Buying a Used Cherry Picker.

[neilo]

I had one on hire and had it right up as high as it would go and turned it off as was working on a roof. Half hour later and went to fire it up and the starter motor shat it’s self was stuck up there until the hire company could find another one to get me down.

The lads putting a new chimney flue up when we installed the biomass boiler had that trouble. It was several hours before the Polish fella working for the hire company could get it started again. He is very handy with spanners but hardly spoke a word of English.

Glad it wasn’t me stuck up there.

 

[Universe]

Another vote for the Z45's. Use one regularly and are fine .
JLG had a similar size one that was 4 wheel steer (great in tight spots), and fairly sure was 4 wheel drive too if memory serves me right.
Bought one direct from AFI once, bit pricey but...

 

[Exfarmer]

Sensible or not?
I’ve quite a few jobs where I could use a cherry picker such as chimneys and roof sheets but it would need to go about 30 ft up and reach 3m in from the roof edge. Plenty advertised at about 6000 hours with a LOLER around the £10k mark. I could hire but looks like £400 a week and it could soon rhyme up with weather delays, snags and not being able to devote a continuous run of time to the work.
Anybody got any experience? Thanks.

I believe you are a solo operator so in truth you do not need to be concerened about testing. They are a 1,000 times more safe than a ladder and 100s time safer than a potato box on pallet tines.
check out the machines on google, they all list the outreach, lift and a graph of the performance at the different hieghts.
do not think of touching the trailed machines they are all so rickety you get sea sick before you are 10 feet up, well I do anyway

 

[Sparkplug]

Most of the Trade dispose of their problem machines through big auctions - try to buy one from a company owner/user who are updating their fleet and just replacing an older unit,

 

[Pan mixer]

Slightly off topic - but not much, thinking of buying a secondhand scissor lift, worried about battery longevity for occasional use.

Like the OP unwilling to hire as unpredictable animals lead to vast lumps of time when I am unable to use such a thing.

 

[serf]

I ended up having to phone a friend from 25ft up.

Wasn't 50/50 or ask the audience an option

 

[Still Farming]

The older Genie type you hardly touch the controls and basket would move a lot and at 40ft it takes a bit to bear it.
Don't know if newer models have better more precise small movements.??

 

[Deerefarmer]

Im scared of heights , i could hardly watch bloody awful things but million times better than ladders . View attachment 1146361

Just 90 feet up helping a friend this summer...a 135 ft machine. Didn't go all the way tho rotating the machine turntable at that height required a strong stomach even for me and I don't mind height.

 

[pembsarable]

Mine has a dial for sensitivity across all the hydraulic functions. The main time it gets used for is the rotation - especially at height when you are getting close to gutters.

 

[TripleSix]

Slightly off topic - but not much, thinking of buying a secondhand scissor lift, worried about battery longevity for occasional use.

Like the OP unwilling to hire as unpredictable animals lead to vast lumps of time when I am unable to use such a thing.

Unless it's rather new or has recently had batteries, then factor in replacing them at some point, they don't actually cost a fortune if you shop around, generally are just 6v traction batteries

 

[Dman2]

We just hire a one every now and then
Not worth buying it

 

[Still Farming]

We just hire a one every now and then
Not worth buying it

Do you need all the tickets, etc etc before they hire to you yet??

 

[Exfarmer]

Do you need all the tickets, etc etc before they hire to you yet??

I hire regularly from different plant operators and have never been asked for evidence of ticket. They generally want insurance , but as I am not using it myself, usually, I always check anyone using it has

 

[ewald]

If you are working alone, buy a climbing rope and learn how to abseil

 

[David.]

Wasn't 50/50 or ask the audience an option

Afraid to ask in case they all shouted "JUMP"

 

[grainboy]

Contradictory information

 

[Hilly]

View attachment 1146450View attachment 1146453
Just 90 feet up helping a friend this summer...a 135 ft machine. Didn't go all the way tho rotating the machine turntable at that height required a strong stomach even for me and I don't mind height.

Omg that would have me crying for my mammy

 

[Bald n Grumpy]

If you are working alone, buy a climbing rope and learn how to abseil

Got stuck in a scissor lift once , had to phone for help to pass a ladder then get back up the ladder to get instruction manual to find how to manually lower.
Fold up ladder was then cable tied to the basket as insurance but was never needed again.
Working with one at the minute, be surprised if it pays to own one for occasional use. Really useful bit of kit though

 

[Zebbedee]

Bought a genie and a haulotte both 4wd for putting up a new shed still got them (should really sell one) Genie would be a better farm machine as axles pivot whereas haulotte axles are mounted solid to chassis so can lose traction when travelling but tbh travel ok although only on relatively hard ground. As safe as your going to get for working from no excuse for not having your feet on floor of basket and not hanging out as they are so manoverable, whereas a basket on a forklift you seem to always be hanging out trying to reach something, older ones just have a good check of boom for wear and cracks etc follow wiring looms and again check for damage and hoses the same, with every ram being check valve protected nothing will fall if a hose fails but it would be “ inconvenient” ,,,,,,most have an onboard emergency electric pump to cover if engine fails for some reason
Every farm should have one imo

 

[Hilly]

Couple of hire firms reasonably local which is great for me avoids the problem of having to buy they are one thing id be very reluctant to buy