Thread: hydraulics for my rotisserie

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I have a very nice rotisserie, designed and built it myself. Now, just like anything else, once I have one that works great I want to build another one that is more geezer friendly, operates without help, becomes a really fancy position-er for welding! Seems as I get older my mind still thinks young, but my body just doesn't work the way it used to. Dexterity is gone, so know I have to figure out how to position the work to make the fabricating, fitting, and welding less physically challenging.

I want to be able to rotate a car on the rotisserie using hydraulics instead of having to wait til I have help to pull the pins while I rotate the car. Main problem is, I don't really know a heck of a lot about hydraulics!!!!! I do have a nice electric/hydraulic pump with a foot control on order for my tubing bender so, here comes the questions;

1. I want to install a hydraulic motor with gearing reduction (big gear, small gear, chain) to rotate the car using the power supply and foot control for my bender... I assume hydraulics is similar to air in that I would want the 'high-flow' quick disconnects for the motor???? Or, do I have to use a directional hand control valve instead of my foot valve? I want hydraulic pressure to hold the rotation where I stop it, at least long enough for me to install a safety pin (or other device) to prevent rotation. Main reason for being able to rotate it hydraulically is so that I can do it without waiting for help to arrive, and that I can position the car so that the area I'm working in is easily accessible without having to climb in, on, under, or around the car....

2. I also want to be able to raise and lower the pivots on the rotisserie so that I can attach the body and/or frame to the mounts, then raise the whole thing to a desired height and install safety pins. I know I will need a lift cylinder on both ends to do this. Cylinders are rated by lift capacity (?), but is there any other considerations I should know of before I order them??

3. What else is it that I need to take into consideration to make this whole deal work well, and safely????

Thanks in advance!!!!

PS--Don't bother telling me I'm crazy---that became an established fact many years ago!!!!!!!!!!!

Neat site!!!! There's a place in Sioux Falls called 'Hydraulic World'. I think it's a franchise deal, ever heard of them and are they a reputable company????? Man, I barely know enough about hydraulics to be able to do much more then spell it.....

Dave-I bought two cylinders from HF to lift the gull wings on my vendor trailer which are very heavy.



These are 2 ton and I am told with a motor,tank,and valve I could convert them to electric over hydro.You would just have to run the line to the valve port.I think I paid less than $50 for each.

Dave I have seen these around used from $80 to $150 and they have latches for different heights.Maybe you could adapt two of them for a lift part.

Dave-look at post #6 and #7

Automotive Rotisserie - All MetalShaping

Don't think that would do for what I want. The ends will telescope up and down with a tube inside a tube, and the hydraulic cylinder inside with fittings at the bottom, then a hose to a manifold, and a hose to my hydraulic power supply... To work best, the cylinders, valves, and pump all have to be sized to each other and with the cylinders inside the tubing, extend and retract length will have to be spot on. Guess I've never been much of a bargain hunter on tools and shop equipment, I always try to get the stuff that works good, fits good, and lasts a long time....

Dave on my way out but YOU do want to use Hyd. Air is to fast and the cyl. would have to be about 3 times the size...I haven't worked on Hyd. in about 20 years but I'll see what I can come up with. A hyd. motor can't hold a position, unles they have come up with somthing new??

Originally Posted by Evolvo

Never heard of Hydraulic World but there are thousand's of hydraulic repair shops out there. If Sioux Falls isn't too far away you might just try going and telling them what your up to.

a

Just got off the phone with them. They've got everything I need, reasonable too! The electric/hydraulic pump is the expensive part, and it's already ordered. With some quick disconnects I can power up most anything I want to!!!!! Probably a good deal for crippled old geezers, huh?????

You might want to step back and rethink a few things---The rotissier that I have I bought at the goodguys show up in Wisconsin a few years ago built by a company down by Putman Ind(just sw of Indy) They had it displayed with a mustang on it and a little 120 (maybe less) was standing there rotating it with one hand!!!! of course this takes a little experimitting to find center balance points but with the mounting arms/plate system they have its easy to do ----KISS SIMPLE!!!!

I got it loaned out right now or would post some pics---

Another thing to consider is that if you use hydraulic or any type of power to turn the body you are inducing a hella lotta twisting strain into the body structure----something you probably don't want to do---
The safetest way to rotate is by hand and work on the balance until you get it so you can do it alone and with one hand!!!

Also talking about flexibility of old 70+ bones--I got a remote switch button for my tig torch so I don't have to twist so much to push down a foot pedal---

Now back to work as I'm cleaning out bottom of the Sunnen CK10 and changing the fluid $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Seen a demo on a rotissery back awhile that they put a car on moved it around a bit and had a kid turn it by hand. Like Jerry said. they balance it by moving it side to side till it takes nothing to move it. I'll see if I can find it

duplicated

Originally Posted by Evolvo

Dave, You have a pic of the pump? Curious to see what your getting.


z

Nope, he's sending me a catalog, said he would highlight some suggestions...don't even remember what brand he said....

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

You might want to step back and rethink a few things---The rotissier that I have I bought at the goodguys show up in Wisconsin a few years ago built by a company down by Putman Ind(just sw of Indy) They had it displayed with a mustang on it and a little 120 (maybe less) was standing there rotating it with one hand!!!! of course this takes a little experimitting to find center balance points but with the mounting arms/plate system they have its easy to do ----KISS SIMPLE!!!!

I got it loaned out right now or would post some pics---

Another thing to consider is that if you use hydraulic or any type of power to turn the body you are inducing a hella lotta twisting strain into the body structure----something you probably don't want to do---
The safetest way to rotate is by hand and work on the balance until you get it so you can do it alone and with one hand!!!

Also talking about flexibility of old 70+ bones--I got a remote switch button for my tig torch so I don't have to twist so much to push down a foot pedal---

Now back to work as I'm cleaning out bottom of the Sunnen CK10 and changing the fluid $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Mine is a one hand rotater now throughout 360 degrees... This will be my 3rd rotisserie, the other two still work fine, just that each one has big improvements. My first one was a store bought, not a bad unit but with a car on it it would get a little twisty and shaky. This one will probably be stout enough to hold a boxcar.... I'll be able to have the body mounted to the frame and on the rotisserie as a unit, makes working on the car much easier. The main reason I build my own is so that I can put features into it that the store bought ones don't have, nobody would pay the price it takes to put one together!!! I use the heck out of a rotisserie, got something on it all the time so the extra expense and extra work aren't really a big deal considering that it gets used constantly...

So how will the hydraulics be used on the new one, Dave. Can you give an overview of how you envision the cylinders & motor working relative to positioning the vehicle on the rotisserie, and then rotating to the desired position and locking down? Just trying to understand your thought process.

Well, I can try.....fortunately I'm better at building then I am at describing...

Ok, the cylinders will be of sufficient length to allow the mounts on the rotisserie to be low enough to attach to a body or frame while it's sitting on jack stands, say 12" or so. Then I can raise the cylinders up with the hydraulics til the body and or frame is at the height I want.

The rotation will be through a spool valve, hydraulic motor, and the foot pedal. When I'm working on the car while it's on the rotisserie be it making up pieces, welding, or whatever I can just step on the foot pedal valve and rotate the car to get it in a more better working position... The spool valve must be like a check valve on both lines, holds constant pressure against the motor so that the rotisserie doesn't 'free-wheel" rotate when I'm working on the car.....

Don't know if that explains it or not, what it does explain is why I was never hired to write tech manuals!!!!!!!!