isn't always possible to make the Hive locations with the same height stands. I am moving some hives to a blueberry farm and they will sit on pallets lower to the ground than my personal Hive stands. From a pollinators point of view it doesn't make sense to bring Hive stands to a contract. It adds too much equipment so there would be less room to transport bee hives.
I suppose the lifting mechanism would be easiest to build using a square tube design where there is a fixed frame secured to the hand truck and a sliding mechanism using the next size larger tubing yes? This would be easy enough but I was hoping to try to use aluminum and I don't have the ability or equipment to weld aluminum. Even though it isn't much steel I think it would end up being heavier than I would hope.
As for securing the hives to the sliding platform I am entertaining the idea of and adaptation using a Hive carrier. These things use a person on either end of the stack and it fold up against the ends as the people lift. I am including a photo of one I made. If I make a similar unit without the bent "U" sections I could configure the hand truck so it will grab the far part of the carrier and draw it up tight to the lifting device. The back of the carrier would fit into a "receiver" on the lifting mechanism if this makes any sense?
The first picture shows the carrier drawn together with a bungie as it would be drawn together when two people lift. This is a close up of the "fingers" that grab the Hive stack. They are designed to sit into the hand holds but I can make some that have teeth to grab any part of the wooden boxes.
The second is the carrier just laid out flat and the third is same as first just a bit farther away.
Thanks

I found that motor cycle wheels worked best for Bee Hive hand trucks!
Been there done that! 100 hives in a former life time!

I like that idea. Maybe once I can get something going with a lift then I can look into a wheel upgrade. I'll start scrounging when I see a set of Mc wheels.

Instead of using square telescoping, consider using strut channel for your hand truck uprights.

Search McMaster-Carr site for "strut channel systems" to see many options.

Strut components are widely available in electrical supply houses and limited inventory in DIY big box stores.

Good luck,

I reiterate my (rude) statement that the item doesn't exist (at any price).

And when you make one, keep it under lock and key, else it's going to get stolen.

Here's one device on the market, by Vestil:
Vestil LLW Paild Pail Dispenser Material Propane Tank Lift 200 lb Capacity | eBay

And here's the MSRP:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200413188_200413188

I doubt you could buy the raw materials for the ebay price.

You may end up scouring the catalogs of Genie, Vermette, Vestil, etc. and see what is currently available, and put it on your credit card, and get back to your core competencies.

I think you need a 2nd person....

S_W_Bausch said:

I reiterate my (rude) statement that the item doesn't exist (at any price).

And when you make one, keep it under lock and key, else it's going to get stolen.

Here's one device on the market, by Vestil:
Vestil LLW Paild Pail Dispenser Material Propane Tank Lift 200 lb Capacity | eBay

And here's the MSRP:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200413188_200413188

I doubt you could buy the raw materials for the ebay price.

You may end up scouring the catalogs of Genie, Vermette, Vestil, etc. and see what is currently available, and put it on your credit card, and get back to your core competencies.

I think you need a 2nd person....

Click to expand...

I'm going to contact this seller and check shipping costs. Thanks

Shipping for the lift on eBay was over $300.00
What about garage door tracks/rollers? I have a few laying around so I think I'll try it out. No cost.
Thanks

Just thought I would post the hand truck/lift DIY project ver. 1.0. I can already see that I want to change the design of the chain tightening "system" to a binder type. The turn buckle is slow and cumbersome.
The picture with the boxes jacked up off the ground is just an example of the functionality I was looking for. There is not enough of a bottom to support the boxes if filled and the unit would fall forward. I may add an extension but I am trying to get the hand truck right up to the rear of the hives and something protruding at the bottom would easily hit whatever the hives are sitting on.

Looks like Proof Of Concept

I've bought a few older models of this style handtruck lift on CL for no more than $75 ea. Forklift-style forks, pneumatic handcart wheels. Magliner-like build quality, but not by them. Bottom stabilizers are removable/foldable arms, not a handtruck blade.

Could you extend a base platform backwards to stand on it while lifting? Or maybe bottom legs that extend back to stand on while loading, flip up to allow tilt-back, but easily kick forward/not fold when "parked" as your driveway pic shows.

Chip

Chip Chester said:

I've bought a few older models of this style handtruck lift on CL for no more than $75 ea. Forklift-style forks, pneumatic handcart wheels. Magliner-like build quality, but not by them. Bottom stabilizers are removable/foldable arms, not a handtruck blade.

Could you extend a base platform backwards to stand on it while lifting? Or maybe bottom legs that extend back to stand on while loading, flip up to allow tilt-back, but easily kick forward/not fold when "parked" as your driveway pic shows.

Chip

Click to expand...

Thanks-I looked on local Craigslist for many weeks and didn't find anything. I am in a rather small area/community/town. Do you have any pictures of the ones that you had purchased?
My comment about the unit falling forward was one I made after getting some feedback from someone in a bee forum I am a member of. For some reason beekeepers LOVE to see things like this and, instead of offering constructive input, spout off about how they did this or that or what they see wrong with a design. Doesn't matter what it is they love to be critical. Not all beeks of course but so many that I've come to learn to include a sentence that these type of comments are not needed. I post my stuff for constructive input and to offer others some idea(s). That being said, I have no concerns about the unit tipping forward if loaded. I know I won't leave the hives jacked up without me being behind it. I don't see any reason to leave it unattended if there are boxes on it anyway but I suppose it could happen. If I decide there is a need for some added stability I'll look at using one of your suggestions.