[brewthru]

Considering building a unistrut frame for a hoist to lift full corny kegs into my keezer. Necessary due to 2 herniated discs in my back.

I will use Unistrut for the frame. I don’t want to attach a single piece of Unistrut to the ceiling. Our house has the I beam wood between the floors. From what I understand the bottom of these I beam wood are not made to support weight. The top of these I beam wood are for supporting.

What is the rule for calculating the length of the horizontal piece on the floor? This is the piece that attaches to the perpendicular vertical piece. Think of a frame similar to H without the top parts of the H.

I don’t want to make the horizontal floor piece too short and have the frame tip over.

Also, proper name for the horizontal floor pieces? Footers?

Thanks.

[Bob357]

If you want a much simpler solution, pressure ferment your beers. That way, you can put an empty keg in your keezer and do pressure transfers. I've been doing it for a few months now and it takes all the strain out of the process.

[redrocker652002]

I saw a YouTube vid where a guy rigged up a pulley system using an aluminum ladder and some pulley's.  Not sure how that would work over a Keezer, but just a thought.  Good luck, back issues suck.   

[Visor]

  I assume when you say "I beam wood" you are talking about truss joists, aka TJI's or BCI's. If the underside of the joists are exposed, I'd just screw the unistrut to the bottom cord. If you span at least 3 joists I wouldn't sweat the the bottom cord ever separating from the web of the joists, at least not if all you're lifting is corny kegs. As I envision what I think you are suggesting building, you're planning to cantilever the hoist over the keezer, so you'll need enough weight on the opposite side of the mast to counter the weight of the keg.
   If you can make your base wide enough to straddle your keezer then your build can be much easier, all you need is to extend the base beyond the reach of the hoist arm and put casters under the rig. Lift you keg, roll it over the keezer, and lower away. I'm not convinced unistrut is the ideal material with which to build such a hoist, but it'll work.

[brewthru]

I'm writing about an I Joist.

https://www.lowes.com/pl/I-joist--Joists-Engineered-lumber-Lumber-composites-Building-supplies/2334369394?refinement=3527406715

I was told I joists are not meant for weight on the bottom of the joist.

[MNWayne]

A full keg only weighs 50-55 lbs.  Not enough weight, in my opinion, to overly stress one TJI. If you're worried about it, spread the load over 2 or 3 joists.

[Visor]

BCI & TJI are just a couple brands whose names/initials are to I joists what fridge nee Frigidaire is to refrigerators. I'm not an engineer, but I'd imagine the concern with loading the bottom cord of an I-joist is the potential of causing it to separate from the web' since all LVL [laminated veneer lumber] is glued together. That being said, drywall is routinely hung from the underside of BCI's, and I even 1/2" ceiling board probably weighs more than a keg who's weight is distributed across 3 or more joists.

[Slowbrew]

You can bolt U-channel or even a 2x4 to the side of the I-beams, connecting the top and bottom boards.  Then hang you hoist on a a beam connected to your supports if your seriously concerned about the weight.  That would distribute the load across the whole I-beam.

Just another idea.

Paul

[brewthru]

Interesting, as apparently, you read my mind about running a board between the joists and connecting the unistrut to the board.

I'll have to bolt the board to the bottom of the I beam as the basement and ceiling are finished.

[MNWayne]

You inspired me.  I picked up a Unistrut today and have a trolley on its way from Lowes.  Going to mount it through drywall directly into the bottom cord of 3 trusses.

[brewthru]

How to mount the unistrut beam to the ceiling without interferring with the trolley movement?

[MNWayne]

I'll cross that bridge when the trolley gets here. I assume I'll have enough room for screws.