Need Opines On A Rotisserie.

[Heavy Flat Head]

This is a very long post so I am going to be breaking it up into smaller pieces so bear with me. Like a lot of you I have been battling arthritis in my knees. This makes it difficult to say the least to work on the lower portion of the car. I have been mulling over this problem for quiet some time on how to do this without suffering any more than is necessary. I also am lacking in a lot of room to work. I have a manufactured home and rent a narrow garage to work on my baby. I am going to building a 10’ X 20’ shed with wide doors this weekend. (I would like to have it bigger but the code will only allow 200 square feet for secondary building without a permit. As I am a building inspector for a jurisdiction in Oregon, I thought it would not be a good idea if I did not obey the rules. Dam!)

I have been racking my brain on how to build a cheap rotisserie to work on the car. As my welding skills are not sufficient to make one out of steel (I have had many dreams lately about building it with steel). The best part about the dream is when I am turning the car over and the welds break and the car body has become one with me. In the hospital the first thing that comes out of the doctor and my better half mouth is;

“IF HE ONLY HAD A BRAIN”.

[Heavy Flat Head]

That is one experience I am not looking forward to having. I would think that a striped down body would weigh in about 500 pounds if even that much. As I am inspecting houses that have roof loads up to 20,000 pounds in some areas that are supported by a six by six. I do not see why I can not make one out of wood. It would be more bulky but if designed right could more than support the weight of a car body. The only thing I have not found an answer for yet is how to pin the support arm in one place. Even if I have the body clamp so it can not turn, this problem of pinning the car body in one position seems kind of important to me.

I am going to be using all thread rod drill through a length of 4X4 (will use a piece of pipe between the wood and rod) that will clamp a support arm to the 4X4. The support arm will be attached to the car body. By using a washer and nut on each side of the support arm (clamping the all thread to the support arm) and having the all thread run through the 4X4 I should be able to turn the car body in a circle. With the all thread running through the 4X4, I can add a washer and nut to the opposite side of the 4X4. This should let me control how fast the car body can turn and let me tighten the support bar in one position. But I still need to come up with a way to pin the support arm.

[Heavy Flat Head]

On the 45 degree braces I will most likely be using some plywood as gussets and attach with screws. I do not think this is necessary but it is better to be safe than sorry. I will also be using a 2X4 to tie the two stands together. One other point to mention is that all bolt connection are to be through bolts with washers on both sides with a nut.

Harbor freight has some swivel castors that are 8” in diameter that are like car tires in that they hold air. I though I will use three of these on each end. Two on the outriggers and one on the center support. With six castors on the ground this should give me a lot of stability.

As I am lacking in a lot of courage, I am not going to try this out on my 53 Plymouth. I will be using my Dodge 70 truck as the ginny pig. I am hoping I can sand blast the frame, paint, remount the front, rear springs, rear end, and front axel assembly while all on the rotisserie. If it can hold up all this weight (I am going to guess: frame 150, springs 100, rear end 300, and front axel assembly another 300 for a total of around 850 pounds) without any mishaps. I do not see any problem for a stripped car body, as long as I have the center of gravity in the right place. I will be using my engine hoist to lift the frame or body on and off the rotisserie and after the truck I should be good to go for the Plymouth. If I can do this without getting on my hands and knees very often I will be one happy camper.

[Heavy Flat Head]

I have made my first renderings at work of the rotisserie so please excuse the crude drawings. We are not allowed to design any part of a house at work so no cad software on the computers. I have small cad software at home that I will be using in the next couple of days for this design. If any one would like to see better drawings, just let me know and I can post those latter.

I am more than open to any suggestion. Even the one;

“ARE YOU CRAZY”

If any one of you knows a way to figure out the center of gravity of a car body please let me know. I would love to use the center of gravity of the body to my advantage, like when I go to turn the body, I do not want an to fight an unbalanced weight on the rotisserie. So speak up and let me know your thoughts and say a big pray for me.

[Guest oldcarguy]

I know guys who use two engine stands on either end of frame to create a rotorise. They're not expensive from harbor freight.

[Heavy Flat Head]

Here is my first draft of my design after struggling with the work scanner to my work computer. It is going to be faster to build than design this thing, I hope.

[Heavy Flat Head]

Last three. I have thought of that to, but way to low to the ground, I am 6'4 over weight and bending over hurts to much.

Sorry I was not paying attention on file size. Been to long on this today and trying to finsh up.

Last two file to big. Maybe better anyway. I do love sharing pictures even if it is not my car.

[Plymouthy Adams]

those are nice things to have on hand if you have the room to support it...however refrain from the temptation to light charcoal under it when in use...

