1/2" Lifting Eye

I didn't know what I made! I copied a piece of hardware that I could not name and, so . . . posted it here to see if you knew what it was called and maybe where to buy one. Amazon's not much help if you don't know what to call it!

It turns out that it is called a "Lifting Eye" and can be found using that search term in many shapes, materials and sizes - although they are not at all 'cheap.'

I made mine from a scrap chain link found on the floor of a local Lowes where they stock and employees cut chain to length - it seems they seldom clean up after themselves! That and an old 1/2" nut - makes two of us.

Section of course threaded rod

Three 12" course thread machine nuts

Scrap chain links / cutoffs from big box stores

Welding rod

Brazing rod

4.5" cutoff disc

4.5" grinding wheel

4.5" 120 grit flap disk

Using a thin cutoff heel, I cut off the irregular edges where the link had been twice cut to free it from the links adjacent.

The idea and intent being to flatten the ends/edges so as to mate them as neatly as I might to the old 1/2" nut I'd fished out of my decades old collection of 'workshop stuff.'

For this activity I simply held the salvaged link in the vise as I worked to shape the link to better accommodate the old nut.

Protect your eyes - those sparks you (would have seen had I photographed every step) are, as likely as not, hot particles that would appreciate nothing more than a cooling dip in the closest cornea. Extracting them can really cost you unless you have National Health Care.

As you see, I used an old section of threaded rod to hold the nut I knew was likely to get too hot to handle much less to hold against the link with bare or even gloved fingers.

I worked the link ends and repeatedly tested the fit by: trying to wedge the nut in place, removing a bit more link end, fitting again and repeating until I was able to FORCE the nut between the opposing ends of the (very heavy, hard & tough) link.

Then I dug out my acetylene tank set and attempted to recall how it worked. What the relative pressure settings might be. Where I'd left the partial welding rods and so forth. Lack of practice does not lead to precision nor perfection - not even close!

Nonetheless, committed - in for a penny and so on. I opened the valves adjusted a flame, donned some safety lens and took a bit of welding rod to the glowing junctures I hope to make sufficiently permanent to survive burial beneath ground until the next lid lifting.

Now, there are steels and then there are steels and I know not which I was attempting to weld into (effectively) one piece. Nor had I any idea of where my welding rod came from, what type it was or if it was 'welding rod' at all.

When I'd welded enough to hold the nut, I found the brazing rod and decided to 'fill in' with brass - attempting to compensate with volume for my lack of technique in Round One.

I think it worked.

First with a grinding wheel, subsequently with a 180 Grit flap disk I worked to clean up the area of 'the welds' as much to see if they were indeed welded as to pretty them up for the photographer.

And with that, I've finished - but still have no idea what to call this thing that I am ever so certain can be bought somewhere and hoping one of you will know what it is and who might offer me another!

Please lemme know if you do. "Mike Davis replied ... Lifting Eye at McMaster Carr Thanks that was quick!

Well, I saved about eleven dollars!

THE BACKSTORY

Also, it turns out this approach to lifting a Septic Tank lid, was the brainchild of Alan, the owner-operator of A&R Septic of Hudson, NC Apparently, he's somewhat famous among the state's honey dipper crowd.

When the fellows came to drain my septic tank, they had to lift a solid concrete cover/lid about three inches thick and likely over a cubic foot of concrete designed and fabricated absent any sort of handle to lift the thing.

It had been years and years since we'd had it pumped and I cannot recall the struggle they must have endured to open up that tank. I might have been inside when they did that part - and again when they put it back in place.

The fellows that attended the tank this year were very nice, most professional and expeditious. Once they'd estimated where the tank was buried and thence where the lid was likely to be and uncovered it, they saw the problem and ran to get an impact drill and a 1/2 inch concrete drill bit. Once they'd drilled the hole, they inserted a concrete anchor, washer and nut and secured it in the hole leaving about 3/4 of an inch the threads exposed.

Then, they whipped out a nylon strap affair with a 1.5 inch diameter loop that had a 1/2 inch nut as part of the ring/circle/loop of steel. This loop was simply threaded onto the exposed threads securely and the strap passed though the loop so that each man might take an end and lift the heavy cover in a heavenly direction.

I was impressed. It turns out this was a technique the owner of the honey dipping service had invested and was known for throughout the (local) industry. I told him I was impressed and we have quite a conversation relative to the issues we were having during which I failed to ask him "what's that loop/ring thing called?"

Well, you know 'cause I put the name in the title. But, long after he left I had no idea what to type into Googol. I asked here and there and finally got an answer from a fella on the Woodworker's blog thing and a link to one on MacMastrer Carr(SP?) to find out that a nut welded to an old chain link could cost me eight bucks or more!

And, that's how this contest entry was engendered.