telehandler

[trialuser]

Reading various posts on here it seems like a few people have hired telehandlers to lift trusses and the like.

Could I ask anyone who has hired one whether they already had, or had to undergo special training, more than the usual deliver driver giving a quick demo?

I am in south west Scotland where things are a bit backward, but I can't find anywhere to hire one, or at least anyone who will reply to email enquiries, but I specifically stated in the emails that I was not formally trained. I'm aware that they have the potential to tip over, but in my case the lift is just a straight lift and boom foward from hard standing with ridiculously light load.

Thanks.

[Tennentslager]

Can you not handball it with help if it’s that light?

sorry if it’s a stupid question but 5 pals on site and...

[trialuser]

Sad I know, buty I havent got 5 pals, and I'm the wrong side of 60 and nowadays prefer to work smart rather than hard.

But yes, handballing with my son is the fallback.

[dpmiller]

no friendly farmers locally?

[Russell griffiths]

Have you had prices, with delivery and collection they are not cheap, as above go for a drive around and find one. 

We pay our farmer £30 an hour, he came every morning for an hour when I was fitting our floor beams. 

[PeterW]

So round there the price for a week is about £380 ex for a 7 metre TH, goes up to £480 ex for a 12 metre TH for a week. You’ll also need to insure that - think JCB insurance is £120/wk for non road use. You should have some training ideally - not sure what an insurer would say if you had an accident and they are very easy to tip if you don’t have good knowledge of how to make them manouvre on a sloping site.
 

I would say that in a week, I reckon you will use it for 3-4 hours most unless you are doing a timber frame on your own and you’ll find it quicker, cheaper and easier to find a friendly farmer - I pay £40/hr and lose all the hassle and the worry ..!   
 

 

[joe90]

My son and I manhandled my trusses (garage roof so not high) as they are lighter than they look (and I am also the wrong side of 60?. ) A Farmer with a manitou would be my Suggestion, no insurance, cash in hand, they are used to them so no pressure on you.

Edited July 10, 2020 by joe90

[Declan52]

To lift truss you will need a driver, another on the ground controlling the truss with rope tied to one end and two more people on the roof to position it and nail it home. The same 4 guys would man handle them onto the roof.

If it's windy and you are driving trying to focus on the boom or the load and the clouds are moving in the background it can be disorienting. Also before you start to lift make sure everyone knows what the hand signals are for up,down, to me and to you. Miscommunication usually ends up in a peak getting hit and walls falling down.

[dpmiller]

or you just get them all lifted and queued at one end and position by hand?

[trialuser]

Thanks for all the replies. I agree a farmer would be by far the best option. The one I had already asked was a bit non commital as someone was killed around here a few years ago falling off the forks at an agricultural merchants, not something that would happen with this job but it has made him a bit twitchy about using it off the farm. I will try and find another farmer.

Cheers.

[scottishjohn]

4 minutes ago, trialuser said:

Thanks for all the replies. I agree a farmer would be by far the best option. The one I had already asked was a bit non commital as someone was killed around here a few years ago falling off the forks at an agricultural merchants, not something that would happen with this job but it has made him a bit twitchy about using it off the farm. I will try and find another farmer.

Cheers.

yep that happened close to me and I knew the farmer that fell off and man driving the telehandler 

[scottishjohn]

7 minutes ago, trialuser said:

Thanks for all the replies. I agree a farmer would be by far the best option. The one I had already asked was a bit non commital as someone was killed around here a few years ago falling off the forks at an agricultural merchants, not something that would happen with this job but it has made him a bit twitchy about using it off the farm. I will try and find another farmer.

Cheers.

maybe ask for quote for machine +man for a day 

[scottishjohn]

11 hours ago, trialuser said:

I am in south west Scotland

where abouts -

I,m in same area 

can give you contatc for man that could drive it for you --with insurance,

he is a contractor -did all my serious digger work 

message me if you like 

[nod]

2 hours ago, PeterW said:

So round there the price for a week is about £380 ex for a 7 metre TH, goes up to £480 ex for a 12 metre TH for a week. You’ll also need to insure that - think JCB insurance is £120/wk for non road use. You should have some training ideally - not sure what an insurer would say if you had an accident and they are very easy to tip if you don’t have good knowledge of how to make them manouvre on a sloping site.
 

I would say that in a week, I reckon you will use it for 3-4 hours most unless you are doing a timber frame on your own and you’ll find it quicker, cheaper and easier to find a friendly farmer - I pay £40/hr and lose all the hassle and the worry ..!   
 

 

Good advise there 

They can be so dangerous in the wrong hands 

I’ve seen a TH tip onsite 

and also piece the top deck of a bus 

Preston City Centre Driver decided not to use a banks-man 

[trialuser]

Thanks again everyone. I have pm'ed scottishjohn to ask for his contact.

[epsilonGreedy]

A roof truss plan should specify the weight of each truss. If you could post the weight and dimension of your largest truss then people here could offer suggestions on how to man handle the trusses up. I have seen a 4 man team lift 6.5m long 40 degree pitch trusses