# Scissor lift rental



## pennpainter (Apr 1, 2019)

I need to rent a 19' scissor lift for a job. Can I get this in the bed of my truck with a ramp or something? Or does it need a trailer? Also, getting it in to the residence up over the front step/porch... any suggestions?


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## Pete Martin the Painter (Nov 8, 2012)

pennpainter said:


> I need to rent a 19' scissor lift for a job. Can I get this in the bed of my truck with a ramp or something? Or does it need a trailer? Also, getting it in to the residence up over the front step/porch... any suggestions?


Isn't this something you should be asking the company you are renting the lift from. We have no idea how big your truck is nor do we have specifics on the lift. I know that I could never put a lift in my truck. It is a Tocoma. My local rental store does rent a scissor lift that can get up stairs and though doors.


Sent from my SM-A600U using Tapatalk


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

pennpainter said:


> I need to rent a 19' scissor lift for a job. Can I get this in the bed of my truck with a ramp or something? Or does it need a trailer? Also, getting it in to the residence up over the front step/porch... any suggestions?


Can you....yes (assuming you have an HD rated truck), it's possible. I wouldn't want to. With all the potential Murphy's law situations involved, I would rather pay the rental place to deliver or at least haul it on a trailer. Loading onto a truck has its own set of dangers and I'd hate to be rear ended with a 3,000 lb lift directly behind me.

I assume this house is on a slab...that lift is way too heavy for most residential floor truss systems.:surprise:


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## Fman (Aug 20, 2011)

pennpainter said:


> I need to rent a 19' scissor lift for a job. Can I get this in the bed of my truck with a ramp or something? Or does it need a trailer? Also, getting it in to the residence up over the front step/porch... any suggestions?


You're better off with scaffolding in a home.


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## pennpainter (Apr 1, 2019)

Lightningboy65 said:


> Can you....yes (assuming you have an HD rated truck), it's possible. I wouldn't want to. With all the potential Murphy's law situations involved, I would rather pay the rental place to deliver or at least haul it on a trailer. Loading onto a truck has its own set of dangers and I'd hate to be rear ended with a 3,000 lb lift directly behind me.
> 
> I assume this house is on a slab...that lift is way too heavy for most residential floor truss systems.:surprise:





Fman said:


> You're better off with scaffolding in a home.


I do have an HD truck... was just wondering if anyone had tried to do this. No slab, trusses. The scissor lift is 2700lbs... you think that is too heavy?

I was hoping to use a scissor lift as it's a pretty big job but the weight comment has me wondering if I'm better off with scaffolding.


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

pennpainter said:


> I do have an HD truck... was just wondering if anyone had tried to do this. No slab, trusses. The scissor lift is 2700lbs... you think that is too heavy?
> 
> I was hoping to use a scissor lift as it's a pretty big job but the weight comment has me wondering if I'm better off with scaffolding.


Yes,too heavy, use scaffolding.


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## pennpainter (Apr 1, 2019)

Fman said:


> You're better off with scaffolding in a home.





Lightningboy65 said:


> Yes,too heavy, use scaffolding.


Ok. Thanks for the input. I'm scrapping the scissor lift idea. 

For 20' ceiling work, A frame ladder vs scaffolding... any thoughts? This is a horizontal ceiling with skylights that are about 2 feet deep. Also installing a ceiling fan.

Anyone ever use the little giant skyscraper? I've got to install some recessed lighting in a 20' ceiling above a stairwell


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

I would rent the scissor lift, whether you tow it, or have it delivered. There's nothing easier than accessing a high ceiling without have to continuously climb down to move scaffolding to the next location. Besides, the customer should incur all costs of rented access equipment.


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## jennifertemple (Oct 30, 2011)

I'm glad you put that idea away!!!


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

pennpainter said:


> Ok. Thanks for the input. I'm scrapping the scissor lift idea.
> 
> For 20' ceiling work, A frame ladder vs scaffolding... any thoughts? This is a horizontal ceiling with skylights that are about 2 feet deep. Also installing a ceiling fan.
> 
> Anyone ever use the little giant skyscraper? I've got to install some recessed lighting in a 20' ceiling above a stairwell


I have a 15' Little Giant...nice to work off of when needed, but heavy.

If you can have a person handy to move your scaffold when needed, that is a big help. If you have no employees, maybe offer a friend a few bucks to hang out and do nothing but move your scaffold. Less than ideal to have someone off the books, and something I generally frown upon. But for a temporary scaffold mover, there is probably little risk or harm. But if he gets hurt, keep me out of it!