[Heavy Flat Head]

What do you mean no barbeque. Why do you want to take all the fun out of it.

[PatS....]

Not too sure about a wood one, but this one seems quite simple and sturdy.

http://www.uscartool.com/rotisserie/images/page_2.html

[Norm's Coupe]

This is a very long post so I am going to be breaking it up into smaller pieces so bear with me. Like a lot of you I have been battling arthritis in my knees. This makes it difficult to say the least to work on the lower portion of the car. I have been mulling over this problem for quiet some time on how to do this without suffering any more than is necessary. I also am lacking in a lot of room to work. I have a manufactured home and rent a narrow garage to work on my baby. I am going to building a 10’ X 20’ shed with wide doors this weekend. (I would like to have it bigger but the code will only allow 200 square feet for secondary building without a permit. As I am a building inspector for a jurisdiction in Oregon, I thought it would not be a good idea if I did not obey the rules. Dam!)

I have been racking my brain on how to build a cheap rotisserie to work on the car. As my welding skills are not sufficient to make one out of steel (I have had many dreams lately about building it with steel). The best part about the dream is when I am turning the car over and the welds break and the car body has become one with me. In the hospital the first thing that comes out of the doctor and my better half mouth is;

“IF HE ONLY HAD A BRAIN”.

If you want a larger building than 200 sq. feet without breaking the rules, you can still build it. Just build two 200 sq. foot buildings about a foot apart. Then build a roof over the gap between them. Then later you decide to put a wall between the gap. Then you have two buildings that are within the 200 sq. foot limit connected by an enclosed area. You didn't break the rules that way, you just bent them a little.

[PatS....]

One of my neighbors a few years ago wanted an attached garage beside his house, but the city said no. He was allowed to build a carport, however, so he did that.

The next year the carport got a south wall.

The year after it got an east wall.

and the year after that it got a north wall with a roll-up door.

Also, if you build the first 200 square foot building, then place a shipping container about 20 feet away and then roof in the gap as Norm said, the container and roof are not permanent so in most places don't need approval

Then add a wall one year, and a door the next.

[Heavy Flat Head]

Thanks Pat and Norm for your suggestion. I would like to have one out of metal but my skills as a welder leave a lot to be desired. I hope to be able to be doing this well into my 80 if I am lucky. The way prices are rising I should be able to retire about 75. When I was younger 45 was the plan, but life caught up to me.

The lot that we have is not big enough to have two sheds on it. We would not have any yard left (ok by me) but would have some sad kids and a mad wife.

To help keep my voice in my head under control, I could use a slippery tape measure; some how the 10X20 foot shed could grow to 12X24feet. I can not help it if I never learned to read. The code has a provision that as long as the intent of the code is meet than it is ok. As a County building inspector I could declare the intent has been met. It is only a shed! The only problem with this thinking is that if I were ever to be caught it would be up to the person that was sent out. I have a feeling it would not be me and could be a little embarrassing at work and at County function. I am sure that I would still be the butt of jokes years down the line.

Another thing is a building that does not have a continues foundation under it has to be designed by a licensed professional (engineer or architect) (crazy for a shed). It’s also a little bit on the touchy side as I am getting paid to enforce the rules. I have always gotten mad at a cop or anyone who takes advantage of there position. Please do not take this response the wrong way. I think part of the problem we have in this country is that two many people bend the rules. I will be the first to stand up and say I am very guilty of this. I do not remember who said the following quote “rules are met to be broken”.

Warning I am going to vent know!

One of my biggest peeves is a person who is building a house that is over 3,600 square feet who complains that either a fire sprinkler system or a 10,000 gal storage tank is required for fire fighting ability on rural property is to costly. When I try to explain that the rule is there because the fire department can not supply water for a fire with a building that big. I never could figure out how someone who is spending in excess of 500,000 dollars can not afford $6,000 to $10,000 to save there house or someone’s life in a fire. Even when I explain the fire will be out most likely with a sprinkler system before the fire department can even get to the truck to respond to a fire. When a person wants to put there own life or property at risk that is there problem, but what about the person who comes out to help put the fire out and they get hurt or killed.

I am not sure what this has to do about old iron but it is one thing I feel very concerned about. 75 percent of the rural houses we approve are over 5,000 square feet, most of the rest are over 3600 with a few under 3600, and a couple around 10,000 square feet per year.

Thanks for listing to me vent.

I feel much better.

Ed.

[Niel Hoback]

Thank you for being the kind of guy that would do the right thing because its right, rather than fear of retribution.