It's a frosty morning, with frozen dew in all the spider webs, as I go outside to let the remaining 5 chickens out of their coop.
I stroll over to my shop, turning on the lights, and opening the large roll up shop door, then mosy over to the electric entrance gate to our ranch, open it, then turn off the gate opener, so the gate will stay open for the next few hours, as I await the delivery of the new Hannigan electric chair lift that is scheduled for delivery today.
I walk back to the house, getting warmed up, and I ask myself......"self, what would Thane do on a frosty December morning, whilst awaiting delivery of a UPS package" ?
Then it occurred to me, that Thane would occupy his time..... baking edible goods.
Doing my best Thane imitation, I set about preparing and baking.....a dozen Pumpkin spice cookies with Pecan nuts....then a batch of Double Chocolate Brownies....then a 6 pack of large Cornbread muffins with Honey in the mix.
Yeah...... that should tide me over until the UPS truck gets here.
In truth, you have me figured out. Additionally, we accidentally ordered kitchen cabinets this summer and the past couple of weeks after they were installed, I've been pretty sparing in my robust use of the kitchen while the temporary plywood countertops are in use. Cambria countertops will be installed next Tuesday so I can get back to genuine culinary adventures.
Sorry, but the Pecans were added to the Pumpkin spice cookies...... Walnuts were added to the Double Chocolate Brownies.....and raw Honey was added to the Cornbread muffins.
No "funny" stuff was added.
In the meantime....the UPS truck has come, delivered, and gone. They packed this electric chair lift SO well....I now have enough cardboard to fill my recycling can twice.
All unpacked, packing materials stuffed in the bins, now to "take my time" (ha ha ha ha ha) installing this new electric chair lift into our Hannigan GTL Sidecar.
BTW, in case anyone wants to know, the all in delivered price for this thing was $ 1,568.00
Yeah, that's a lot, but if you actually have a need for one, it's worth spending the money for it.
Two Million Mile Rider...All 7 Continents
Exploring the World in Comfort
I bought a bath tub lift for my MIL years ago and thought it would make a great start for a sidecar lift.
Cheap enough (as little as 300 on Amazon) to just scavenge the base part that holds the motor and lifting mechanism and adapt to your hacks floor and chair. No wiring needed if you use the built in rechargeable battery. There are also floor lifts that might be better but I’m not familiar with those. Search “bath lift chairs” on Amazon. AFAIK they are all 12 volts and have everything one would need. Some DIY engineering would be necessary.
I know Hannigan has done it. The subject came up on one of my visits there.
With Payton I am always open to new approaches.
Smitty, please take this advice to heart.....if you want an electric chair lift from Hannigan, I seriously suggest that you have Hannigan do the installation of it, in their shop.
I have run into issues with the one they sent to me, and I will refrain from commenting any further at this time.
Two Million Mile Rider...All 7 Continents
Exploring the World in Comfort
Smitty, I agree, some things are better left to the "pros". Which makes me wonder why the lowest man on the totem pole at Hannigan's was assigned to build this electric chair lift that they sent to me.
I have refrained from posting serious complaints about what I received, and will do my best to keep this short. I actually like Hannigan's, I like Dave & Ruth Anne Hannigan, and 9 out of 10 employees that I have met there.
But I cannot abide handing a project like this to the lowest man on the totem pole in any business environment. For them to build an electric chair lift, that is designed to work with the typical seat that they install in their GTL sidecar, a seat that they use in 75% of the sidecars they build, and have the electric chair lift NOT fit, or work with their own seats....is a pain for the customer that wants to install this electric chair lift themselves.
Yes, Hannigan's told me that they really like to install these electric chair lifts IN their own shop, and I understand why, but this also SHOWS why, because they are incapable of building any product with a standardized design and measurements. Everything they build has to be a ONE OFF build, so they need to build it in their shop, so they can tweak it here and there to make it work...with their own seats.
Yes, I was warned by Hannigan's that it may need some adjustments, and my reply was..this is not rocket science, but I am good at rocket science.
Okay, I can build a nuclear reactor, "literally"...but poor workmanship on welding together a dozen pieces of iron/steel, not getting basic measurements right, after I had sent them exacting measurements of the seat rails on the seat in my Hannigan GTL sidecar....a seat that they could have pulled off the shelf in their own shop to get the measurements off of, still won't allow them to build a quality product.
I am just frustrated because I do not like dealing with incompetence. I believe that if you pay for a product from a commercial company, every item I pay for should come to me as good as what Honda motorcycles would produce.
Yes, I realize that is not the "real world"....then to heck with the "real world", I say. When we accept incompetence and apathy, then all we are left with is incompetence and apathy.
I have spent the past couple days...cutting, grinding, drilling...repeat.
Cutting, grinding, drilling....repeat.
Say that 10 more times, and you get the idea.
At this moment, I am 95% done with the entire project, and simply need to find the exact locations to drill the last 4 holes to mount the entire assy to the sidecar, as it is in place, all wired in, and systems tested, switch in place, and now just need my Boss Monkey to sit in the seat, get an agreement on exactly (and the word "exactly" means something different to me than it does to most of the human population), where the final position will be, then I can drill the final 4 holes, and bolt it in place to the sidecar.
There is a reason that sidecar companies like LBS in the Netherlands exist, with a USA component in LBS-USA, as they build exacting precision.
As I said, I like Hannigan's, and especially Dave & Ruth Anne Hannigan, but I really like my money spent on exacting precision, not poor workmanship.
I can make this electric chair lift work for me, because of my own hands-on exacting precision...not because of what Hannigan's sent to me.
Two Million Mile Rider...All 7 Continents
Exploring the World in Comfort
Well..........the electric chair lift job is done...completed...finished. !
I will say, that of the 12" of actual lift that this electric chair lift offers, when NOT installed in a sidecar, we are only able to use 4" to 5" of that overall 12", because of how it needs to be installed inside the cabin of the sidecar.
However, when all is said and done, that 4" to 5" is enough to make it much easier for my Boss Monkey to get into, and out of the seat.
I do need to state, that this electric chair lift is almost useless on any of the sidecar rigs that have the large wrap-around windshields, like the Hannigan GTL, or the Hannigan Astro models, because....when installed, and even in the lowest position, it raises the seat at least 2.5", and brings the seat forward 3" from what it was before the electric chair lift, so....with the large wrap-around windshields it now places the Monkey's helmet in the very middle/center of a rather small opening between the windshield and the back of the inside of the sidecar.
This electric chair lift would be much better with a sidecar that has a flatter windshield, like my Hannigan Dream sidecar, or any other brands of sidecars that have a flatter windshield.
Frankly, a much better electric chair lift CAN be built, and it would be one that not only lifted the seat, but at the same time also tilted the seat slightly forward, much like some of the electric recliners do for home use.
I would politely suggest that if anyone is interested in these electric chair lifts offered by Hannigan, talk to me first, as it may save you a bunch of money. If it works for you, great, but if it won't work for you, let's discuss it first, before you spend the money.
Two Million Mile Rider...All 7 Continents
Exploring the World in Comfort
