drywall lift

[billconner]

Recommendations for drywall lifts? Walls only, 11', thinking with lift I could handle 4 x 12 x 5/8 sheets.

I see some for close to $100 on Amazon. ??? Harbor Freight might be close with a coupon.

I'll probably sell it on Craigslist or market place. Half price?

I did look and none close and none listed under $125-150.

Thoughts appreciated.

 

[Skiff Builder]

Did exactly the same Bill. 12' x 5/8 double layer, garage under house. working off sand at the time made it a bit tough. Bought new $125. Easy sale on Craigslist after for $75.
Liked the lift, but you still need to lift the sheet roughly waist high to get it onboard.

 

[billconner]

Thank you. Confirmation. I see telepro makes a lift just for walls that lifts from floor but $$$$. They also make a loader for their other lifts that also lifts from floor.

109 pounds versus 70 to avoid 10 but seams.

 

[mike93lx]

How quickly can you get it done? I'd be wanting to rent a quality lift over buying a really cheap one, especially on big, heavy type x

 

[cgrutt]

I have a USA made Panellift (Telepro) it's great but much more costly than the Chinese imports. I'm not sure if the Panellift is any better though but i have a very strong preference for USA made products. It does have 150# capacity and can lift 4x16 sheets to 11 feet (15 with optional accessory). My BIL bought an import to do his basement. He said it worked fine and considered it a consumable. After he completed project he left it out at his curb with a Free sign and it was gone in a couple hours.

 

[tarmy]

I bought one off Amazon…like 150 delivered this last winter for a similar job. Worked great for upper walls too. Gave it away after the one job I needed it for. You can see it here behind the ladder. When I was looking there was about 10-15 different ones on Amazon and they were all the same just different names and prices.

 

[billconner]

Does an 11' lift actually lift more like 13' for top of wall? 11' ceiling if flat, when tilted vertical isn't top of sheet nearer 13'? top of my wall around 11'-3".

 

[cgrutt]

Does an 11' lift actually lift more like 13' for top of wall? 11' ceiling if flat, when tilted vertical isn't top of sheet nearer 13'? top of my wall around 11'-3".

Yes will do 11' flat ceiling. Top of drywall is somewhat higher for wall but I'm not sure if it's exactly 2' due to the placement of the hangers. It could be a little lower than 13 on a wall. It could also run a bit higher for flat ceiling but you could also shim it with a couple 2x4s etc if you needed a bit higher.

 

[finn]

I bought a generic import off the internet a few years ago. It had an additional, extended mast that allowed me to also inst the steel on my 14’ garage ceiling.

For home use, there’s no benefit to buying a “high quality “ US built lift. The imports do the job just fine.

I did several home projects and loaned it out a few times. The intent was to sell it when I was done, but this thread reminded me that it’s still sitting in the back of my storage shed. I really should pull it out and list it on Marketplace.

 

[lardy1]

I bought one to put the ceiling in my shop by myself. It worked like a charm. Problem is.....I no longer have any use for it and it takes up too much storage space for something I'm not using.

Anyone in mid Michigan need a drywall lift?

 

[acer66]

I got a cheapo china import of amazon years ago and I used it many times over and let friends borrow it.

Makes things so much easier and it can also be used for plywood and such.

One of those tools I wish I had bought much earlier since I most of the time work alone.

 

[Terra Nova]

Check Craig's List and Facebook Market Place. They can usually be found for $100-$150. They are not high end but usually someone that bought it to finish their basement or garage and is selling it after the project is over. That's how I picked mine up. Was super handy for hanging the heater on the ceiling of the garage too.

 

[finn]

Check Craig's List and Facebook Market Place. They can usually be found for $100-$150. They are not high end but usually someone that bought it to finish their basement or garage and is selling it after the project is over. That's how I picked mine up. Was super handy for hanging the heater on the ceiling of the garage too.

Worked like a charm for the 75k btu heaters I installed in the garage and shop.

 

[billconner]

On the bright, seems a nominal 11' will easily lift to top of wall at 11'-3" so thank you @cgrutt for that confirmation.

Well, two guys here with one to sell but way to far. Nothing within 100 miles from me on Craigslist or Marketplace, looking sporadically over past month, and all over $150-200. They're in stock at local Lowe's, so I think I'll go there. Marshalltown brand shouldn't be bad at a little over $200.

Thank you all. It is reassuring to hear they have helped.

 

[cgrutt]

@billconner I'm from downstate NY but travel to southern ADK pretty frequently I'd be happy to lend you my lift if you ever get down this way. (Assuming you're western NYS from your profile).

 

[billconner]

I'm one of those that insists that thruway is the dividing line between upstate and downstate. I'm close to the Thousand Island Bridge - where 81 crosses the border.

