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Poor Mans Bike lift

24K views 57 replies 35 participants last post by  shotgun 
#1 ·
Just something I built to help around the shop. I cant afford a 600 dollar lift so I made one. I have 40 bucks in all the material. i will add some casters later on for ease of movement but for now it will do. What cha think?

 
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#4 ·
I have no idea what a harwee is. But I can push my bike up no problem at all. I did work as a flooring sub-contactor for 3 years so I picked up a little framing knowledge. It is made out of 2x6 lumber 16" on center or 40.6 cm for you metric guys. 1- 4x4x8 and a piece of 3/4" plywood.
 
#12 ·
16" centers is 16 inches from the center of one board to the next, they are under the 4 x 8 plywood top. since the plywood is 8' long then there should be 7 support boards under the plywood (including each board at the end of the table). sorry bout the lil rant, kinda a carpenter so i sorta kno a thing or two bout buildin that kinda shit :LolLolLolLol:
 
#17 ·
Sorta reminda me of the old waterbed inner supports. Great idea.
 
#20 ·
$38 Bench

How to build your own Service Bench.
First and foremost, props to BBC Racing. Thank you!!


The "Box"!
This stand is built from two sheets of 3/4" Marine Grade plywood (There are also a few sections of 1 X 2 used for bracing). Incredibly sturdy! The box will be able to support close to 800 pounds. Locations for handlebar tie-downs when the bike is on the stand. Easy as loading a bike onto a pick-up truck. Held together with friction alone. No fasteners! Quickly disassembles and stores as four 1/2 sheets of plywood. I believe it could be invaluable at the track!

Parts is Parts!
The parts of this box are: 2 sides, a top, a back and middle slat, and finally a front slat. You can purchase plywood from Home Depot or Lowes. They will cut twice for free with a vertical table saw with the purchase of the wood. Ask them to "rip" (cut the long way) the sheets down the middle. They will try to cut across the sheets about a 1/2 dozen times before they understand that you need them ripped! Make sure they get as close to center as possible. That's NOT as important as you think. Notice I use the same piece from each sheet as sides. That's in case their saw is off a bit. I suggest marking the pieces before they cut them. You can pay for the extra cuts to make the slats. I did mine myself with a jigsaw.

Cutting Guide


While at the store you'll need a couple of lengths of 1" X 2". These were not in the original plans. I added them as stops and braces to the top. The keep the top from sliding on the box once assembled. Grab a handfull of screws long enough to go through the plywood and into the 1" X 2"s.

Building
The stand is held together by a series of slots cut in the sides and slats. The slots are just as wide as the plywood is thick. NO SLOP! They are exactly as long as 1/2 the height of the plywood. The slats get slots on the bottoms and sides get slots on the tops. Slots near the ends of the sides should start 3" from the ends. As should the slot's on the back and middle slats.

Use the middle slat and a centerline mark to mark the position of the slots on the front slat. It will stick out a foot further on the sides than the other slats. I put my middle slat where the center stand of my Futura goes. Use your best judgment. I used a jigsaw to cut the slots. I think a circular saw AND a jigsaw would of been better... but I didn't have a circular saw! I cut inside the lines and did most of my 'fine tuning' with the jigsaw. It took a long time but I'd rather have these fit as tight as possible for strength. They don't need to be too tight, I can take mine apart in less than 2 minutes. Tight, but not stuck.

Slotting and Assembly Guide


In the diagram you'll notice the two sections of 1" X 2"s. These screw to the underside of the top. They are situated between the sides and in front of the back and behind the front slats. They provide a bit of strength to the top but are there mainly to keep the top from sliding around. The two holes in the front slat are for tie-downs to the bars or forks.

Tips
I firmly suggest two people are used to load a bike! I use a wooden ramp to load the bikes onto the stand. I'm pretty tall so I can walk beside the stand and still support the bike. I think most people will need a step stool to walk up and onto the stand with the bike. The other person should stand on the opposite side of the bike "just in case".

Safety is paramount and no personal injury is worth a dented tank. I always give the same briefing: "Help steady but if it starts to go: RUN!" I painted the top with some Duration exterior house paint to protect it from spills. Please be careful and use your best judgment: Bikes can fall off this stand!





 
#23 ·
Re: $38 Bench

How to build your own Service Bench...
...Please be careful and use your best judgment: Bikes can fall off this stand!...
Why not put a 2x4 on end lip along the outside of the top sheet of plywood?
If anything it'd help keep it on the stand and wouldn't get in the way that much i don't think... or just use the same front wheel stand fister used.

I'd definitely build one of these if i had some more space in the tiny shed that i work in. It'd be nice to sit on a stool or something rather than crouch down or sit on the floor all of the time.
 
#24 ·
Nice, My work shop is in my basement, so my bike literally hangs from the floor joists.
 
#27 ·
I have a home made wood table as well. 2x6's and 1/2 inch plywood. I have it in my basement which becomes my secondary work area when the garage is too cold. To be honest, it's more stable and easier to work on than my air/hydraulic bike lift in the garage. I use the air lift for quick jobs and the wood table for long term jobs. The table you built looks stout. The bike on it is bad ass.. This is the first time I really checked your bike out, I like it. nice job on everything.:rock:
 
#36 ·
Been a while since I loged onto the site. Thanks again for all the replies. The next thing will be to add some casters to help roll this heavy bitch around.
 
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