CM by Stuart Rush
Lodestar
Shopstar
Compare the CM Lodestar hoist and the CM Shopstar, including capacity ranges, safety features, suspension options, voltage, lift heights, and best-fit applications.
Feature List
Industrial overhead lifting & high duty cycle applications
Rugged industrial and commercial lifting, ideal for workstations and production lines
Rigid hook (standard), swivel hook, plain trolley, geared trolley, or motorized trolley
Rigid hook (standard), swivel hook, plain trolley, geared trolley, or motorized trolley
Overload clutch, adjustable screw limit switch, DC brake standard, optional AC/double DC brake, NEMA 3R
Standard overload device, dual braking system (DC + regenerative), NEMA 4 industrial-rated control station
The CM Lodestar is built for demanding, high-duty industrial overhead lifting where long service life and heavy daily use are expected. The CM ShopStar is designed for rugged industrial and commercial lifting in a compact package, making it a strong fit for workstations, production lines, and general material-handling tasks.
The CM Lodestar covers a broader capacity range for heavier lifts, making it easier to standardize one hoist family across multiple load classes. The CM ShopStar focuses on lighter capacities (up to 1,000 lbs), which is often ideal when your lifts are frequent but not heavy.
The CM Lodestar offers a wider overall speed range, including slower heavy-lift speeds and faster options for lighter capacities to support productivity. The CM ShopStar provides practical speed options for lighter loads, balancing control and throughput for common workstation and line-side lifting.
The CM Lodestar is commonly specified with standard lift lengths of 10-, 15-, and 20-foot that cover typical overhead applications, with additional lift lengths available as needed. The CM ShopStar is typically configured with a 10-foot standard lift, with longer lift options available depending on how the hoist is ordered.
Both the CM Lodestar and CM ShopStar are available in 115V single-phase as well as three-phase voltage options used in industrial facilities. This makes either hoist workable in everything from smaller shops with single-phase power to plants standardized on three-phase power.
The CM Lodestar is built around a rigid hook suspension as a common baseline, with options like swivel hooks and multiple trolley styles when the application needs travel. The CM ShopStar supports rigid hook or lug suspension and can also be configured with swivel hook and trolley options, giving flexibility for both fixed-point lifting and runway-style movement.
The CM Lodestar typically includes a fabric chain container on standard configurations, helping keep slack chain managed and the work area cleaner. The CM ShopStar is commonly supplied with a chain container on standard-lift packages, and container sizing can be selected to match longer lifts or different reeving needs.
The CM Lodestar typically includes a fabric chain container on standard configurations, helping keep slack chain managed and the work area cleaner. The CM ShopStar is commonly supplied with a chain container on standard-lift packages, and container sizing can be selected to match longer lifts or different reeving needs.
The CM Lodestar emphasizes industrial safety and control with overload protection and positive travel limiting, along with robust braking appropriate for high-duty lifting. The CM ShopStar pairs overload protection with a dual-braking approach and a durable industrial control station, supporting safe handling for frequent light-to-medium lifts.
The CM Lodestar is made in the USA, which can be a deciding factor for buyers prioritizing domestic manufacturing and traceable build standards. The CM ShopStar country of origin can depend on the specific model/configuration, so confirm origin if “Made in USA” is a required purchasing criterion.
Both the CM Lodestar and CM ShopStar are backed by a lifetime warranty, aligning them with long-term ownership expectations in industrial environments. The main difference is typically not the warranty length, but how each hoist’s capacity range, duty profile, and configuration options map to the job.