Any idea when you'll next be north? I'm weighing two 3 hr round trips to Syracuse (?) versus purchase at Lowe's - 45 minute round trip - and later sale.

Thank you so much for offer!!

 

[cgrutt]

I'm one of those that insists that thruway is the dividing line between upstate and downstate. I'm close to the Thousand Island Bridge - where 81 crosses the border.

Any idea when you'll next be north? I'm weighing two 3 hr round trips to Syracuse (?) versus purchase at Lowe's - 45 minute round trip - and later sale.

Thank you so much for offer!!

Yeah probably cheaper to just buy one looks more like 3.5 hrs to Albany and/or Lake George area I get up that way fairly often (sometimes weekly but at least 2x per month) but hardly ever go west. That would be over 14 hrs of driving aside from the gas. Sorry for some reason I thought it was much closer.

 

[billconner]

Well, thank you again in any case. We are the way the heck up here.

 

[billconner]

Success it seems!

 

[signcrafter]

Looks like your **** joint isn't broke over a stud?

 

[billconner]

Using a home made **** board. 7/16 OSB and cardboard shims. See this thread: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/trim-texs-****-board.523302/

 

[signcrafter]

Using a home made **** board. 7/16 OSB and cardboard shims. See this thread: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/trim-texs-****-board.523302/

I see it in the other pic now.

 

[AC-WC]

Got mine from ebay for around $150 w/free delivery. They are all the same whether from HF, ebay, amazon.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

The cheap (red) ones are all exactly the same. I got mine on either Amazon or eBay several years ago for $129 new, still have it. Used it for the garage ceiling and three rooms in the house (wall and ceiling). Worth every penny.

 

[billconner]

They are worth the money. Now if I could load a 4x12x5/8 onto it. Got thec4x10x5/8 on.

 

[mike93lx]

 

[billconner]

Finished the large pieces. All small easily held pieces left.

Can't say I'm terribly impressed with lift quality. It certainly worked as I do could not put a 4x12x5/8 piece 11' solo without it but: the bolt holding the spring pieces at bottom of the arms was stripped; the spring catch on the extendable supports fell apart; the caster brakes quickly bent (still work); and something else I forgot.

Torn between selling it and never doing drywall again or storing it.

 

[mike93lx]

I vote for never doing drywall again. I'll always vote for that

 

[cgrutt]

Glad to hear you've got the hard stuff done. As stated above my BIL considers those $200 lifts to be consumables. Got the job done all that matters.

 

[finn]

I got mine about eight or ten years ago, I think from a eBay seller in Michigan.

Today I happened to look at the current Harbor Freight lift. What a difference. All the HF metal pieces, including the tubing and cables seems to be 7/8 scale to the older imported lifts. Mine has worked well, though it’s no professional tool. If all I had available was the HF, I think I would rent from Menards instead of buying. The HF is not confidence inspiring.

 

[billconner]

The very last piece of drywall is up. Inspected, drove a few screws, chamfered **** joint edges, and prefilled gaps, corners, and **** joints with Easysand 90. Next is installing L-beads and bullnose corners and the bullnose accessories. Then mud and tape......

 

[signcrafter]

It's coming along. Now that you got your drywall lift you might as well look into semi auto corner tools for taping and go all out. Lol. But in all seriousness they were probably the best investment I made in drywall tools. Almost makes finishing fun how easy they make it.

 

[billconner]

I am perversely enjoying the initial mud work. My outside corners all have bullnose corner bead, so will be pretty simple to finish ( I think!).

 

[mike93lx]

When you start to enjoy drywall, it's time for a vacation

 

[csp]

I gave $45 on an online auction for a Telepro that was missing two casters. I think it came from a rental store. Telepro tried to tell me that the casters were proprietary and could only be ordered through them for upwards of $50 each.

Popped the remaining stem caster out, did some measuring and easily found two more that were a very common size for much less. That thing has been awesome so far and will be put to use soon putting a new ceiling on the 50 year old shop we just bought.

 

[billconner]

Got a lot of the trim text bullnose corner bead up as well as their L-bead. Did some mud on L-bead to see how it went. Very smoothly and easy. Hope to have all trim tex up tomorrow, and maybe mud and tape all weekend. Going better than I anticipated.

 

[billconner]

Mostly second coat Scrape and sand tomorrow and see how much I can dial coat. Hope it's last time I tape and mud drywall.

 

[billconner]

These were day before Thanksgiving.

 

[mike93lx]

Looks great!

 

[billconner]

Thanks. I just never know what imperfections in the mudding will show up. I guess I can always touch up after primer is on, go around with a light.