The Handiest Thing I ever Built (Manlift)

[charlie C]

The strap is bolted to the bucket but yes it is the only thing that holds it in. I will use a safety chain later.

 

[Deerlope]

Nice job but you need to add some 6" toe boards around the bottom. They will keep anyone from slipping of the platform.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Interesting on the tilt attach. Is that a type of quick attach, or something that goes one a quick attach?

Any idea if it can be mounted on a compact tractor? I can see all sorts of uses.

Yes the Tilt-Tach has SkidSteer female on the tractor side and SS male on the implement side. It spaces the implement about 4" forward. Weighs about 100#. It may be a bit much with the extra weight and reach on a compact. I have one on my 7520 and altho the tractor acts no different, I know I will notice reduced lift if I start using it hard. Its built pretty strong, but I know the tractor can damage it so Im treating it carefully. I remove it when not needed.
larry

 

[JB4310]

When I bought my mew tractor I want to build something for it, I purchased my pallet forks, which I must say is the best investment for a tractor, I dont pick up anything anymore. Then I went to work on my manlift. This was so easy to build, and I must say that it has been the handiest thing I have ever built. I knew I was going to build a pole barn and I couldnt see doing it with out one of these. I wish I had pictures to share of every application I used it on building the barn. But I couldnt have done it with out this. And yes before the hydraulic police show up dont bother, I will take my chances over a 16 foot step ladder any day. I welded safety chains to attach the tractor for a little extra. I just thought I would share. Fun project though....and come in so handy.

Looks great, I want to do one also since I have the forks already, to bad there isn't a way to control the loader remotely from the platform that way it could be a one man operation.
I agree with you about the safety factor, I would not be to worried about using it a 1/10 the loaders capacity, I would strongly recommend a fall protection harness, because you will be leaning out or standing on the rails to reach things.
I know a guy that wants to sell one for a factory forklift, he wants to much though, I'm just gonna start with a pallet and build up some wood sides, use it for tree trimming, maybe gutter cleaning, painting etc.

We rent the boom lifts in our building maintenance business, from 40 footers to 110 footers, 60's and 80's mostly.
Here's a 110 footer in action.
JB,

 

[Timber]

Yup thats a condor lift. I have license for 1 of those. You can actually catapult yourself out of the basket if you don't know what your doing. Tire flex alone is several feet in the basket. 7 feet of lanyard is perfect for pounding you pretty good on the outside of the basket.

Just a note on using a pallet as a platform & I do not recommend it at all but the bottom boards are more important than the top ones to keep it from flipping off your forks

 

[Stampeder]

I do use a counter balance (grader or box blade usually)just to make it more stable.....Its actually very stable.

I really like your design. I have been planning on building just what you did, but it's a little down the job list. Do you have any sketches with dimensions you can provide?
I also really like your pole barn. I need to build one to keep my square bales, plus add a lean to for a horse run-in and to feed them in the winter. What are it's dimensions as well. Plus, did you build your own trusses? Do you a plan for those as well or even just a description of their sizes and layout would be fine.

Great job, I look forward to more pictures of your pole barn. You are doing great work.

Cheers.
Glenn.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

...Unfortunately the tractor hydraulics are not designed for this type of application.

Fill me in, Egon. What's different about this application vs. simple lifting and other stuff we all do with our FELs

 

[yzbdsbp]

I really like your design. I have been planning on building just what you did, but it's a little down the job list. Do you have any sketches with dimensions you can provide?
I also really like your pole barn. I need to build one to keep my square bales, plus add a lean to for a horse run-in and to feed them in the winter. What are it's dimensions as well. Plus, did you build your own trusses? Do you a plan for those as well or even just a description of their sizes and layout would be fine.

Great job, I look forward to more pictures of your pole barn. You are doing great work.

Cheers.
Glenn.

Stampeder..I dont have any sketches, but I did take some pictures while building, really the only thing I did was pull the tractor into the shop, put 2 peices of 4" "C" channel on the forks so i could get the max width and built up from there, really easy took less than a day to weld up. It ened up being a little shy of 4x4 basically pallet size.
The trusses are 24' I didnt build them myself but I did tell a local guy what I wanted and he built them for me probably alot cheaper than I could have done it myself. The peak is close to 14' in the middle and the pitch is 3/12 Im in the process now of adding a 12' lean-to to bothe sides of the barn. It to has been a fun project, but I have found out that Im getting to old to be climbing around on roofs anymore!
Just let me know if you need some more info I will be glad to help in any way I can...

 

[yzbdsbp]

We rent the boom lifts in our building maintenance business, from 40 footers to 110 footers, 60's and 80's mostly.
Here's a 110 footer in action.
JB,

Those are some awsome pics, I saw them on here when I was building my manlift. Dont know that I could go that high, got to really respect guys like you that do those type jobs! I do love looking at pics like that though

 

[Stampeder]

Stampeder..I dont have any sketches, but I did take some pictures while building, really the only thing I did was pull the tractor into the shop, put 2 peices of 4" "C" channel on the forks so i could get the max width and built up from there, really easy took less than a day to weld up. It ened up being a little shy of 4x4 basically pallet size.
The trusses are 24' I didnt build them myself but I did tell a local guy what I wanted and he built them for me probably alot cheaper than I could have done it myself. The peak is close to 14' in the middle and the pitch is 3/12 Im in the process now of adding a 12' lean-to to bothe sides of the barn. It to has been a fun project, but I have found out that Im getting to old to be climbing around on roofs anymore!
Just let me know if you need some more info I will be glad to help in any way I can...

