Suggestions for bucket truck or man lift

[BeezFun]

I'm going to build a good sized pole barn, thinking of buying either a used bucket truck or man lift to be able to do all the work myself. When I'm done I'll probably sell it, might keep it around for maintenance and tree trimming. I was surprised how cheap you can buy these things once they've got some age on them (cheap as in $5-10K). Some have small jib cranes on the bucket that can lift a few thousand pounds. If anyone has done something like this I'm interested in what you bought and whether you were able to sell it when you were done. I'm also thinking about just keeping it, we probably spend $1000 a year to have trees trimmed or damaged trees removed, I could safely do that myself.

[jmanatee2]

I bought a trailer-able boom lift ($4000 used) Workforce XLB 4232 used it a lot for gutters, tree work and building my new house and garage. It was one of the most important tools on the site. used to place trusses (on garage house was to tall) lift metal roofing, vinyl siding, trim work, etc...

I wont sell it any time soon.

[BeezFun]

I bought a trailer-able boom lift ($4000 used) Workforce XLB 4232

I've never been on the towable style. I assume you can operate it from the ground if you used it to set trusses. I want to be able to do the same thing, and help position the top of long posts when I set them for pole barn. The workload rating on that one is 300#, I'd sure like to be able to have two people in the bucket for some things.

[jmanatee2]

Yes you can control it from ground or air. You can also rotate it and lower it by hand crank in case of lost power.

I wish it had a higher workload too but it was what was available. The basket on it is a one person, There are tow-ables that are two person, and have a greater capacity, Having said that. I know it lifted the garage trusses 300lb each without any problems. I would bet it could lift 600 to 1000 lbs safely.

There is one way I would get rid of mine, If I can find a good priced Genie TZ-50 (Genie - TZ?-50) or something similar I would jump on it,

[B8FISH]

I've got a Genie TMZ34/19 (towable) that I like, used a "real" boom lift when doing the primary construction on our barn--the reach of a boom unit is much better than the towable scissor-lift style. I keep my eyes open for the newer style that has hydraulic leveling, that is the biggest PITA with this unit on my property--getting it level where there are hills. I would strongly advise a "wheeled" or drivable unit if you are starting from scratch--there is a lot of moving around during new construction, and setting up and leveling and then moving will get old quick. I really like my unit for what it offers, and it is great for working on a project (chimney, window repair, roofing projects etc).

[jmanatee2]

I agree 100% on the hydraulic levelers. Not sure I agree on the drivable unit. I can bring my boom to my parents or friends, I couldnt with the drivable ones, because some of them weigh 30,000lbs or more.

[BeezFun]

...I would strongly advise a "wheeled" or drivable unit if you are starting from scratch--there is a lot of moving around during new construction, and setting up and leveling and then moving will get old quick. I really like my unit for what it offers, and it is great for working on a project (chimney, window repair, roofing projects etc).

Yes that's what I was thinking too. As Jmanatee2 points out weight is the other side of that coin. The ones I've used at work weigh about 20,000 pounds and can do a lot of damage around the house. After I build this barn I'll want to do things like clean the gutters, trim trees, etc, and I can't be driving over the lawn with a 20,000 pound lift unless it hasn't rained for a month. My big concern during construction is being able to raise the trusses, which will probably be about 300-400 pounds, so maybe a towable is reasonable. Our pasture and lot is like a sod farm it's so flat, so leveling up won't be too big an issue.

[BeezFun]

I bought a trailer-able boom lift ($4000 used) Workforce XLB 4232 used it a lot for gutters, tree work and building my new house and garage. It was one of the most important tools on the site. used to place trusses (on garage house was to tall) lift metal roofing, vinyl siding, trim work, etc...

I wont sell it any time soon.

There's one for sale on ebay now, I think it's the same model you have.

[CaseRobert]

Bil-jax makes a tow behind man lift mounted on a self propelled chassis, they weight a lot less than one of those huge shooting boom man-lift's
Bil-Jax: Matching Products
i would be very wary of a cheap bucket truck. you never know how abused they may be and could find out the hard way that the previous owner didn't believe in preventative maintenance.

[aczlan]

My big concern during construction is being able to raise the trusses, which will probably be about 300-400 pounds, so maybe a towable is reasonable. Our pasture and lot is like a sod farm it's so flat, so leveling up won't be too big an issue.

My local yard rents a towable lift (JLG T350) which (if you remove the basket) can lift 500# off of its lifting eyes.

Aaron Z