Lift for carboy

[Scooter68]

I use the space for other interests and not everything to be moved is a liquid that can be pumped between containers. If I can get the track I don't need a powered lift. Pulleys would be fine. I'm thinking of a woodworking project. Half size crates because I'm already getting to the point I don't like lifting full sized. I can do it now but for how much longer? The wine I store in a full crate today may be inaccessible in a year or two.

If the lifting is not a critical part - Look into Barn Door hardware. You'd have to have a beam (Wood or Metal) to mount it to but if it can support a barn door it should support a 5-7.5 gallon carboy.
Just check the weight capacity. OR combine the barn door hardware with a small block and tackle and a carboy net. build a small cage for a carboy. Depends on how creative you want to be.

https://www.amazon.com/Industrial-D...ncoding=UTF8&refRID=SSFAJ9J6G92MN8RR5J7V&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/lifting-pulleys/s?k=lifting+pulleys

 

[Sage]

I have and use both the AIO pump and the harbor freight lift. Both work great. My carboys sit on a 30" high bench. Empty ones store under it.

I use the lift to move them to the bottling area which is in the next room.

 

[Kantuckid]

For the $300 I'll just ask my wife to help me lift the primary. If I made more wine than I do (nother topic-how to not be a wino and drink that much wine?)

I may start placing the primary on a milk crate arrangement to transfer via my sucking pump w/o the deadlift of 50#'s.

 

[winemanden]

Check out Jack Keller's site/blog. I seem to remember he needed a lift for carboys due to his back trouble.

 

[mainshipfred]

I have and use both the AIO pump and the harbor freight lift. Both work great. My carboys sit on a 30" high bench. Empty ones store under it.

I use the lift to move them to the bottling area which is in the next room.

View attachment 55438

And I see you still have your kid's science project.

 

[Fzee2]

Harbor freight has a dolly for 29 bucks that will move a full carboy over to where you could vac transfer to a carboy on a pallet or table never having to lift it, when full, preventing you from straining your peanut butter! Some may not like the idea of tipping the carboy and disturbing the lees and other sediments so just move it immediately after you fill it to where you need it to be. Vac transfer from there after it settles. Strained peanut butter ain’t fun!!

 

[Rice_Guy]

I have seen several discussions about moving carboys. To me the logical answer was to lift since I wanted to protect batch sanitation.

* I would dearly love to run a peristaltic pump and put product where I want it without back flow, without wild 4 minute transfers, accurate rate control, can turn off instantly with a sensor, feeds filters, has adjustability to racking canes poly tubing etc, (have gotten as far as getting one on eBay for $40 which was probably there for a motor issue)
* I love vacuum, own 3 small vacuum pumps, and have run it on gravity transfers ever since realizing starting a siphon by sucking could kill my lungs (gasoline is worse than sulphite). It works for filling bottles, transferring, and other. There is a tendency to have poor separation of lees so I try to throttle it down at the end of a transfer or when bottle filling. Practically speaking 5 inches of mercury does most of what I do, i can not run a pump wide open! yes it is nice to pull 20 inches of mercury when vacuum corking.
If you don’t have vacuum pump plan on eventually getting one. The amazon 12 volt/ 19 inches of mercury variety was about $12.
* Mechanical lifting has been extremely versatile. (the pilot plant has a Big Joe which will lift a pallet/ tank 10 feet straight up). Maintaining purity is good - gravity always works one direction, it is gentle, leaving with residual CO2 protects the product (I am not anxious and vacuum degas), lifting is flexible as also works with the lawn mower, moving tables, etc.
I have not seen a perfect cheap system, but I like Harbor freight. The perfect system would probably lift 1000 pounds and could convert to a hydraulic basket press, lift 36 inches, and have no footprint when not in use.
* If you like toys/ shop tools you NEED a lift since it works in lots of places besides the winery.

 

[BABRU]

Find an old ax handle or something similar, near the center of its length screw in two metal screw hooks about three inches apart (the distance of the opening of your carboy handle, hook handle to carboy and two people can move and lift much easier by each person lifting an end of the handle.
Vacuum transfer is really the way to go but if you don’t have a vacuum system the ax handle method helps. Also, I have not figured out how to vacuum transfer from carboy to bucket so even with vacuum pump some lifting may be necessary. The ax handle works for lifting buckets too.

 

[sremick]

Am I the only person who is nervous about the strength of a glass carboy to support 50 lbs of tensile strain on that narrow neck? I don't trust those handles.

 

[cmason1957]

Am I the only person who is nervous about the strength of a glass carboy to support 50 lbs of tensile strain on that narrow neck? I don't trust those handles.

No, you are not alone. I wouldn't ever lift a full carboy just by the neck. I always support the bottom more than the neck. It might be fine, but....

 

[Kantuckid]

I've seen the Mexicans toss them around all day long delivering water to people. Not that I do that either...

 

[BABRU]

I have never seen a carboy break at the neck. I have seen the bottom fall out. Failure is usually due to cracking caused by banging two together or hitting them on floor or other object; not from lifting with neck handle. Always look for hairline crack before filling; it can be quite disappointing to loose a batch of aged wine when moving carboy to the bottling station. Note that a small amount of wine loss may be due to a fine crack along the bottom that can result in complete failure when lifted; if you ever notice this, very carefully transfer wine immediately without making any attempt to move or disturb the carboy while at the same time being prepared for a flood.

 

[Johnd]

Find a place to mount this either on the floor or a countertop, a little strap cradle for the carboy and you're off to the races.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...MIpoGFw6Ot4wIVx8DICh1s_Q3qEAQYKCABEgL7-vD_BwE

 

[Johnd]

This one is a bit bigger, but mobile........

https://www.globalindustrial.com/p/...MIhIqUraWt4wIVCl8NCh3OPgj7EAQYBSABEgIepvD_BwE

 

[Johnd]

Mount this to a ceiling or a sturdy frame, a strap cradle for your carboy, lots of options........

https://www.harborfreight.com/440-l...MIhIqUraWt4wIVCl8NCh3OPgj7EAQYCSABEgJiWvD_BwE

 

[sour_grapes]

Hah! I own two of John's 3 examples!

 

[Johnd]

Hah! I own two of John's 3 examples!

Dang, beat me by one, I only have an electric hoist at the hunting property to lift up heavy animals for processing. Carboys, I just pick up by hand...........at least for now.

 

[sour_grapes]

Well, I have that very same electric hoist, bought for moving plywood and clay tiles up to my roof, and I own a very similar engine hoist, bought for, well, hoisting engines! Neither has seen a carboy. The hoist is visible in the contraption below.

On a more serious note, I grab the carboy by that handle, slide my other hand underneath, and lift from both top and bottom.

 

[Boatboy24]

How about an engine hoist and carboy slings?

https://www.harborfreight.com/1-ton-capacity-foldable-shop-crane-61858.html?_br_psugg_q=engine+hoist

https://www.amazon.com/Carboy-Carri...=B073CQDD1X&psc=1&refRID=RNG70HKP1ZAZZ857K313

Rocky! Great hearing from you. Hope all is well with you and your wine operations.

 

[BRD]

I can lift 24 carboys at once without breaking a sweat! Four post car lift that sees more carboys than cars. Actually we never have to lift a full carboy just slide them from a pallet onto HF dollies and then onto the lift. Use this for fermenting in buckets, all racking and even bottling.