Nice Job
I'm building one similar.i hope to run it off a Drill motor
Both the lift and drive train
Acme screw for the lift and haven't got to the drive yet
Interesting-I thought of using an Acme screw/nut with a crank and did a small test. I was thinking hand crank so it wouldn't be the same as using a Drill motor. I think I had a 8 pitch rod and it would have been too much cranking for my taste. I also thought about the weight and figured I'd go with a more primitive design. I am inclined to make things more complicated than they need to be but that's part of the fun for me and, it sounds like anyway, you as well. Let me see some pics when you have it done.
As a DIY project these units can get as sophisticated as one's abilities, imagination and, more importantly, the shop tools utilized. I REALLY wish I had a tig welder so I could weld all the aluminum. As an initial attempt I'd have had to use a large number of fasteners to mock it up and test it so going back to weld now would mean removing and filling the fastener/holes which doesn't compute into the need for a tig unit.
IMO, one doesn't even need a hand truck to start with if there is enough machinery and experience available. All that was left from my hand truck was the bottom blade, frame and handle. Even the handle was almost ditched and reworked but I was able to remove it from its original cart conversion bracket and relocate it on the side of the frame instead of behind it using six notched pieces of tubing as spacers. This also allowed me to ditch the cart conversion hinge which weighed at least 18 lbs.
Good luck with your builds. I think the chiropractic field will be out a few patients.