Specs for the unistrut crane applications here: A table and knee for a bridgeport style mill would be much less. How much does your Cincinnati weigh total? Probably 1/4 to 1/3 of that weight is in the full knee assembly I'd imagine. Take a 10' piece of 1 5/8' unistrut supported just on the ends and you could deflect it quite a bit just with your body weight. Bridge crane style would be tricky, because the transverse beam would be unsupported in the middle. A unistrut single-line crane would make sense for ~1000# if you can support it at least every 24' across the length. I built a gantry crane with a S-beam from the scrap yard for pretty cheap, but standing it up was tricky without a larger crane or a forklift of some kind.

I'm right there with you, but vertical height and installing overhead beams are concerns there. Snagging a 800 4-stroke engine out of a skandic and setting it on the workbench would be childs play. Should easily lift anything snowmobile and small engine related (<1000 lbs). Should be a dirt cheap way to have a super low profile 3 axis crane. The trolley is rated at 600 lbs and I'll be using 4 to hang the bridge, and another 4 to hang the hoist. Then span those with a bridge of two strut side by side with some tubing to stiffen the bridge. Then attach two lengths of standard unistrut to the ceiling perpendicular to the rafters, attached with those fancy new-style lag bolts. So, plan for now is to buy a sleeve of 100 608-ZZ skateboard bearings and some 5/16 roll pins and make 8 of these: Laying in bed last night I was thinking how it would be sweet to be able to move in at least one direction with a hoist, or even 2 directions. Used 2圆 for ceiling member with the intention of putting a 2x8 up there with some eye bolts for lifting spots.

How much weight will unistrut hold