Tool hire is a licence to print money!

[flanajb]

Having just finished insulating my garage ceiling with celotex I now need to plasterboard it. Rather than struggle with sheets I thought I would hire a plasterboard lifter from the local hire shop. They want £44 +VAT a day for hire. A quick ebay search reveals you can buy one for ~ £100!!

Trouble is, once I have used it I will have no further need for it.

 

[Gary]

Shame your in Dorset. I need one for the same job.

 

[studders]

Make a couple of 'Dead Men' and with the aid of a tall set of steps it's easy (er).

 

[Jacob]

Or get one (2?) of these http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PI ... er=froogle

 

[flanajb]

Make a couple of 'Dead Men' and with the aid of a tall set of steps it's easy (er).

In theory, but in practice I reckon you would be saying "Why did I not hire one of those plasterboard lifters?" when you are struggling to lift your first sheet

 

[flanajb]

Or get one (2?) of these http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PI ... er=froogle

The one piece of information is how you lift the sheet up to the ceiling before putting them in place. Maybe I need to lift the sheet up with my head and then whilst the plasterboard is pressed against the ceiling, operate the prop trigger with my foot ?

 

[Gary]

Have a look at boardmate on ebay.

 

[Jacob]

Or get one (2?) of these http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PI ... er=froogle

The one piece of information is how you lift the sheet up to the ceiling before putting them in place. Maybe I need to lift the sheet up with my head and then whilst the plasterboard is pressed against the ceiling, operate the prop trigger with my foot ?

Close. Depends on the height of course but balancing one end on the head is certainly an option. Hard hat or thick bobble hat essential! The trick is to get one end located against the previous board (or something) while you lift the other.

 

[Tom K]

Buy one for £100 use at your leisure and sell on when you are done. Or lend it out to family and friends. Either way it will soon have paid for itself.

 

[doorframe]

If you have to lift them yourself, make sure you stick to 6 x 3, not 8 x 4. Sounds obvious, I know, but I've known many who've struggled with the larger size and regretted it. Myself included.

Roy

 

[studders]

Make a couple of 'Dead Men' and with the aid of a tall set of steps it's easy (er).

In theory, but in practice I reckon you would be saying "Why did I not hire one of those plasterboard lifters?" when you are struggling to lift your first sheet

Not really. I've re-lined quite a few of my ceilings and after initially struggling I found the advice re what I mentioned on another forum.
Position the steps close to where the end of the board will be, place the end of the board on the top of the steps and lift the other end up. Place one prop under the lifted end and wedge it, but not too tightly. Lift the other end up and into place and place the other prop under it and wedge it in place lightly. Make any minor adjustments and then wedge both props tight.
Goes a lot easier in practice than it sounds.

 

[Max Power]

Tommos gave the best advice, Ive done it loads of times and providing you buy second-hand at a sensible price you should get your money back,
so the "hire" costs nothing. :wink:
I once bought a self erecting scaffold platform off the bay and had little interest when I put it back on so re-advertised it for £200 more inc free delivery and it went straight away, and I dropped it off on my way to somewhere, Result :mrgreen:

 

[Oryxdesign]

I've had one for a few years now and it's great, it makes the job an easy one man job even with 15mm. If you are near me I can lend it to you for a few days.

 

[flanajb]

I've had one for a few years now and it's great, it makes the job an easy one man job even with 15mm. If you are near me I can lend it to you for a few days.

Thanks for the offer Simon, but I am down in Dorset so a bit too far away.

 

[Lons]

Isn't there a fit young lad anywhere near you who would help you for a few quid pocket money?

 

[bosshogg]

This used to be my stock and trade so to speak, as a team two joiners would plater board all the ceilings then the walls of a building using only a pair of traces (hop ups) and two 13' scaffold batons, necks and scalps were expendable then.
The practice still goes on but is against the regs of H&S, however where plentiful money is to be made, the temptation will endure.
In latter days of my joinery trade I did use dead men to lessen the strain, and actually honed the use of them to such a degree that it was faster with than without them, the secret is in the positioning of the dead men to allow pulling them under the sheet being fixed once the sheet is in position. Plasterboard sheets used were 12 .5 mm (1/2") thick and 1220 x 2440 (4' x 8') not the lightest! work proceeded swiftly almost machine movement like...Ah!! those were the days...not

Cheers...bosshogg :ho2

 

[Jacob]

What's a dead man? I've used a bit of tower scaffold with a sort of gibbet close to the ceiling on which you can rest the board and get it up with a prop. Is that a dead man?
Also good is saw horses or purpose made trestles, with the one essential design detail - the top rail should lie WITHIN the plan of the splayed feet so that there is no possibility of it tipping over wherever you stand. Scaffold boards plus little battens at the ends so they can't slip off.

 

[kirkpoore1]

I bought a lift used, kept and used it for about two months, and sold it for what I bought it for. The only issue was walking around it when I wasn't using it.

Kirk

 

[bosshogg]

What's a dead man? I've used a bit of tower scaffold with a sort of gibbet close to the ceiling on which you can rest the board and get it up with a prop. Is that a dead man?
Also good is saw horses or purpose made trestles, with the one essential design detail - the top rail should lie WITHIN the plan of the splayed feet so that there is no possibility of it tipping over wherever you stand. Scaffold boards plus little battens at the ends so they can't slip off.

Simply a "T" section of frame cut to a length slightly longer than your working ceiling height that can be pulled under the sheet you are fixing to support it and lock it into position. Looks like this -

Cheers...bosshogg :ho2

 

[Hitch]

Another vote for buying and selling on.

Or perhaps find an independant hire shop, i find they are normally a little cheaper.
The likes of Speedy and HSS are good, but they know how to charge
Thing is with it being lifting equipment it has to be inspected, then probably have the inspection recorded and a safety certificates issued....
No big deal for you boarding your garage, but get it on a bigger site without the relevant paperwork and you'll be homeward bound.