# Ode to a drywall lift



## bob_cntrctr (Jan 30, 2008)

Gentlemen,

I just drywalled a ceiling, and for the first time used a drywall lift. Always did it with two guys and a couple of t-bars. I will never do a ceiling again without a lift. That was too easy - almost fun! I bow before the man who invented them.


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## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

Worth the extra time?

Big job? 
Small job?


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## mnjconstruction (Oct 5, 2008)

I always use a lift. Hanging by hand is just way to hard imo


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## bob_cntrctr (Jan 30, 2008)

boman47k said:


> Worth the extra time?
> 
> Big job?
> Small job?


Fifteen 12-ft sheets, on my own. Extra time?


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## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

I assumed two men would be quicker than using a lift. Not so?

I have only handled 8'. Very little of that rreally, just a few rooms and mostly walls.

Still I have thought about picking up a lift and maybe getting a little more into it.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

Where's the ode? I was expecting poetry. :laughing:

On a normal 8' ceiling, a lift doesn't gain you all that much if you have plenty of manpower available to do it without one. Working by yourself, it's a godsend.

Even with a lot of manpower, extra-high ceilings are a challenge. A lift makes those much easier all around. :thumbsup:


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

I use my zip wall pole, 3rd hand things and slide a couple of them between the sheet and floor as I lift it up. Very quick and takes up no room.


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## asbestos (Mar 22, 2006)

*statues should be erected*

in honor of the lift.
I have done rock with 3 people and it's still a hassle. I use a lift for anything over 1 sheet. It helps that a buddy of mine got one to redo his house and then moved to a condo. I don't do that much rock to make it worth buying one. Just put that sheet exactly where you want it and suck it up nice and tight. Best tool ever


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

Here we came to hang drywall
On a ceiling 10’ tall...

Me and a buddy, with the beat of a band
Hanging sheets with screws in hand...

We groaned & we puffed & screwed it up tight
Did it again with all our might...

On our break we did see an old guy all alone
Hang that drywall with nary a groan...

He had a contraption that cranked it up tight
So easy it was he worked through the night....

In the morning we checked & he was all done
There sat the lift alone with no one...

We grabbed that bad boy & went across the street
And by noon we were at Hooters enjoying our lunch treat...:thumbsup:


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

griz said:


> Here we came to hang drywall
> On a ceiling 10’ tall...
> 
> Me and a buddy, with the beat of a band
> ...


Lol. Griz the poet. :laughing:


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## Big Shoe (Jun 16, 2008)

Way to go Griz! :thumbsup:

As far as lifts go, I've never used one. As a matter of fact the only time I ever saw them being used was waaaaaaaaaaay back in the mid 70's. I was an apprentice in Chicago suburbs. Glue and nail.

There were these two ''old guys'' (younger than me now :laughing that used lifts. They would each hang entire homes on their own. We were never rushed to get them done back then. They were always smiling and giving me advice.

The one we called ''Cowboy'' was a short man. He had the longest handle I've ever seen on his hammer so he could reach the preset nails on the top of the sheet when hanging 8' walls. 

I will always remember those two.:thumbsup:


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## Frankawitz (Jun 17, 2006)

I got my lift after I sat waiting on my brother to show up. the next day he was late again and when he showed up I had the ceiling in a living room done ( 12' x 18') and I was moving into the dinning room. He was shocked to see the living room all hung. That was the Best $600 bucks I have spent in a long time, that lift has paid for its self 20 times over:thumbsup:
It's the best employee I have ever had too:laughing:


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## JohnJak (Oct 9, 2010)

Frankawitz said:


> I got my lift after I sat waiting on my brother to show up. the next day he was late again and when he showed up I had the ceiling in a living room done ( 12' x 18') and I was moving into the dinning room. He was shocked to see the living room all hung. That was the Best $600 bucks I have spent in a long time, that lift has paid for its self 20 times over:thumbsup:
> It's the best employee I have ever had too:laughing:


Nice thing about a lift is that it will always show up on time.


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## Gary H (Dec 10, 2008)

And never drop the sheet. I had mine since 1998 and that has more then paid for its self. 

Right now i am using it to hang pole barn steel inside a shed. 20' sheets go up very sweet.:thumbup:


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## disantodrywall (Jul 24, 2010)

i know you get what you pay for but if your just starting off would a 150 dollar lift work for a couple of jobs until you can afford a nice one around 6 or 700 bucks?


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## trptman (Mar 26, 2007)

What you might consider is what we did. A number of years ago we were doing something that required a lot of ceiling board, I don't remember exactly and it's really not important. Anyhow I rented a lift. After using it I was so thrilled at how much work it saved that I called the rental co. and asked "how much would it cost me if I just did'nt bring it back?" I got a used lift with plenty of life at a discounted price vs. buying one new.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Bought a drywall lift, since I'm getting a little old to put up 5/8" on a ceiling by myself. Used to screw a couple scraps onto the framing where one edge was going to go, then lift it, slide it under, and support with a "T" or extendable pole.

My older sister drywalled most of the ~2500 SqFt house she and her husband built. She has some shoulder problems, so I designed a built a wooden drywall lift that would go up to 8' 6" using a 120V electric hoist for power. Not portable and no fancy features, but she loved it.


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## FRAME2FINISH (Aug 31, 2010)

I bought one 15 years ago for 150 bucks from a rental place he wanted 200 but I was getting it either way lol

It sits unused most of the time but when I need it boy it is so nice not having to rely on someone else

H/f is selling them cheap now 

If you do ceilings it a must have


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## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

Sometimes I will check with HD's rental section to see what they may have to sell. I had hoped to snag a lift. 

Like was stated, it would be nice if/when I needed it.


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## Eric K (Nov 24, 2005)

I just bought on from eBay few weeks ago for just under 200 and mine came with the extension post to hang 15' high. Bought it to hang ceilings in my addition. Never used one before but saw a crew using one on a job not long ago. Figured what the hell. Best money I spent. Hanging ceilings by yourself and not waiting for help. Got my vote.


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