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## Fman (Aug 20, 2011)

We had a guy- Meth Mouth Mike- (try and say THAT 5 times fast) who refused to move me when I was up two sections of Waco scaffolding, even though he was right at the foot of it. Flat out refused and stalked out of the room. I was about to come down and move myself when some kid from another trade volunteered to move. Nice kid but he also wanted to find out what Meth Mouth Mike's problem was because refusing to do a simple task like that for a co-worker is aberrant behavior. Those things don't move themselves!


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

Fman said:


> We had a guy- Meth Mouth Mike- (try and say THAT 5 times fast) who refused to move me when I was up two sections of Waco scaffolding, even though he was right at the foot of it. Flat out refused and stalked out of the room. I was about to come down and move myself when some kid from another trade volunteered to move. Nice kid but he also wanted to find out what Meth Mouth Mike's problem was because refusing to do a simple task like that for a co-worker is aberrant behavior. Those things don't move themselves!


If Mike worked for me and refused to move a scaffold for an employee, he wouldn't work for me after that. Was this a Union job?


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## Fman (Aug 20, 2011)

Lightningboy65 said:


> If Mike worked for me and refused to move a scaffold for an employee, he wouldn't work for me after that. Was this a Union job?


No, not union and to be clear, Mike didn't work for me either. I woulda fired him if I could. This is kinda rare in the paint biz- I hope- but Meth Mouth Mike was having carnival relations with our foreman...Robert. You chat up the Honduran painters you get the chisme...


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

Fman said:


> No, not union and to be clear, Mike didn't work for me either. I woulda fired him if I could. This is kinda rare in the paint biz- I hope- but Meth Mouth Mike was having carnival relations with our foreman...Robert. You chat up the Honduran painters you get the chisme...


Well then, it appears that Mike held the advantage! It sucked for the employees that were not snoggin' the boss to have to put up with that behavior. smh


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## Fman (Aug 20, 2011)

Lightningboy65 said:


> Well then, it appears that Mike held the advantage! It sucked for the employees that were not snoggin' the boss to have to put up with that behavior. smh


It really is unfair to the other employees whether it's a scenario like this or the usual male/female affair. There's a missing link in the chain of command. I sure couldn't go to Robert about MMM! And, in this case, Robert's uncle was our superintendent. I did not want to be the guy to tell him. So we just kinda put up with MMM being a bit of a psycho. He'd get mad and storm off like that over nothing. No matter the dumb reason, it was always a good thing that he left. If he stuck around and pushed things, he'd get his a$$ whupped.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

See, with a scissor lift, you don't have to rely on meth heads to move your ladder. Win!


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## Gracobucks (May 29, 2011)

Are you painting the ceilings and walls or just the walls. If your painting both I would use a scaffold. If just the walls, I would use a extension ladder. You should have a helper for both. Scissor lift is way too heavy for that floor, plus you would need a forklift to get it in the building. They don't like steep ramps.


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

A pair of 14' stilts would be perfect!


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## Wolfgang (Nov 16, 2008)

Ballymore makes a lift for interior use. Used one a couple of times. Pretty handy. The problem is finding a rental place that has one.


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## Brushman4 (Oct 18, 2014)

CApainter said:


> See, with a scissor lift, you don't have to rely on meth heads to move your ladder. Win!


With a lift, he might end up in the basement he should another 8 to 10 feet for the lifts height capabilities.:biggrin:


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## Gracobucks (May 29, 2011)

Pete Martin the Painter said:


> My local rental store does rent a scissor lift that can get up stairs and though doors.
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-A600U using Tapatalk


What kind of lift can go upstairs? 

I rented a tracked lift and the rental store told me it could go upstairs. Unfortunately they didn't tell me if the arm hits the ground it will trip a safety switch and get stuck there. They tried to charge me $600 for a service call to get it off the stairs.


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## Fman (Aug 20, 2011)

Gracobucks said:


> What kind of lift can go upstairs?
> 
> I rented a tracked lift and the rental store told me it could go upstairs. Unfortunately they didn't tell me if the arm hits the ground it will trip a safety switch and get stuck there. They tried to charge me $600 for a service call to get it off the stairs.


If it can't get up those short steps, they need to quit making that claim!


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## Gracobucks (May 29, 2011)

Fman said:


> Gracobucks said:
> 
> 
> > What kind of lift can go upstairs?
> ...


That's what I told them.


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

Gracobucks said:


> What kind of lift can go upstairs?


Well, slinky's will go _down_ stairs, alone...or in pairs.

That lift, not so much:biggrin:


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## RJB (Apr 13, 2019)

Hey there, scissor lifts are awesome, but damn heavy and most cant handle a steep grade safe (like on ramps). If you have an HD truck, rent a trailer as it's cheaper than a delivery. I recently had this issue with a warehouse we were painting.


