Scissor Lift

[crazyal]

I think the bushings will be your biggest problem. If i remember correctly they have to be extremely tight fitting or when your extended it'll be very dangerous. Plus a large amount of force when the cylinder extends.

 

[brokenot]

Nobody has mentioned it yet, but proper hydraulics aren't going to be inexpensive either. There isn't a manufactured scissor or boom lift out there that I'm aware of that doesn't have holding valves in the lift cylinder(s).

You do not want to be elevated and have a hose or fitting failure without load checks/holding valves. If you're not equipped as such, your descent from an elevated position will be more rapid than you'd like.

Since the holding valves are built into the cylinder body, they're not easy to rig up or duplicate on your own. Putting a holding valve anywhere but right in, (or on), the cylinder itself renders it ineffective because the plumbing from it to the cylinder could also fail.

The bottom fell out of the used aerial lift market a couple of years ago, and it hasn't made a comeback yet. There was simply too much iron out there when the economy took a dump. A scissor or boom is worth half of what it was only five years ago or so.

Buy one, use it, and re-sell when you're done...

 

[flusher]

Has anyone made a scissor type man lift? I was thinking about trying and using one of my Cushman trucksters as the frame. They have Hydraulics so that's not an issue but am conserned about stability. Wheel bases are about 3.5-4 ft wide x 4ft long. I'd be look at going 20-24ft high. I'd be using it to assist in installing a pole barn. Around were I live (low Alabama) the lifts go from $100-250/day. Even if it cost me $600+ to make it would be worth it.

Don't waste your time trying to jury rig a DIY manlift--the injury risks are too great. Get some good scaffolding.

Scaffold Mart has good stuff and good prices and free shipping on orders over $600.

Scaffold Mart. Scaffolding at the Best Possible Prices

Here the scaffolding I got from SM to build a Japanese pergola last year.



Bakers Type Scaffold Ladder, Scaffold Frame - from ScaffoldMart

I only had to go up 10 ft. I'd use one of their other packages to handle your height requirement.

http://www.scaffoldmart.com/scaffold-tower-packages/26-scaffolding-tower.html

If I were you, I'd stretch my budget a little, get the scaffolding and be safe!!!!

Good luck.