DIY Bike Lift/Stand Thing... cheap, portable, effective

[OneSickPsycho]

Shamelessly copied and pasted from another forum:

Originally Posted by Fox Fader

How to build your own Service Bench.
First and foremost, props to BBC Racing. Thank you!!


The "Box"!
This stand is built from two sheets of 3/4" Marine Grade plywood (There are also a few sections of 1 X 2 used for bracing). Incredibly sturdy! The box will be able to support close to 800 pounds. Locations for handlebar tie-downs when the bike is on the stand. Easy as loading a bike onto a pick-up truck. Held together with friction alone. No fasteners! Quickly disassembles and stores as four 1/2 sheets of plywood. I believe it could be invaluable at the track!

Parts is Parts!
The parts of this box are: 2 sides, a top, a back and middle slat, and finally a front slat. You can purchase plywood from Home Depot or Lowes. They will cut twice for free with a vertical table saw with the purchase of the wood. Ask them to "rip" (cut the long way) the sheets down the middle. They will try to cut across the sheets about a 1/2 dozen times before they understand that you need them ripped! Make sure they get as close to center as possible. That's NOT as important as you think. Notice I use the same piece from each sheet as sides. That's in case their saw is off a bit. I suggest marking the pieces before they cut them. You can pay for the extra cuts to make the slats. I did mine myself with a jigsaw.

Cutting Guide


While at the store you'll need a couple of lengths of 1" X 2". These were not in the original plans. I added them as stops and braces to the top. The keep the top from sliding on the box once assembled. Grab a handfull of screws long enough to go through the plywood and into the 1" X 2"s.

Building
The stand is held together by a series of slots cut in the sides and slats. The slots are just as wide as the plywood is thick. NO SLOP! They are exactly as long as 1/2 the height of the plywood. The slats get slots on the bottoms and sides get slots on the tops. Slots near the ends of the sides should start 3" from the ends. As should the slot's on the back and middle slats.

Use the middle slat and a centerline mark to mark the position of the slots on the front slat. It will stick out a foot further on the sides than the other slats. I put my middle slat where the center stand of my Futura goes. Use your best judgment. I used a jigsaw to cut the slots. I think a circular saw AND a jigsaw would of been better... but I didn't have a circular saw! I cut inside the lines and did most of my 'fine tuning' with the jigsaw. It took a long time but I'd rather have these fit as tight as possible for strength. They don't need to be too tight, I can take mine apart in less than 2 minutes. Tight, but not stuck.

Slotting and Assembly Guide


In the diagram you'll notice the two sections of 1" X 2"s. These screw to the underside of the top. They are situated between the sides and in front of the back and behind the front slats. They provide a bit of strength to the top but are there mainly to keep the top from sliding around. The two holes in the front slat are for tie-downs to the bars or forks.

Tips
I firmly suggest two people are used to load a bike! I use a wooden ramp to load the bikes onto the stand. I'm pretty tall so I can walk beside the stand and still support the bike. I think most people will need a step stool to walk up and onto the stand with the bike. The other person should stand on the opposite side of the bike "just in case".

Safety is paramount and no personal injury is worth a dented tank. I always give the same briefing: "Help steady but if it starts to go: RUN!" I painted the top with some Duration exterior house paint to protect it from spills. Please be careful and use your best judgment: Bikes can fall off this stand!

[shmike]

I've got one in my garage.

[Gas Man]

Cool, but wonder what the weight rating is. A big touring bike may push it. Not too mention getting it up there.

[OneSickPsycho]

Originally Posted by Gas Man

Cool, but wonder what the weight rating is. A big touring bike may push it. Not too mention getting it up there.

On the other forum they say they're goof for about 800lbs, but no specific reference made. I probably wouldn't try to anything up there that's close to that...

[Particle Man]

Originally Posted by Gas Man

Cool, but wonder what the weight rating is. A big touring bike may push it. Not too mention getting it up there.

They'd just have to invade your garage instead!

[G-Rex]

To each their own, but you couldn't pay me to put my motorcycles on that thing.

I have the same lift as Gas Man, and it works great. I would never trust my bikes on that thing, personally.

There are problems galore with that thing from an Engineering point of view. Sure, it's cheap and easily accessible, but how cheap is it going to be when your bike falls off and you are replacing plastic and other bits because the bike fell over from almost 2 feet in the air.

