Cabinet Lifts

[Bikeboy80]

My father/ business partner has just been put on "light duty" permanently because of a deteriorating shoulder. The business is just the two of us and we have three kitchen installs scheduled for this fall. We occasionally hire day laborers from an insured company but usually for "rougher" work not for fine finishes.

I have briefly looked at some of the cabinet install lifts available, does anyone here have any experience with any of them? I am looking for a solution to the short term problem of getting these next few kitchens installed, but also the probability that I will be working alone to do installs for a number of years.

Thoughts? 

 

[peter halle]

Sorry to hear about your Dad.  We have quite a few solo installers out there, Bob, Jon, Dan, and more.  Hopefully they will give some thoughts.

Peter

 

[fatroman]

How about a couple of 3rd Hands? They are on a 20% off sale through today at McFeelys

http://www.mcfeelys.com/shop/em-xd36-fastcp6

 

[chrisrosenb]

Most of the cabinet lifts I have seen are copies of the Gillift.

I have been installing cabinets for 20 plus years by myself. About 4 years ago, because of shoulder problems, I finally broke down & bought a cabinet lift.
I should have made the investment years before.

I have this one & been very happy with it.  E-Z Cabinet Lift
I can hang up to 24" deep wall cabinets with it. I have also used it to install over the range microwaves. & also install tube type tvs on high shelves.

Here is another brand that was not available when I got mine.  Cabinetizer Cabinet Lift

P.S. a feature I really like on the lift I have is the micro adjust tilt feature on the table. It is very easy to dial in a cabinet to the final position.

 

[GregB]

We use one made by TelPro called the GilLift... http://www.shop.telproproducts.com/product.sc?productId=77

It's a bit of an investment, but well worth it if you routinely install cabinets. Using a lift allows you to pre-assemble long runs of cabinets, pop them onto the lift, wheel them into position, and install them as one unit. The labor savings can be significant & it's safer, as there's far less heavy lifting involved than when wrestling one cabinet at a time into position.

You can see us using the lift here... http://www.jlconline.com/kitchen/the-eight-hour-kitchen-remodel.aspx

 

[Bikeboy80]

Thanks Peter

The third hands seem like they might work for individual cabinets (not that I have any experience with them), I usually try to put together 3-4 cases and hang them as one unit. I am thinking a lift might be more suitable to do the actual lifting which I am sure my back will appreciate [wink]

 

[Bikeboy80]

That EZ cabinet lift was one that I had seen, looks really nice. You're right the micro adust knobs look like they would really be handy! Since I can't remember the last time I installed on a floor that was perfectly level. [big grin] I could see myself wrestling with another model without the feature trying to shove shims in to do it and wishing for a better solution!

 

[upscale]

I have this one & been very happy with it.  E-Z Cabinet Lift

I might have missed it, but none of the lift descriptions state how much weight they can hoist. I'm thinking this might be a concern ~ especially if someone is trying to lift some cabinets already joined.

 

[Bikeboy80]

I have this one & been very happy with it.  E-Z Cabinet Lift

I might have missed it, but none of the lift descriptions state how much weight they can hoist. I'm thinking this might be a concern ~ especially if someone is trying to lift some cabinets already joined.

It doesn't seem to be listed on the Amazon link but on the EZ lift site they list a 250lb limit. Seems like that would be more then enough for 3-5 upper cabinets.

 

[builderbob]

I do work alone and use the third hand jacks. I haul everything in a pick up truck with a cap on it so space is at a premium (till I get van)!  Also, i do my bases first, so unless those lifts can span out from in front of a base cabinet, it wouldn't work for me anyway.  I know one of the lift companies had a way to shorten the lift and work from on top of a base cabinet but you're still needing to get the ganged cabinets on top of the bases anyway.  Perhaps my working solo and the way I do these tasks is not as efficient, but I don't need to worry about people not showing up or performing, etc...my tools are happy to assist me everyday!!!

 

[chrisrosenb]

I always installed the wall cabinets first.
What is the advantage of installing the bases first & then the walls?

 

[mastercabman]

I use T-JACK
It's like a 3rd hand pole but much heavier duty.
I think it can hold about 400 pounds
I work solo so I just hang 1 cabinet at the time.the T-JACK is perfect for that.
I also have a small one when I start with bases first,then I can use the small one on top of the bases.
The g-lift are nice but $$$    Size and weight is also a concern for me.

 

[Bikeboy80]

I always installed the wall cabinets first.
What is the advantage of installing the bases first & then the walls?

Same here...unless layout of the bases dictates the top spacing.

 

[mastercabman]

I always installed the wall cabinets first.
What is the advantage of installing the bases first & then the walls?

That's how I learned to hang cabinets.
But sometime/some job it's better to start with the bases.

 

[Michael Kellough]

I do work alone and use the third hand jacks. I haul everything in a pick up truck with a cap on it so space is at a premium (till I get van)!  Also, i do my bases first, so unless those lifts can span out from in front of a base cabinet, it wouldn't work for me anyway.  I know one of the lift companies had a way to shorten the lift and work from on top of a base cabinet but you're still needing to get the ganged cabinets on top of the bases anyway.  Perhaps my working solo and the way I do these tasks is not as efficient, but I don't need to worry about people not showing up or performing, etc...my tools are happy to assist me everyday!!!

From a review of the E-Z cabinet lift at Amazon
"The parts simply stack together, it took longer to remove it from the boxes than to assemble it. I already had the base cabinets in place so I set it up on the counter. The counter protection rails have a thick felt pad and also lock the wheels so it can't move. The inside corner upper was a little wobbly because half the weight hung off the platform, but once in place the micro adjustment screws on the bottom of the shelf allowed me to adjust the cabinet to level and shim where needed before screwing it to the wall. I moved the jack and set the next upper on it, raised it to the proper poistion, micro adjusted it, and screwed the face frames together and then screwed the new cabinet to the wall. The unit breaks down to four pieces for easy transport in less than a minute. It is a well made and engineered tool. It is especially suited to a cabinet installer working alone."

Seems like this was made for you. It weighs only 50# and knocks down for stowing if needed.

The manufacturer suggests making some inverted T supports from 2X stock for setting upper cabinets on top of installed base cabinets. Those T supports will weigh about half as much as the lift but they'd be good for other uses on the job too.

 

[promark747]

I like these:

http://www.tjak.com/index.html

 

[mastercabman]

I like these:

http://www.tjak.com/index.html

That's it!
I was going to post the website but you beat me to it!

 

[mastercabman]

I always installed the wall cabinets first.
What is the advantage of installing the bases first & then the walls?

------

Depends on the situation not always possible to do wall units first. 

Of top of my head I come up with one very good reasons why its not always possible to do wall units first.

1. When it comes to fitting the Worktop it can prevent you from actually getting the Worktop into place. (I my self have experienced this)

Why does that sound so familiar?    [laughing] [laughing] [laughing]

 

[Bikeboy80]

The Tjak looks like a very versatile tool to fine tune just about anything you are hanging on a wall or ceiling, but it still doesn't seem to be a solution of how to get the item up into position.

I'm kinda leaning towards the EZ lift. Seems to be a lot like a drywall lift a bought a few years ago that is stable enough to hold the load on its own and I would feel confident enough if I had to turn away/ let go of it for a second and not have the load drop off of it. And can break down into manageable pieces to transport. It doesn't have to be something that is with me at all times.

 

[Deansocial]

Hardest things I have found is corner units, standing larder units up(on plastic legs), and of course worktops