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manual forklift


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Hi folks, does anyone have any experience of using a manual forklift a.k.a manual stacker?

I'm considering moving into a workshop where there won't be anyone else around to help with lifting heavy work or unloading awkward deliveries like 2m x 1m sheets of thick plate off the delivery lorry so I'm going to need an alternative to a forklift, which I can't afford.

Any pros/cons people have experienced would be great as even the cheapest seem to be about £700. They generally seem to be rated to about 1000kg - 1500kg lift capacity. Cheers                                    
                                                                   

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Nice to have one tool that is used for more than one chore in the shop.

Like getting tools into the building to transform a farm barn into a workshop!

We use them where I work.  The push types are tough to move unless you're a big boy - even then, I'd say 1500 lbs might be tops to handle comfortably.  The self propelled ones are more user friendly. but of course, also more expensive.

Uneven floors are their enemy then I take it?

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I am also in the process of moving my shop and I have the same issues.  My neighbor has a forklift but it only works on smooth concrete surfaces thus it won't help on the gravel in front of my shop.  What I am doing is using the front end loader on my tractor to load and I have send emails to various rental agencies in the destination city regarding forklift rental options.  All the big and or heavy stuff is going on the first 18' trailer load of shop equipment.  That way it can all be unloaded at one and there should still be room to move the forklift around in the new shop.  I am going to try to do a Friday to Monday rental, often charged as one day, for the forklift.

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When I moved I was lucky enough to have a family friend with a 4wd "manipulator" who ran the pallets off the flatbed semi all over the desert and into the shop door.  Once in the shop with the concrete floor I used rollers and a come along when necessary,

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Well I mentioned the manual forklift idea to the fabricator/engineer I rent some workshop space off a.t.m, he imagined a manual forklift would be very awkward and suggested I make a 10ft wide A frame gantry which delivery lorries could drive under/I could wheel the lorry. He's a clever sausage when it comes to this kind of thing so I'm generally pretty happy to take his suggestions as the best answer. If I bat my eyelids at him he might even design me one on CAD, he loves to extol the virtues of CAD so me asking would probably make him feel satisfied.

Edited by Joel OF
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