Anyone make a one man FEL lift?

[mike48130]

Never a fan on being in the bucket, although I have done it several times. Scaffolding with the tools on a pallet next to you is the best way to go. You can usually find some used scaffolding at a decent price, but some people seem to think it's made of gold.

Bought a 45 ft JLG bucket lift several years ago for a couple projects and didn't want to me on the ladders that high working alone. Well worth the money if you have the use. I wish I had a way to haul it or got a towable one. I just moved it from my dad's house to my house this weekend and cost $300 for the move. Took down 3 trees next to the house in a couple hours. I think it's staying at my house for awhile.

15 ft isn't that high. I have a 12ft step ladder that I used for projects like that. Not sure how heavy this fan is. With the loader next to you several better ways of doing it instead of being in the bucket.

 

[Industrial Toys]

That's the problem with the real lifts. Most of us, can't move them around. It's why those awful, retarded towable ones have become so popular around here. I would have zero want for a lift that is not mobile in it's working capacity.

 

[mike48130]

That's the problem with the real lifts. Most of us, can't move them around. It's why those awful, retarded towable ones have become so popular around here.

Never used a towable, but seems like a good option. The Home Depot by me rents them now. The one thing I liked about them is having the outriggers to level it if you have some slope. No way to level my machine other than stacked up plywood.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I guess, if you have a single high location you need to get at. Like so many things. If a contractor, passes on the rental to the customer and charges the increased hours to mess with such a contraption, what does he care?

 

[Big Barn]

Another option would be to buy an old cable or telecom van with a man lift.

No need to license it but you could buy a one day permit to DRIVE it to another property or job site.

Home Depots in my area don’t have towable lifts to rent. If available that would be my choice.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Someone just tried to sell me one, but there was a misunderstanding. He called it a "lift". Turns out to be a truck mounted unit. Made me shudder, just thinking about maintaining an old truck! It would be the same old thing. You want to do a quick job, but end up messing with the old POS truck! And the horrible junking up of your property, for something that most of would use only very rarely.

HYDRO showed up here last week in a brand new F550 with an Altek lift, with squirt boom, to take a sample of the transformer. No outriggers, but I disliked the way that thing rocked on it's tires. They had square boards like for under outriggers, and the guy said they were meant to be driven on. Strange!

 

[Big Barn]

Someone just tried to sell me one, but there was a misunderstanding. He called it a "lift". Turns out to be a truck mounted unit. Made me shudder, just thinking about maintaining an old truck! It would be the same old thing. You want to do a quick job, but end up messing with the old POS truck! And the horrible junking up of your property, for something that most of would use only very rarely.

That’s exactly why I’ve never purchased one!

 

[Fuddy1952]

Sorry to be contrary but I would rent some construction scaffolding...

Got me thinking about scaffolding. I can order this online, even Wal-Mart, $143. 6ft but easy to add another section so 12ft.
1000# rating. Anyone use that particular one. Northern Tool sells it also. When not in use it could be shelf storage.

 

[Fuddy1952]

I'd go for the scaffolding. You can put it on wheels and 15' is not that high for scaffolding. You can use the tractor to lift materials onto the scaffolding.

Sounds like may be my best choice. I also have to put lights up high as well.

 

[Renze]

Someone just tried to sell me one, but there was a misunderstanding. He called it a "lift". Turns out to be a truck mounted unit. Made me shudder, just thinking about maintaining an old truck! It would be the same old thing.

The local contractor chopped the cab off such truck/van (mercedes vario, a van body mounted on an 8 ton truck frame) hammered the chassis into a vee and welded on a towbar. Inside the van he put up shelves for chainsaw, gas cans, a generator and a workbench with a chain sharpener. And hooks to store steel wires and comalongs