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Thread: The worlds first beer elevator

  1. #1

    The worlds first beer elevator

    Hi Guys,

    I would like to share a project with you I did some time ago. I'm from Belgium, which you might know has quite a large beer culture. As such, it's not suprising we have the worlds largest beer café (in selection, not size)
    The owner had the crazy (or genious?) idea to start a bar with a selection of 3000 beers. In order to stock all of the bottles, the whole basement was transformed into a giant cooler (with different temperatures suiting the appropriate beers)
    Off course, this meant that he had to get those bottles up to the serving level.

    That's where I came in.

    In order to carry the bottles I constructed a giant metal beer lift. It consists of a 2 inch chain on a two foot gear, which carry the metal carriages in which custom wooden trays can be placed by the order pickers in the basement so they can be transported to the people behind the bar on the ground floor. What's really funny is that the floor of the bar has glass tiles in the floor, so you can see the basement. The order pickers that work there are dressed as elves, looking through the beer selection filling the trays for the customers (reminds me of the umpa lumpas )

    1381949_754726781211040_831301811_n.jpg988884_792735044076880_2123850528_n.jpg

    1385336_758509924166059_949385245_n.jpg141w52_017.jpg1374252_756122187738166_467293779_n.jpg

    The whole project start to finish was completed in only 2 weeks from the initial sketch to finishing. Let's just say I didn't manage to get a lot a sleep those days, as I was fighting quite a heavy deadline. The decorative center piece was designed on the computer (never did any digital drawing before ) and then cut with a water jet. The trays swivel on custom made pins with bearings that replaced some of the original connecting pins on the chain.
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    This thing really is a beast. You might think it's heavily overbuild but I think you just wouldn't get the same industrial look if I had just used some smaller chain. Would have been a lot easier though. I'm quite strong but I can barely lift half the chain on my own. The main gear needs two guys minimum to lift it and rides on 4 ball bearings all on the back side of the gear.
    The whole construction is carried by a steel frame because I couldn't trust the old walls of the building to carry the load. One must not only consider the weight but also the tension on the chain.

    Time has proven the machine to be working perfectly for 2 years straight working probaly up to 18-20 hours a day. I do a biannual maintenance of greasing everyting and checking all the bearings etc. We had a lot of press attention
    1383569_755113091172409_292267546_n.jpg1375983_756116671072051_525338088_n.jpg
    I had a lot of pictures of the construction phases but they are currently stuck on my broken smartphone. I'll post them once I get it repaired.

    Feel free to leave me some questions and comments, I'll be glad to hear them.


    Thanks,

    Benoit
    Last edited by Keith Outten; 12-09-2015 at 8:53 PM.

  2. #2
    I managed to find some backup from my old phone that had the progress pictures
    Attached Images Attached Images

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    West Granby CT
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    777
    Way cool. I'd love to come visit someday and put it to work!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Yorktown, VA
    Posts
    2,754
    That's an amazing piece of work, Benoit. Congratulations on a great job. Now tell the truth. How many of the 3000 beers have you sampled so far??

  5. #5
    thanks! I have lost count Ted

  6. #6
    You can find a video of the machine in action here
    http://urbancrafts.tv/crafters/benoit-aigret-3/

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Schenectady, NY
    Posts
    1,500
    That's fantastic! Beautiful work on a functional piece of art. And congratulations on finding your passion and making it work for you.


    Belgian beer rocks!
    Happy and Safe Turning, Don


    Woodturners make the world go ROUND!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    New Hill, NC
    Posts
    2,568
    Very, very cool!

  9. Inspiring ! Congratulations!
    LIMAC CNC Router Ltd
    Tianjin, China

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Deep South
    Posts
    3,970
    That is just beautiful iron work. I completely agree that the overbuilt machinery is just perfect for that application. Classy!

  11. #11
    Beautiful work! Makes me thirsty....

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Doylestown, PA
    Posts
    7,551
    The owner had the crazy (or genious?) idea to start a bar with a selection of 3000 beers.
    I vote for genius - on both your parts. Functional art, excellent.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Neither here nor there
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    This is so amazing that I haven't proper words to express it. Bravo!!!

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    Ohio's Southern Coast
    Posts
    15
    Outstanding craftsmanship Benoit! The beer lift is an fine example of Industrial Elegance at it's best.
    And your shop looks great. Keep up the great work.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    saint charles, IL
    Posts
    3
    Hi Benoit,
    In the pictures you posted of the bar with you having a drink with someone next to you. That gentlemen looks very familiar. Does he design special lighting for large venues? I swear I have met him before. If not he has a twin who I meant in China this year while traveling for work.
    By the way I brew beer and this machine is awesome. The work is fantastic!

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