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Wall jacks

user-104431 | Posted in Tools for Home Building on February 7, 2006 02:16am

Looking to possibly buys wall jacks & was wondering if anyone has any helpful info. Anyone use the Proctor wall jacks or have any other recommendations?

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  1. User avater
    dieselpig | Feb 07, 2006 03:56am | #1

    I've owned the Proctor 20'ers for a few years now.  They work well and pay for themselves in chiropractor bills and W/C claims.  While we don't need them on every job, when you need 'em...... you really need 'em.

    That being said, if I ever buy another set, I'll probably get the Tranzporter brand.  They're a little more refined and you can replace more of the components individually.  With the Proctors, there are parts that can break/wear out that require buying a whole new top or bottom section.  The Tranzporter jacks are also square tube as opposed to the round Proctors, which makes them easier to strap down on the truck and much easier to line everything up when you're assembling them.

    Here's a link to a website that sells them that I just randomly Googled and grabbed so you can have a look at them.

    http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0Je5mG57.dDDR4BUKBXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE2NzVlZG9oBGNvbG8DdwRsA1dTMQRwb3MDMQRzZWMDc3IEdnRpZANGNjk1Xzg4/SIG=12cg0rbhh/EXP=1139360057/**http%3a//www.birdladder.com/category.php%3fid=82%26path=82

    View Image
    1. user-104431 | Feb 07, 2006 08:48pm | #3

      dieselpig, thanks man, just the kind of input & opinion I was looking for. You make some good points about repairs & transportation that I probably wouldn't have thought much about. Thanks for the link

  2. PeteVa | Feb 07, 2006 04:15am | #2

    I use Qual-craft, sorta new old sytle, cast iron have to provide your own 2x. 3 of them lets me put up a 60' solo

    1. user-104431 | Feb 07, 2006 08:49pm | #4

      Hey Pete, how heavy are those cast iron things?  Still available?

      1. PeteVa | Feb 07, 2006 09:28pm | #5

        Probably 15 pounds each. I think they are still on Amazon at about a hundred ea. I like them, allowed me to put up a 44' long lvl ridge beam solo using just 2.

        1. jimblodgett | Feb 08, 2006 12:11am | #6

          Another vote for the type Qual Craft sells.  They are definately the industry standard out here in the Pacific NW.  Every framer I know keeps a pair or 2 in the back of their truck.

          The pair I own are made by American Manufacturing Corporation, Avon MA.  I paid 100 bucks for the pair at my local lumber yard a few years ago and they work great.  Well worth your trouble to track them down if you decide on that type.

          I'm with whoever mentioned lifting beams with them, too.  I set a 5+1/8"x18"x23' glulam in place, about 8 feet off the floor, alone, in about 1/2 hour with my pair.  Never broke a sweat.  I'll try to attach a photo of my son lifting a smaller glulam ridge beam with those same jacks.  Very handy tools.

          I rented a pair of Proctors once to try them out, and they're nice, but unless you frame full time I don't think they're worth the money.  And they are only rated to lift the same 1,000lbs/jack as the jacks that climb a 2x4.

          Hey, all you Proctor freaks, can you easilly adapt them to lift beams into place?  I didn't try that and am now wondering about it.

           TIPI,TIPI,TIPI!

          1. user-104431 | Feb 08, 2006 12:23am | #8

            We set a 28' beam, same size about 12' high, 2 of us, off of staging and man it sucked. Sure wish I looked into this sooner. No room for a machine to get in there and the thought of these jacks never crossed my mind. Next time I'm at the chiropractor, I'll think of this while I'm getting adjusted 

          2. fingers | Feb 08, 2006 02:47am | #9

            Are those regular Qual-'Craft pump jacks?  I can't tell from your picture.

          3. jimblodgett | Feb 08, 2006 04:49am | #11

            No, but they are similar.  Qual Craft jacks are cast iron.  These have a lot more parts made of steel and a built in handle.  The more common wall jacks, like Qual Craft (there are a few manufacturers that make, or used to make the same design) you insert a pipe to serve as a handle.

            Here's a question for all you folks who know about metals and such - my understanding is that cast iron will "break" or snap before it will bend, but steel has some stretch to it because it's softer.  Is that true?  Isn't that the reason nails or screws made from wire have more shear strength than cast screws, like drywall screws?TIPI,TIPI,TIPI!

          4. MikeSmith | Feb 08, 2006 02:54am | #10

            jim... i've set a lot of beams with my Proctors.. no sweatMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

          5. jimblodgett | Feb 08, 2006 05:28am | #12

            Came back to say thanks, Mike.  Got called to dinner earlier (and, um, you KNOW that woman doesn't take "just a sec, honey" very well).

            Next time you raise a beam with yours, would you please try to snap a photo?  I'd like to see how you set that up. TIPI,TIPI,TIPI!

          6. jimatgreatwhite | Feb 08, 2006 08:22am | #13

            Jimbo

            I used to use them for raising beams.

            The first few times we just wrapped the cable around the beam without the wall hook and secured it with the little clevis hook that holds the wall hook to the cable.

            After a while I got two short sections of chain (about three feet long) with a hook on one end. We wrap the chain around the beam, then hook the chain to the cable with the clevis from the wall hook.

            Secure the bottom of the jacks so they don't slide out and up you go. There is a little more to it than that. But they work great for beams.

            All of the lift is done with two feet on the floor, no need to follow the beam and jack up on a ladder as you go.

            Jim at Great White

          7. jimblodgett | Feb 08, 2006 05:20pm | #14

            Hey Jim, nice to see you again. 

            I have to admit that the ability to stay on the floor is one big advantage of Proctor Jacks.TIPI,TIPI,TIPI!

        2. user-104431 | Feb 08, 2006 12:19am | #7

          Thanks Pete. May be just what I'm looking for. At that cost I don't mind spending the money for the handful of times a year I would use them. Plus you don't have to wonder if they'll show up in the morning and saves the WC on the labor end. The fact that you could do it solo is nice too.

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