Thanks for getting back to me.
I figured the manlift must be about 4X4. Did you use 1X1 box for the rails?

What are the dimensions of your pole barn? Also, I'm really interested in building my own trusses as I have the necessary welding equipment in my shop and it will be less costly as well. What are the dimensions of your trusses and what's the angle for the bridging?

Looking forward to seeing pictures of the lean to's as well.
For mine I want to use the pole barn for storing square bales. The lean to's for loafing shed on one side and my equipment storage on the other. This is why your design turns out to fit my needs really well. You're just a few months ahead of me.

Thanks again.
Glenn.

 

[yzbdsbp]

Thanks for getting back to me.
I figured the manlift must be about 4X4. Did you use 1X1 box for the rails?

Yes 1" square tubing for the rails

What are the dimensions of your pole barn? Also, I'm really interested in building my own trusses as I have the necessary welding equipment in my shop and it will be less costly as well. What are the dimensions of your trusses and what's the angle for the bridging??

Barn is 24x24....the bridging is perpendicular to the angle of the truss which are 3/12 pitch

I will continue to post pic's of the progress hopefully it might help.

Brad

 

[slowzuki]

The difference is people. Who cares if you drop a load of dirt. Tractor loaders don't have pilot valves on the cylinders so if a hose or valve breaks the loader or bucket just falls rapidly.

I had the fun of watching a 4 ton pallet of bananas drop when a relief valve crapped out on a forklift. They fell as fast as if you had dropped them. Not a big deal for a couple of feet but once you get up a bit its easy to get injured.

And the original poster is right, ladders are pretty dangerous too. I'm not sure what would be safer based on statistics.

Fill me in, Egon. What's different about this application vs. simple lifting and other stuff we all do with our FELs

 

[afish]

I think the bananas fell so fast because of the shear weight of them 4 tons pushing down is different from a 200# man. I no expert but such a light load would not compress the hydraulics as fast. Either way I have worked out of forklift mounted baskets a lot and plan to build a man lift myself.

 

[3RRL]

Very nicely built manlift.
I was wondering how you guys get in and up? Do you have someone else operate the tractor then?

 

[Iplayfarmer]

The difference is people. Who cares if you drop a load of dirt. Tractor loaders don't have pilot valves on the cylinders so if a hose or valve breaks the loader or bucket just falls rapidly.

I had the fun of watching a 4 ton pallet of bananas drop when a relief valve crapped out on a forklift. They fell as fast as if you had dropped them. Not a big deal for a couple of feet but once you get up a bit its easy to get injured.

And the original poster is right, ladders are pretty dangerous too. I'm not sure what would be safer based on statistics.

Thanks for the explanation.

I think of the options available to the major majority of us, yzbdsbp is the safest because he's got the cage.

I'd wager that nearly all of us have used our FEL as a Manlift/Ladder at one point. We've just all done it without the added safety of the cage.

I'm sure someone who does this stuff professionally will post with the fancy schmancy OSHA **** approved personnel lift that is sooooo much safer and will put us all to shame. For the rest of us who can't/don't/choose-not-to afford the schmancy man lift, I think yzbdsbp has the right idea.

 

[slowzuki]

Don't kid yourself, 2 gallons squirts out of a 1/2" hose mighty fast.
But I'll keep my nose out of the thread.

I think the bananas fell so fast because of the shear weight of them 4 tons pushing down is different from a 200# man. I no expert but such a light load would not compress the hydraulics as fast. Either way I have worked out of forklift mounted baskets a lot and plan to build a man lift myself.

 

[yzbdsbp]

Very nicely built manlift.
I was wondering how you guys get in and up? Do you have someone else operate the tractor then?

Yeah I have a friend of mine who can drive my tractor better than I can!! hahah

Don't kid yourself, 2 gallons squirts out of a 1/2" hose mighty fast.
But I'll keep my nose out of the thread.

Yep slowzuki, I agree, but a fall off of a 8' or taller ladder would pretty much have the same effect! I just like the mobility of the cage, I dont have to drag ladders around in every occasion, but if you dont have a friend who can operate the FEL "very good" my manlift is useless! So I use ladders sometimes and when he (my friend) is around we use tractors, but you cant just trust anyone when this cage is to its full height.

 

[dtd24]

I want to build a set of those forks!!!

 

[yzbdsbp]

I want to build a set of those forks!!!

Now that would be a project!!!!

 

[skidsteer.ca]

Interesting on the tilt attach. Is that a type of quick attach, or something that goes one a quick attach?

Any idea if it can be mounted on a compact tractor? I can see all sorts of uses.

They lock to your standard skidsteer attachment just like the loader QA would, then the loader QA's locks to the tilt attach, hook up the hoses and tilt you heart out.
Makes a great grader blade too, dump bucket fully, angle and then back blade. Vary handy.
Ken