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## Fman (Aug 20, 2011)

I've had lifts that died halfway up a warehouse ramp. That's a pretty good incline but fresher one's would make that trek. Then try and get a weird methhead to push it the rest of the way for you...


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## Fman (Aug 20, 2011)

Lightningboy65 said:


> Well, slinky's will go _down_ stairs, alone...or in pairs.
> 
> That lift, not so much:biggrin:


Everyone knows it's slinky!


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## Brushman4 (Oct 18, 2014)

Fman said:


> Everyone knows it's slinky!


Do you mean this?


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## Redux (Oct 27, 2018)

Glad to hear the OP opted out of using the scissor lift. The concentrated loads @ the wheels on those 2700 # units exert quite a bit of force @ ~ 109 psi. 

I’d be concerned with the point loads exceeding the capacities of the subflooring as well as the underlying joists or trusses. I’d suggest if anyone considers trying something like this to either perform a few calculations first or consult with an engineer.


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## Holland (Feb 18, 2011)

If I were the homeowner, I wouldn't want 2700 lbs rolling around on my floor, inside the house... is it electric? 

Just use scaffolding... a big job can afford to pay someone just to move you around all day.


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

Alchemy Redux said:


> Glad to hear the OP opted out of using the scissor lift. The concentrated loads @ the wheels on those 2700 # units exert quite a bit of force @ ~ 109 psi.
> 
> I’d be concerned with the point loads exceeding the capacities of the subflooring as well as the underlying joists or trusses. I’d suggest if anyone considers trying something like this to either perform a few calculations first or consult with an engineer.


"Well' mam', the good news is your floor trusses supported the weight of the lift. The bad news is there is a lift resting on its chassis in the middle of your great room. Oh, and there are also four holes the size of lift wheels in your floor"....:surprise:


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## Redux (Oct 27, 2018)

Lightningboy65 said:


> "Well' mam', the good news is your floor trusses supported the weight of the lift. The bad news is there is a lift resting on its chassis in the middle of your great room. Oh, and there are also four holes the size of lift wheels in your floor"....:surprise:


Funny one LB..I had a visual of what you described possibly happening..

I had to relocate a 3000# sliding panel saw/combi unit with four point ground contact onto a joist and beam constructed floor assembly. The rigging company I had hired to move it wouldn’t unless I had an engineer sign off on it. I consulted with a client-architect who was also a structural engineer who calculated the point load capacities, the weight of the unit not flying based on the load concentrations at the 4 contact points. Although it was highly unlikely that the unit would end up crashing through to the basement, it was a potential liability that neither the rigging company or myself was willing to assume, especially with the load exceeding UBC tolerances for residential construction...thinking the lift wouldn’t fly either.


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

Most codes call for a truss system to be able to carry 40 lbs per square foot. Of course a floor can carry more than 40 pounds on a one square foot area. Otherwise anybody other than a toddler would go crashing through the floor if standing with feet together. The rating is for the _truss system_, not the floor itself. The trusses work as a system, supporting the entire floor above. A 10' x 10' has an area of 100 sf.....100 x 40 = 4000. A 10 x 10 floor will safely support 4000 pounds of items on the floor if the truss system is designed to support 40 pounds per sf. That's the load the trusses are designed to bear over the entire 10' x 10' area. Other factors such as rating of floor deck and load concentration come into play. A concentrated load in the center of the room is more of a concern than on the perimeter. And a load concentrated in one area more of a concern than a load dispersed over a larger area. Take all of this with a grain of salt, I'm no structural engineer.

I remember once , in the 70's, seeing a ceiling in an older house sagging considerably. The culprit was the waterbed in the room above. The old ones could weigh close to a ton when filled.


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## Redux (Oct 27, 2018)

Lightningboy65 said:


> Most codes call for a truss system to be able to carry 40 lbs per square foot. Of course a floor can carry more than 40 pounds on a one square foot area. Otherwise anybody other than a toddler would go crashing through the floor if standing with feet together. The rating is for the _truss system_, not the floor itself. The trusses work as a system, supporting the entire floor above. A 10' x 10' has an area of 100 sf.....100 x 40 = 4000. A 10 x 10 floor will safely support 4000 pounds of items on the floor if the truss system is designed to support 40 pounds per sf. That's the load the trusses are designed to bear over the entire 10' x 10' area. Other factors such as rating of floor deck and load concentration come into play. A concentrated load in the center of the room is more of a concern than on the perimeter. And a load concentrated in one area more of a concern than a load dispersed over a larger area. Take all of this with a grain of salt, I'm no structural engineer.
> 
> I remember once , in the 70's, seeing a ceiling in an older house sagging considerably. The culprit was the waterbed in the room above. The old ones could weigh close to a ton when filled.


