CSOBeech - Build Your Own Floor Jacks


CSOB Floor Jack
Don't want to pay the high prices for those floor jacks advertised in Trade-A-Plane and the glossy magazines? Well, you're not alone! Beech Lister Ward A. contributed his Floor Jack design solution to CSOBeech to demonstrate how easy it would be to put some jacking rams together along with some pretty ordinary materials and make a very respectable jack. Here's the materials list: *Harbor Freight 3 or 8 ton bottle jack* 2 x 6 pine (Home Depot) 2 x 4 pine (Home Depot) 1/2" EMT tubing (Home Depot) Large Hose Clamps (Home Depot) Misc bolts, nuts washers (Home Depot) Fender washers (Home Depot) (1) 2 x 6 - 38" long (2) 2 x 4 - 27" long (2) 2 x 4 - 39" long (4) 1/2" EMT - 27" long, each end crimped 2" from end Jack - Harbor Freight SKU#26469 - 8 Ton jack - $59.99 https://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=36469 Alternate - Harbor Freight SKU # 26468 - 3 Ton jack - $44.99 https://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=36468 Construction Hints: - Using a router, countersink the base of the bottle jack in the 2x6 by about 1/2". Secure on each corner using bolts and fender washers. - Assemble the base - Mash each end of the EMT in a vice and bend at a 45 degree angle. Bolt to base, secure with a couple of host clamps around the top body of the bottle jack. - Using a 1/2" drill, drill a cone shaped depression at the very top of the bottle jack ram to fit into the Beech jack points. To secure ram into position after jacking: Use an appropriate length of cut aluminum angle extrusion between an appropriate sized bolt through the hole at the top of the bottle jack ram and the base of the bottle jack. Secure in place with zip ties around ram. This prevents the plane from settling in the event the bottle jacks loose pressure. Big thanks to Ward for documenting and sending his CSOB accomplishment to CSOBeech.com Here is another approach by Russell S., to building floor jacks for your Beechcraft I don't know if anyone will want to build a set but here is the list of what I used. Harbor Freight jack 3 ton $39.99 1x4x.25 flat bar I had them cut to 42" and then I cut it into 3 for the base. 1x1 thick wall box tube I had it cut to 6' per jack you will end up with 3 bars with a 22.5 deg. cut at the base and 67.5 at the top. This will be 23" from the long point to the long point. 3" ID pipe cut to 4" I got some 2" round bar from spruce made from aluminum for the top of the hydraulic ram. You need to mill it top and bottom so it will go over the ram and have a dimple for the plane. The jacks will clear the gear doors and it will cost close to $100 all in. I use 5 gal. water jugs on the tail of the plane when I lift it. Also I use U shaped channel on the ram after it's up just in case those high quality made in china rams fail. I drilled holes into the base and bolted the lower part of the ram in place. The top rides in the 3" ID pipe. You can't weld on the ram because the heat will melt the rubber inside of it. Use at your own risk. Click HERE for another CSOB jack interpretation from the RV Crowd. Don't forget to incorporate SAFETY into your design!