Grain leg service elevator

Grain legs tend to fall into two categories: those with some type of service elevator lift, or those with ladders or wrap-around stairs that allow access to the top. When you need to make repairs on the latter type, getting tools to the top of a grain leg can be a great deal of work.

Paul Waldner and his father experienced this problem and decided to create a solution.

“We would climb the ladder and drop a bucket with rope attached to it over the side of the platform down to the ground,” says Waldner. “We hoisted tools and parts back to the top. Usually, it was several loads and three to five trips up and down the ladder to get the process finished. We saw professional elevator lifts and decided it was time to build our own smaller version.”

The Waldners fastened overhead-door tracks to the trunk of the grain elevator. They built a 2×3-foot platform, attached 4-foot-tall sides and a back structure, installed guide wheels for the tracks, and welded tool holders to the sides. A 16-inch pulley and cable are used to run the lift. A 200-pound counterweight offsets the weight of the load going up.

Paul Waldner

Farming operation: Paul Waldner is part of a Hutterite colony in Lethbridge, Alberta, that grows barley, spring wheat, durum, lentils, canola, and mustard. They also raise pigs, chickens, and dairy cattle.

Hobbies: Beyond farming, Waldner enjoys woodworking, hockey, and baseball. Family: Waldner is the oldest of five siblings.

Email: trappermad6@ gmail.com