So I don't weld

[Couple of Achers]

But I am pretty handy with an air nailer and a saw. I know there has been other man lifts posted here, but them ones I remember were all fabricated with metal and a welder. Since I neither have a welder, or even know how to weld (wish I did), here is what I came up with a few years ago. Works a lot better then standing in a bucket, or even on a flat platform with no railing. If you can stand on a deck, you can stand on this. I have used if for a number of chores, the best one being trimming trees around my place. The railings lock into the forks back plate and there is a safety chain in the front you hook up once your in. It is also chained to the loader so it can't slide off the forks, even if you do for some reason or the other. Thought you welders might get a kick out of this one.

 

[jayste]

But I am pretty handy with an air nailer and a saw. I know there has been other man lifts posted here, but them ones I remember were all fabricated with metal and a welder. Since I neither have a welder, or even know how to weld (wish I did), here is what I came up with a few years ago. Works a lot better then standing in a bucket, or even on a flat platform with no railing. If you can stand on a deck, you can stand on this. I have used if for a number of chores, the best one being trimming trees around my place. The railings lock into the forks back plate and there is a safety chain in the front you hook up once your in. It is also chained to the loader so it can't slide off the forks, even if you do for some reason or the other. Thought you welders might get a kick out of this one.

I like it. Good use of the skills and tools you have. Actually, it looks like a "temporary" porch I built once for the back of a mobile home. Yes, I started with a pallet and some 4X4's!

Jay

 

[JB4310]

Well I can weld but I made one out of a pallet also just for the rare use it would be needed (tree trimming etc) Yours looks much nicer though.
We did use it to help neighbor paint the back of a small barn/garage, it was a big help getting over and squashing down some overgrown pricker bushes.

Something to hold the platform to the fork carrier is important as you mentioned, I might add the use of a safety belt and a short lanyard to help keep you in/on the platform.

You just need a trustworthy driver, to bad we can't come up with some kind of remote joy stick to operate from the platform

JB.

 

[Couple of Achers]

Actually mine did not start out as a pallet. It was designed and constructed like a pallet, but it is all built from the ground up. No pun intended. I had torn a section of our deck off the side of our house to make room for a 3 season porch. The deck was only 5-6 years old, so the lumber was just too good to scrap. I had a lot of it laying around for years, when I saw a man lift here on this site and the little light bulb in my head went off. So the base is 2x4 with 5/4 decking on both the top and bottom. The spindles I just screwed on and the top rail I just cut to length. That is why the one end of the top rail is mitered. It was being used as a railing on the stairs originally, so it was already cut at an angle. Plus it works great for getting the rail started into the forks back stop. The chain, nails and bolts I had around here. Total cost. Nothing. Plus it's all made out of GT lumber so you can leave it outside and not worry about it. Each year before I ascend to the tree tops, I check to make sure the fasteners aren't working loose and we are good to go.

As far as the remote joy stick option goes, then what would my wife do?
See drives while I'm up in the air. I know, but it's a trusting relationship, and I have no life insurance, so I am better off alive then dead. It's worked so far. Plus, I am almost afraid to admit this. She has spent more hours on a tractor when she was growing up on the farm, then I ever have. She cut her teeth on an International Super H. These new fangled hydrostatic tractors, as she calls them, are nothing for her to operate.

 

[jinman]

My dream-lift would be an enclosed 3'x4' platform sitting on 6' legs. Each leg would be tubing and have smaller tubing inside with a locking mechanism that would insert a pin at predetermined heights (say every 6"). The platform would be attached to the smaller tubing and have a telescoping hydraulic cylinder in the middle that is run by an open-center log-splitter valve. You would attach hoses to hydraulic quick connects you use for a grapple. The telescoping cylinder would be at least 48" extension so you could have a platform as high as 10' and be able to easily reach as high as 16' while standing on the platform. The tractor would be used to move the lift into position, but the lift would sit on it's own legs so that any leakdown on the FEL would not matter. Also, since you would have a remote log-splitter valve in the basket, you would not need anyone on the ground to operate the tractor. Even if the tractor dies, you would have full control of lowering the lift after unlocking the legs.

I think this could be built for $500 - $700 depending on features and materials. My tractor's cylinders leak slowly down and the bucket is no longer a good manlift platform because of that. This type of lift would use the tractor just to move and place the lift and then power it with remote hydraulics. What do you think?

EDIT: DANG! I forgot my manners. I meant to say that those wooden lifts look great and can be very productive with the proper care. It sure is better than standing on a ladder.

 

[Couple of Achers]

Moved to hydraulic section.

 

[bucmeister]

Hey jinman, what is the story behind the tractor nosed down in your signature photo??

 

[Thomas]

We have carpenter in our area w/somewhat of the same setup,hardly uses a ladder when building homes also garages.

Nice setup.

 

[J_J]

Couple of Achers,

Although what you have will work fine, there is no reason that a unit made out of steel could not be bolted together or the materials collected and have a welder weld everything together.

 

[Couple of Achers]

Couple of Achers,

Although what you have will work fine, there is no reason that a unit made out of steel could not be bolted together or the materials collected and have a welder weld everything together.

Oh absolutely. I just used what I had. I'm a tinkerer and enjoy building things myself when ever I can. No reason to pay a welder in this case.