Will find out whether Chinese battery holder (Aldi) to Japanese Mitutoyo vernier is doable on Tuesday.
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MetalMonkey
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An early Christmas present to myself after a particularly rough year.
A frivolous purchase, but something I can see coming in handy.
Wanted some for a while but they are normally obscenely overpriced IMO - but caught these as a refurbished offer, and had a voucher which brought them down to just obnoxiously overpriced.
They do seem well built though.
A frivolous purchase, but something I can see coming in handy.
Wanted some for a while but they are normally obscenely overpriced IMO - but caught these as a refurbished offer, and had a voucher which brought them down to just obnoxiously overpriced.
They do seem well built though.
galooph
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I got some of the Norwegian equivalents, and they've been really useful. Being able to gently lower things is a big plus - the cheaper knockoffs don't seem to have that. The price is certainly ouchy though!
When I was emptying the kitchen for a refurb, I used them to lift appliances up, so I could slide boards with castors underneath. Made it a doddle, even though I was working alone
Craig-SM
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I bought one of these recently after struggling moving full sheets of plywood around. It’s not the weight but size and arms not long enough to grip opposing ends so you have to pinch it from the top and my grip never seems to last where the board is intended to go.
I used the gripper yesterday for the first time and one handed lifts to wherever I want the board were a doddle. £14 and it’s a bargain, just wish I’d gotten one much sooner.
I used the gripper yesterday for the first time and one handed lifts to wherever I want the board were a doddle. £14 and it’s a bargain, just wish I’d gotten one much sooner.
Seadog
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How about across the width? That's how I move 8x4 sheets.
Craig-SM
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You can lift it that way but struggle seeing where you’re going and can’t get it through doors without lowering. This is just so much easier.
droopsnoot
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Can you tell whether it closes up small enough to carry sheets of steel? Whenever I buy steel 8x4 sheets it's a struggle to get them from the door down to where I store them, and it's gripping them that's the issue.
Melvyn Best
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How about making one that lifts on the lower edge of the sheet , it could easily be made so that the sheet is well below eye level? Just a couple of “U” shaped hooks on the bottom with a handle whatever length it need to be?
I use Kennedy Clamps for stuff like that - a trick I learned from the Welder-Fabricator where I used to work
dobbslc
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I'm pretty sure mine won't be able to grip an 8x4 sheet of steel to lift it.
Dr.Al
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I can't find any photos of my lifter but it basically looks like this, made out of three bits of wood (or perhaps two bits of wood, one with a rebate; I can't remember) screwed together with some hefty screws:
You lift one end of the plywood up and slide the lifter under it, then reach over the top of the plywood and grab the handle, with the sheet of plywood going under your arm.
Really easy to carry the sheet around, with your arm dangling naturally (and hence comfortably) and you can get through doors fairly easily as it's low down. The other hand can be used to stabilise it if necessary, but it rarely is. The other hand can also be used to tilt it if that's helpful to get through an awkward gap.
It'll also carry anything, including big sheets of metal, as it doesn't rely on gripping onto the sheet: gravity does all the work.
You lift one end of the plywood up and slide the lifter under it, then reach over the top of the plywood and grab the handle, with the sheet of plywood going under your arm.
Really easy to carry the sheet around, with your arm dangling naturally (and hence comfortably) and you can get through doors fairly easily as it's low down. The other hand can be used to stabilise it if necessary, but it rarely is. The other hand can also be used to tilt it if that's helpful to get through an awkward gap.
It'll also carry anything, including big sheets of metal, as it doesn't rely on gripping onto the sheet: gravity does all the work.
MetalMonkey
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That only works if you are fairly tall, otherwise you are dragging it along the ground and knocking the corners out on any obstacles.
Board lifter from the top braced against your shoulder allows you to get it much higher off the ground IME.
Mart63
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This maybe
Dr.Al
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Yes, I can see that. I'm 1.98 m (6'6") so I'm more likely to have problems from lifting it too high.
Craig-SM
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Just tried it with some 0.8mm and no but it could.
The pivoting jaw catches on corner of the fixed jaw so file the pivoting jaw down and close up, clamping thin sheets
droopsnoot
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Yes, or a bit of ply I guess. I have a few old suitcase trolleys that my parents used to use before they upgraded to suitcases with integral wheels, and I have thought about modifying one of those. I need to be able to move the sheet sideways as there's only a narrow gangway between the cars. I'm not sure I buy steel often enough to make it worthwhile, though.
OOphs , think why they were refurbish sales ??
My pal of 28 yrs was a kitchen fitter , he used to burn though a few dozen trigger / pistol clamps & lifters a year . The main steel stem usually got so worn they slipped to the most frequently used position or the locking strips wore through .
