The Shop Cart Revisited

[Shortbus_FZS]

I’ve seen lots of plans for DIY stands, but this is amazing. How is everyone transferring their ski from trailer to stand and back to the trailer? I’ve seen people do it with a sling and engine hoist, but that looks a little shaky. I want to build a stand but can’t figure out the best way to move the skis around.

[nmpeter]

if you want to play it safe go with a chainfall secured to a manly crossbeam life the ski a few inches off, pull the trailer, install your shopcart

engine cranes can be used if your garage floor is top rate and you really pay attention to what you are doing, and I mean really

you need a fairly sizeable model since the boom will have to handle at least a ton to have the safety factor built in and most of the bargain ones I wouldn't trust with a large ski swinging around

good for lifting engines, but I went with the fixed chainfall, it minimizes the dangerous swing and requires nothing except up and down

you'll need a quality ski sling too, one that fits your rub rails. I take the nylon straps off and replace with chain. Wrap some old inner tubes around them to prevent damage to the ski finish. Ugly but effective

Never dropped a ski ( thankfully) in ten years of going from trailers into my water tank ( 3 foot lift and then 60 degree swing to get them into the tanks drop zone)

came close once when one of the nylon straps started to let go without warning and that's when I went with chain

My davit needed weekly greasing, it was welded to the side of the water tank, which had 2200 gallons of water in it

[Shortbus_FZS]

Thank you! I've been looking at 1 ton chain hoists, but I haven't found a good (safe) way to mount it in my shop.

[krouchchocolate]

Great looking dolly Steve. I’m jealous!

[krouchchocolate]

Thanks, guys! Manufacturing it and shipping it in its present form just isn't practical. However, I've been thinking again...

With a bolt-together frame, and some jigs for drilling and welding, well, it might be doable.

If people didn't want the collapsible feature (no sockets to store the bunk rails and no 'feet' with rollers) that would probably reduce the price by about $200. Just thinking out loud and I'm not saying that I would actually build & sell these things, but I think the collapsible version would go for about $900, non-collapsible version would be about $700 PLUS shipping and any applicable taxes.

I don't have any drawings, yet, but if anybody wants to build their own, I can create some sketches and provide some details that I learned through trial & error. There are several features that are not visible in the photos.

I would be interested in the drawings!