AssetTrader Buying Guide to Platforms

Features and Options

There are three different platform designs. Knowing what each is for, will make the purchase choice very easy. Boom lifts this lift is used for reaching up and over certain obstacles. Whereas other models just go up or down, this has a bucket attached to the end of jointed arms. Scissor lifts, these flat platforms move straight up and down, and are used mostly for transporting people and equipment up and down. Personnel lifts are for a single person or vertical travel buckets that only require vertical lift they are considered the most productive use for single-user operations.
For construction jobs that require a long reach that is not totally vertical, the telescopic boom lifts are the best machine for the job. With a reach of up to 120’ at almost any angle they can be an extremely helpful choice when extending buckets or people to unusual or awkward areas.
Boom lifts or knuckle booms have the great advantage of being both vertical and horizontal lifts, providing great flexibility. The platform heights start at 20’ and go up to 110’. The most common height being 20’ to 50’ range, these come with a lifting capacity of 500 lbs.
Boom lifts can also be fitted with an attachment called a jib that adds an extension of about 6’ to the height of the main book and can also move up and down and side to side. If the operating site changes and you need to transport the boom lifts there are trailer-mounted boom lifts that are battery powered and can be towed behind other vehicles, they provide a healthy height of 30’ to 50’.

Scissor lifts only move up and down, unlike the boom lifts. They are handy for larger platforms and therefore larger lifting capacities. The platform lift for scissor lifts is from 19’ to 50’ with the most common being the lower end of 20’ to 30’. The lifting capacity is 500 to 2,500 lbs. With the most common being the 500 to 1,000 lbs capacity.
Vertical personnel lifts also just go up and down, but they are simpler and cheaper than all the other types of lifts. They can be transported easily by folding them down, which allows them to fit through standard doorways. The platform height is mostly from 12’ to 50’ and the lifting capacity is 300 lbs, which is enough for one worker and tools.