I used my lift for the first time

[Spencer]

I finally used my <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tractorbynet.com/cgi-bin/compact/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=buildit&Number=160147&page=&view=&sb=&o=&vc=1>personnel lift</A> for the first time yesterday. I had to cut off the tops of some of the posts on my pole barn and I wanted a sturdier platform that just a ladder. I put my Honda generator on the lower section of the lift to power my worm drive circular saw. I was working by myself so I had to use a ladder to get into the lift but that was still easier and safer than it would have been to just work off a ladder.

The lift came in handy later in the day when I started putting up the 16 foot 2" by 12" truss carriers. I would clamp a 2" by 12" to the top of the lift so that it would not slide off while I was lifting it and then I raised it up to the proper height. Then I climbed into the lift and picked up the 2" by 12" and clamped it onto the posts. It was hard enough working with the 2" by 12" this way, I can only imagine what it would have been like if I had tried to climb a ladder holding a 16 foot 2" by 12" and get it clamped in place twelve feet off the ground, by myself, at night, while in a snow storm. We ended up getting 4" of snow while I was out there working.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Wow! Thats really nice! I likes!!

ps. Could you take a picture of how its hooked to the fel?

Thanks!
John

 

[JohnMiller3]

Very Nice workmanship Spence!

Have you tested the maximum number of pounds in your lift... before the back end rears up...?

(keeping that generator on the ground would give you a few~~ hundred pounds of insurance in your favor...)

That is a long "lever" you're dealing with... remember those see-saw days...

 

[Spencer]

Picard335, If you click on the words "personnel lift" in my first post that will take you to the original post I made while building the lift. It shows quite a few pictures, probably more than everybody wanted to see at that time. If you read the entire thread you will see that I changed my plans along the way because of helpful input from TBN.

 

[Spencer]

John, as you can see in first picture I posted, I had my Bush Hog rotary cutter on the 3 point. I believe the rotary cutter weighs 400 to 500 pounds. That is the heaviest implement I had so that is what I used for a counter weight. I jumped up and down to test the stability and I was satisfied. Later in the day when I was using it to put up the truss carriers I switched from the rotary cutter to a rear blade to give me a little bit more maneuverability. The generator was no longer on the lift and everything seemed quite stable. Here is a picture I just took of the pole barn this morning. Most of our snow melted overnight and this morning but there is still some left. I really wish I had the roof on already.

 

[hazmat]

Spencer,

Here's a caption for the snow covered picture.

"If I'm really good & help speed up the building of the barn, my owner will let me sleep inside"

Good to see your project in action

 

[dkchandler]

Wow! That is a nice setup. I wish I could build something like that for my little BX2200. I would be afraid my BX would tip over!
Very good work!

 

[Spencer]

Here is a picture of last years "barn". This year the tractor is going to have to wait until the real barn roof is done because I don't think my wife will allow another "barn" like last year.

 

[JohnMiller3]

Your design looks really well thought out... /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

The only other thing I would address would be the hydraulic "leakdown or creep"...

(you certainly don't want that assembly sliding down a side or into a building... especially with someone in it!)

 

[Spencer]

<font color=blue> The only other thing I would address would be the hydraulic "leakdown or creep"... </font color=blue>

My tractor only seems to leakdown when it is turned off, so I just left the tractor idling.