Just for giggles Hoist or lift or both?

[1940plymouth]

I call the lifts at the shop where my son works hoists, my son says they are lifts, as he has never heard them called hoists by anyone but me.

Am I showing my age, or am I wrong?

Just for giggles I thought I would ask all of you,

Thanks, and I hope everyone has a great upcoming weekend,

Bob

[1941Rick]

I would say you are both right.....I am sure there are people who would look at how you are moving the vehicle up.....a lift moves the vehicle from underneath....a hoist is used to move the vehicle from the top. ie. overhead crane.....terminoligy is a wonderful thingy.....is it a spanner or combination wrench?

[woodie49]

I worked at gas stations from the time I was 14 until I graduated and I can not remember ever calling them lifts way back when. Though they obviously are lifts. I remember we always referred to them as hoists - maybe that is what the Union 76 Rep called them? In any case, my '58 Corvette was always beleived to have more miles going up and down on the hoist than running on the street. I felt that was a bit harsh.

[busycoupe]

I worked in service stations all through the '70s. As far as I can remember, we always called them lifts. That was in Massachusetts.

Dave

[TodFitch]

I worked at gas stations from the time I was 14 until I graduated and I can not remember ever calling them lifts way back when. ....

I worked in service stations all through the '70s. As far as I can remember, we always called them lifts. That was in Massachusetts.

Dave

Sounds like it might be a regional difference. Like "soda" versus "pop".

...is it a spanner or combination wrench?

"Crescent wrench" versus "American style adjustable spanner with the jaws set at an angle"? It took me a long time to figure that one out when I was reading an automotive restoration book written in England a long time ago. I eventually concluded that their normal "adjustable spanner" was probably a "monkey wrench".

[Don Coatney]

Escalator perhaps?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXCuGvsThEw

[P-12 Tommy]

When I was in Ohio years ago everybody called it a lift.

Tom

[1940plymouth]

Thanks for the comments everyone, I appreciate it

[RobertKB]

I seem to remember always calling the hydraulic ones hoists but once the electric ones became more popular I think I called them lifts but I probably used hoist as well. Make no sense to me but there it is! It is probably age, region, and preference related, or all three combined.

Edited May 27, 2011 by RobertKB
Grammar

[19vegas56]

Growing up on LI we always called them hoists. Later on, I've heard both.

[oldodge41]

I have heard them called both. How many have heard them called "racks"? I remember phrases like: "We'll put 'er up on the rack and have a look."

[1940plymouth]

Yupper, I remember "Racks" also. I would imagine that this might lead to other remarks:)

[power_hungry]

I tend to think of "Hoists" as installed in (or under) the floor, with swing arms

"Lifts" as posts mounted above the floor, with swing arms

and "Racks" as ramps that you drive onto and the weight is supported by the tires

[Don Coatney]

Yupper' date=' I remember "Racks" also. I would imagine that this might lead to other remarks:)[/quote']

Grease rack! Takes me back to high school and some of the sayings of the day. Jew have lunch? Jew flunk english? Jew get home late? Jew get grounded? Jew get in trouble? Jew see that rack?:eek:

[TodFitch]

I tend to think of "Hoists" as installed in (or under) the floor, with swing arms

"Lifts" as posts mounted above the floor, with swing arms

and "Racks" as ramps that you drive onto and the weight is supported by the tires

Looking through some dictionary sites...

As a noun, "hoist" originally involved chains, ropes or cables. So that would imply an overhead mechanism for lifting.

As a noun, "Lift" seems like it was originally for any device that could raise and item. So could be pushed up from below (hydraulic or pneumatic) or pulled up from above via a hoist mechanism.

"Rack" seems to be generically a framework for holding and supporting something. So a drive on framework could be a "rack" but unlikely to be a hoist or lift.

Can we get on to important things like figuring out the difference between a coat and a jacket. Or a hat and a cap?

[BeBop138]

Grease rack! Takes me back to high school and some of the sayings of the day. Jew have lunch? Jew flunk english? Jew get home late? Jew get grounded? Jew get in trouble? Jew see that rack?:eek:

You got some fixation about racks---did they make different size racks?

[austinsailor]

It was always a grease rack to me back in the 60's and early 70's when I did it for a living.

Now I have a grease pit in my shop. I can't tell you how many times people have thought it was a place to hold waste oil.

[PatS....]

We only had the hydraulic in floor type and I have never heard them refered to as anything but a hoist.

The electric 4 and 2 posters are called lifts, racks, hoists and tables by some...just makes me feel old

[1941Rick]

Racks...........thats what boadacious girls have.....or am I wrong......they do "lift" (my interest) and "hoist" ...well you get it....