When it comes to finding the right lift for jobs that require getting up high, there are a few great lift rental options that can help get the job done. Scissor lifts, duct lifts, telehandler lifts, articulating boom lifts, and straight or telescopic boom lifts all possess a similar function, helping you reach new heights, however, each type of lift has environments and jobs where they perform better than the others.
Scissor lifts are mobile work platforms that move workers vertically and to different locations. Scissor lifts require flat, hard surfaces that are close to where you're trying to reach due to how they're designed, typically being used indoors or on concrete. They are used in many industries, including construction, retail, entertainment, and manufacturing. Scissor lifts can be more efficient and safer than ladders, towers, or scaffolding. They are compact, lightweight, and easy to move. They are also more stable than a ladder and provide a safe and reliable environment for workers.
Scissor lifts can be used for a variety of jobs, including:
- changing lights
- hanging banners
- pouring concrete
- sign hanging
- ceiling work
- light fixture installation
- and maintenance tasks
Duct lifts, also known as material lifts or beam lifts, are used to raise duct systems to the desired height for installation. They are most often used by HVAC contractors to support ductwork or units while they are being installed. Duct lifts are lightweight and portable, but have a heavy-duty design. They can be used for:
- Hoisting and moving heater units
- Rolling-up doors
- Transformers
- HVAC and refrigeration equipment
- Overhead piping
- Fire protection systems
- Lifting and positioning loads such as ductwork, piping, HVAC or electrical equipment, and boxes or other containers
Articulating boom lifts and straight or telescopic boom lifts look very similar and have similar functions, but if we dig into their differences you will see how one will be better for your job than the other.
Articulating boom lifts have multiple pivot points in their arms where they can bend and provide versatility in terms of reach and bucket movement. These pivot points on articulating boom lifts, are commonly referred to as knuckles, and help with moving the platform up and over obstacles with ease. These aerial lifts gained incredible popularity due to their unique “up-and-over” capabilities to navigate obstacles at height. These lift rentals are great for jobs like trimming trees, picking fruit, cleaning out gutters or roof work and more. If you need to get around any obstacles like trees, barriers, or street lights, then articulating boom lifts would be the better rental choice. We carry towable articulated boom lifts that can be towed behind your truck, and we carry a self propelled articulated boom lift that can be driven around the jobsite and has to be delivered by our delivery truck.
Straight or Telescopic Boom Lifts
Straight or telescopic boom lifts, on the other hand, have a single arm that lifts the platform with no pivot points, and they only extend horizontally. Angle changes and maneuvering around obstacles is very difficult with a straight boom lift. Telescopic boom lifts can reach higher vertical heights than articulating boom lifts. The max vertical height for a straight boom lift rental here at Thompson’s is 65’ while our articulating boom lift rentals have a max vertical height of 50’. If you need the maximum combination of both height and reach, telescopic booms offer more horizontal outreach than any other aerial platform.
To determine when to use an articulating boom lift versus a telescopic boom lift, here are a few criteria to help:
- If you need access to something in confined workspaces or places that are tight and narrow
- If there are lots of obstacles and you need to reach over them
- If you're working indoors
- If you need extra reach from the platform
- If you need to travel over rougher terrain
Telehandlers, also known as telescopic handlers, reach forklifts, boom lifts, lulls, or cherry pickers, are versatile machines that are commonly seen on construction job sites when lifting materials at higher elevations or picking heavy loads off trucks. They are also used on farms, warehouses, distribution centers, and the waste and recycling industry. Because of their extendable boom and forklift attachments, these lifts are more versatile than cranes and can handle a multitude of jobs involving material handling. Our telehandler lift rentals can go as high as 44' and carry as much as 8,000lb.
They are often used for:
- Material handling: Lifting heavy loads from one place to another, such as bricks to a higher floor, or positioning steel beams
- Site cleanup: Cleaning up debris, such as after construction
- Positioning equipment: Getting a generator to the rooftop, or other hard-to-reach places
- Access over obstacles: Climbing hills and powering through rough terrain with four-wheel drive
- Plowing snow: Moving snow
- Sorting materials: Moving large loads of waste materials to different locations
- Earthwork operations: Moving large amounts of earth
- Leveling dirt/gravel: Leveling dirt/gravel
If you're looking to rent a lift for an upcoming project, you can enter the word "lift" into the search at the top of our website or click here to visit our lift rentals section of the website. If you prefer to talk to one of our service representatives, you can call us at 803-736-7368 to help you find the best solution for your next project.