The thing has a decent footprint on one end, but not on the other? What happens if you strap your bike to that thing and start really cranking down on something in the wrong direction? Nevermind the fact that it's not a one-man operation. Hold the bike at that height on the platform and then put a rearstand under it? I don't think so.

I like how the guy says *no slop*, but really?? We're talking plywood here. Schmike, if you built that, does it have *any* slop at all? I find it hard to believe that thing is as sturdy as claimed.

[shmike]

Originally Posted by G-Rex

To each their own, but you couldn't pay me to put my motorcycles on that thing.

LOL. To each their own. Let's compare:

http://www.handyindustries.com/produ...-1000-air-lift

Originally Posted by G-Rex

I have the same lift as Gas Man, and it works great. I would never trust my bikes on that thing, personally.

I'm not sure what lift you guys have but I chose the Handy Standard 1000 for comparison. It has about the same size work area and height and it's a bargain at only $1000!

Originally Posted by G-Rex

There are problems galore with that thing from an Engineering point of view. Sure, it's cheap and easily accessible, but how cheap is it going to be when your bike falls off and you are replacing plastic and other bits because the bike fell over from almost 2 feet in the air.

I have about $50 invested in mine (Not including a store credit of about $50 at Home Depot). So , when my bike falls off, it will still be $50 or about $950 cheaper than if my bike fell off the Handy stand above. That $950 could buy me 2 sets of body work, painted.

The Handy stand is 25% taller when at full height, so we have to assume the damage is 25% worse, right?

Originally Posted by G-Rex

The thing has a decent footprint on one end, but not on the other? What happens if you strap your bike to that thing and start really cranking down on something in the wrong direction?

The foot print is 24" at the narrowest point and 48" at the widest point. You could put the wide slat at the front, middle or rear. I've actually thought about cutting the 48" piece down to 24" as it seems to be good for nothing but catching my knees as I walk around it.

The Handy stand is 24" wide at the platform, so it's foot print is < 24" at it's WIDEST point.

I'm not sure why you'd crank something in the wrong direction but if you do, I'd have to imagine my 48" wide stand would be nearly as stable as your 24" stand.

Originally Posted by G-Rex

Nevermind the fact that it's not a one-man operation. Hold the bike at that height on the platform and then put a rearstand under it? I don't think so.

I am but one man and I put the bike on and take it off the stand/box each time. Putting it on the rear stand is quite easy, I just have to make sure the rear stand is within reach or I'm screwed!

Originally Posted by G-Rex

I like how the guy says *no slop*, but really?? We're talking plywood here. Schmike, if you built that, does it have *any* slop at all? I find it hard to believe that thing is as sturdy as claimed.

Yes, we are talking 3/4 inch plywood, the same stuff used for boat building and the floor of high-end race trailers.

I guess slop would depend on your slat tolerances. Mine are fairly snug. There is certainly some slop in the frame part ( I could push the rectangle into a more "diamond" shape) until the top plank is in place. Once it's there, the 1x2's do a good job of keeping everything square. The weight of the bike actually helps to make the whole thing more snug/stable.

I think it's funny that nobody thinks twice about throwing their bike on a rear stand and wrenching on it. However, put bike on that rear stand on a wooden box 10" wider than the rear stand and all of the sudden, the bike is at risk of tumbling over!

[Gas Man]

Well I had about $1150 into my lift when I bought it. But it's 4' wide and 8' long. Steel and has a 1000# capacity. Sure it was a bunch of money but it will last virtually forever. I have had more bikes on it than I can count. Then I went and spent about $350 on a condor chaulk to swap out the front wheel vise... allot of money? Sure, but it's in the tools as they always say... the lift is probably my most used tool and I love love love it.

That being said, here's a table that a guy on my site made...
http://www.twowheelmichigan.com/show...727-Bike-table

It is a bunch less engineering... still worked for him.

[OneSickPsycho]

Originally Posted by Gas Man

Well I had about $1150 into my lift when I bought it. But it's 4' wide and 8' long. Steel and has a 1000# capacity. Sure it was a bunch of money but it will last virtually forever. I have had more bikes on it than I can count. Then I went and spent about $350 on a condor chaulk to swap out the front wheel vise... allot of money? Sure, but it's in the tools as they always say... the lift is probably my most used tool and I love love love it.

That being said, here's a table that a guy on my site made...
http://www.twowheelmichigan.com/show...727-Bike-table

It is a bunch less engineering... still worked for him.

Things like this make me feel really silly for not thinking of it myself.

[Gas Man]

I got some slick guys on my site...