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WOOD Magazine’s construction-grade mobile crane is a hand-operated wooden construction toy, not a load-rated lifting machine. Its tower pivots on a ball-bearing lazy Susan, and separate hand-operated hoists raise and lower the boom and bucket. WOOD lists the finished project at 25 inches high, with a 13-inch reach, 8-inch track and 11-inch wheelbase.
What the plan builds
WOOD describes the project as a “fully operational construction toy.” The crane has a wheeled chassis with eight sets of dual wheels. Its tower turns on a ball-bearing lazy Susan, while hand-operated hoists control the boom and bucket. The design’s moving features make it a wooden play or display project; the listing does not establish any capacity or safety rating for lifting real loads.
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Finished dimensions and plan history
| Measurement or detail | WOOD listing |
|---|---|
| Overall height | 25 inches |
| Reach | 13 inches |
| Track | 8 inches |
| Wheelbase | 11 inches |
| Magazine issue | WOOD Issue 185, September 2008 |
The WOOD Store listing with these dimensions was updated January 16, 2024: Construction-grade Mobile Crane woodworking plan. WOOD Magazine also published a free-plan page on November 21, 2017, offering a downloadable PDF: Free Construction-grade Mobile Crane Woodworking Plan.
Plan, PDF and parts kit: what is separate
The free WOOD Magazine page offers a downloadable plan PDF. Its available description does not spell out the cut list, assembly sequence, required tools, lumber species or full hardware specifications, so consult the PDF for the actual build details rather than assuming them from the product description.
#1 Best Overall
- MATERIALS NOT INCLUDED, PAPER PLAN ONLY
- These plans are the "best of" the projects from Editors of Woodcraft Magazine
- Illustrations for various project steps, a cut list and cutting diagram
- A Convenience Plus Buying Guide - A beginner or an accomplished woodworker, the Woodcraft Classic Plan series will have a plan for you
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A separate project kit is listed for the crane. It supplies specialty parts and hardware for one crane, but not lumber; the kit and plan are sold separately. Check the listing for current availability and contents: Construction-grade Mobile Crane project hardware kit.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How this plan differs from other wooden crane projects
Two other plans may appear in searches for wooden cranes, but they are different projects with different scales and deliverables.
Quick Recap
Best Value
| Project | Stated size | Features and deliverables |
|---|---|---|
| WOOD Construction-grade Mobile Crane | 25 inches high; 13-inch reach; 8-inch track; 11-inch wheelbase | Wheeled construction toy; hand-operated boom and bucket hoists; rotating tower; free PDF plan page and separately sold parts kit. |
| Craftsmanspace wooden truck-crane model | 183 × 492 × 140 mm | Smaller truck-mounted model; drawings and laser-cut patterns; described as raising/lowering and rotating. Craftsmanspace wooden truck-crane model plan. |
| WOOD Construction-grade Truck Crane | Boom extends more than four feet | Different design with a 360-degree rotating turntable and functioning outriggers; featured in WOOD Issue 229, November 2014. Construction-grade Truck Crane plan. |
Choosing the right plan
- Choose the mobile-crane plan if you want the larger wheeled construction toy with a separately operated boom and bucket and a rotating tower.
- Use the free-plan PDF to confirm the parts, materials, tools and assembly requirements before starting; the brief product descriptions do not provide those build specifications.
- Account for the parts kit separately if you need its specialty hardware, and source lumber independently.
- Treat “construction-grade” as the project name, not as evidence that the completed wooden toy is suitable for lifting loads.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