There’s not only structural considerations with a 2700 # lift...just the truss or joist deflection based on a concentrated load with that type of weight can result in hardwood flooring separating from the subflooring creating a gap resulting in squeaky floor boards. The deflection alone could probably be enough to crack ceramic tile and mortar joints. 
In my instance I think I recall the concentration load capacity at the center of the joist span being 318 #, although I could be mistaken.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

The scissor lift would only be considered if the floor were slab. I guarantee the house was largely put together with one if that were the case. Otherwise, you'd have to be a moron to drive a scissor lift on a wooden subfloor in a residential dwelling.


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

CApainter said:


> The scissor lift would only be considered if the floor were slab. I guarantee the house was largely put together with one if that were the case. Otherwise, you'd have to be a moron to drive a scissor lift on a wooden subfloor in a residential dwelling.


It was determined early in the thread that the floor is not a slab....and yeah, I thought the same thing.


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

Wolfgang said:


> Ballymore makes a lift for interior use. Used one a couple of times. Pretty handy. The problem is finding a rental place that has one.


I used one of their lifts to do a job in a church. The job was detailed work on a gable end interior wall about 30' high. The lift was basically a vertically telescoping bucket with outriggers. No propulsion, you had to push it around. Which for this particular job was OK, as the lift only needed to be moved a couple of times a day due to the time consuming nature of the work. I don't think I would like it for production work. The lift would fit through a standard door opening. The job took about 3 weeks, so the lift was nice as it could be moved out of the way, allowing unobstructed use of the sanctuary.

I see on their website their 19' mini scissors lift has a weight of 1,260 pounds. I'd still be a little uneasy with that much weight running around on a residential floor, but might work. I'd just use scaffold.


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## Fman (Aug 20, 2011)

Lightningboy65 said:


> I used one of their lifts to do a job in a church. The job was detailed work on a gable end interior wall about 30' high. The lift was basically a vertically telescoping bucket with outriggers. No propulsion, you had to push it around. Which for this particular job was OK, as the lift only needed to be moved a couple of times a day due to the time consuming nature of the work. I don't think I would like it for production work. The lift would fit through a standard door opening. The job took about 3 weeks, so the lift was nice as it could be moved out of the way, allowing unobstructed use of the sanctuary.
> 
> I see on their website their 19' mini scissors lift has a weight of 1,260 pounds. I'd still be a little uneasy with that much weight running around on a residential floor, but might work. I'd just use scaffold.


That sounds like those one man lifts that HVAC guys use. I've borrowed them in a pinch wouldn't want to rely on one. I also tried one of those heavy, wooden A-frame, telescoping ladders that sprinkler guys use- scary. Like being on an old pirate ship in a storm. They all seem to sway port and starboard and fore and aft at the same time. A B-I-zitch to move about too.


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

Fman said:


> That sounds like those one man lifts that HVAC guys use. I've borrowed them in a pinch wouldn't want to rely on one. I also tried one of those heavy, wooden A-frame, telescoping ladders that sprinkler guys use- scary. Like being on an old pirate ship in a storm. They all seem to sway port and starboard and fore and aft at the same time. A B-I-zitch to move about too.


That A-frame sounds like the 40' second hand wooden extension ladder I had in the 70's when I was first starting out.:biggrin:


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## silb (Aug 22, 2019)

What kind of qualifications do you need to operate this gear? Looks intense!


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

silb said:


> What kind of qualifications do you need to operate this gear? Looks intense!


 
I believe rental companies assume you are trained on lift equipment. We have hands on lift training every two years in order to be certified to use lift equipment.


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

silb said:


> What kind of qualifications do you need to operate this gear? Looks intense!


Most rental companies the only qualification is the ability to write a check.


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## kmp (Jan 30, 2011)

Yup they will cash your check. Biggest problem I have with rental companies is they don't replace the operation /function decals on the control panel and they get impossible to read. It is ok if you get the same stuff.like genie all their stuff is the same and you are used to it but when you get something different it is harder to figure out.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

I like Sunbelt Rentals. They have excellent equipment. I actually feel obligated to keep them clean they're so new. 


I tried renting a dump truck and a Bobcat to remove a bunch of dirt from my house. I could have rented either separately with a Class C license. But together with the Bobcat in tow, I was told I needed a Class A license.


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

silb said:


> What kind of qualifications do you need to operate this gear? Looks intense!


Theyre honestly so easy to operate. However worksafe wants you to have a certification because alot of idiots have crashed them for sure..


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

finishesbykevyn said:


> Theyre honestly so easy to operate. However worksafe wants you to have a certification because alot of idiots have crashed them for sure..


If you discount those under the influence of illicit substances the accident rate is close to zero, no doubt.


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