Harbor Freight - Marriage Saver

CrealBilly

New User
Jeff
I know what you're thinking... But I'm telling you, this harbor freight panel hoist is worth every penny. As a matter of fact it should be called the Marriage Saver.
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bob vaughan

Bob Vaughan
Senior User
I used one to put up the ceiling in my 24x40 shop building. I did it all pretty much by myself. I rented one but that was in 1996. I stapled the panels up with 2-1/2" staples. I'm not so sure I shouldn't have used screws because taking an errant panel down destroyed the panel and the staples were a pain to pull out.
 

CrealBilly

New User
Jeff
I used one to put up the ceiling in my 24x40 shop building. I did it all pretty much by myself. I rented one but that was in 1996. I stapled the panels up with 2-1/2" staples. I'm not so sure I shouldn't have used screws because taking an errant panel down destroyed the panel and the staples were a pain to pull out.

Quote from my wife "could you image me trying to help you" the panel lift was so handy. Raise the panel into place and shoot a couple of roofing screws in it to hold to the ceiling then shoot it with 12d ring shank nails. I wouldn't call it easy... but I agree with my wife statement.

I'm sure there are better ones on the market. But If your the thinking of getting one for a job or occasional use. Don't hesitate on this Harbor Freight one, it's worth every penny.
 
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junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
Quote from my wife "could you image me trying to help you" the panel lift was so handy. Raise the panel into place and shoot a couple of roofing screws in it to hold to the ceiling then shoot it with 12d ring shank nails. I wouldn't call it easy... but I agree with my wife statement.

I'm sure there are better ones on the market. But If your the thinking of getting one for a job or occasional use. Don't hesitate on this Harbor Freight one, it's worth every penny.
Plus, you have 90 days to decide if you really like it. That is provided you have the receipt. Everything I have ever bought from HF has lived up to my expectations. On some things my expectations weren't very high. The last sheet rock I hung was 12 foot, 1/2" boards, on an eight foot ceiling. Hung them by myself. Course that was over 30 years ago. The older I get, the better I used to be!
 

JimD

Jim
Senior User
When I finished the basement in my last house I built a similar lift. It would pick the sheets up from the floor and would do 12 footers. I had a teenage son at the time but he seemed to always have something better to do. The lift was a lot more dependable. I had learned the hard way of the issues with the wife as a helper (excellant wife, better than I deserved but terrible helper).
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
My helpers develope "Human Evaprotosis" just when you need them, meaning they just disappear into thin air.
 

Berta

Berta
Corporate Member
We rented one while remodeling our house in Ohio. Drywall on a ceiling was still not fun.
 

cobraguy

Clay
Corporate Member
At one point I considered a drywall ceining in my basement. A drop ceiling won that day. But... I have some ceiling work to do over at my mom's. Completely forgot about these things! At $180ish a pop, it may be just the ticket to combat the "Human Evaprotosis" Bruce mentioned and that I struggle with on a regular basis; wife, sibling, friend, whoever.
 

Gofor

Mark
Corporate Member
I used one to put up the ceiling in my 24x40 shop building. I did it all pretty much by myself. I rented one but that was in 1996. I stapled the panels up with 2-1/2" staples. I'm not so sure I shouldn't have used screws because taking an errant panel down destroyed the panel and the staples were a pain to pull out.
As a little segue from the topic, the best tool I have found for pulling staples is fencing pliers. Just finished doing a lot of wall repair in a mobile home where all the wall coverings were stapled, so it saw a lot of use. Also works well for pulling brads or pin nails left behind when you remove a trim board. I have a cheap pair I bought at one of the tool tent sales, but if actually using for fencing where you will want the wire cutter function to work well, you may want to pick up a better quality.
 

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Gotcha6

Dennis
Staff member
Corporate Member
As a little segue from the topic, the best tool I have found for pulling staples is fencing pliers. Just finished doing a lot of wall repair in a mobile home where all the wall coverings were stapled, so it saw a lot of use. Also works well for pulling brads or pin nails left behind when you remove a trim board. I have a cheap pair I bought at one of the tool tent sales, but if actually using for fencing where you will want the wire cutter function to work well, you may want to pick up a better quality.
I have one of these and I love it: The Nail Extractor

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It has a parallelogram action so it grips the nail and doesn't try to cut it in two. Bought it at a WWing Show in CLT back when they had such things. Sales rep was pulling 16d nails THROUGH 1-1/2" spruce with a 1" square cheater bar on one handle.
Only thing it hasn't done for me is pull light gauge nails out of hardwoods. It usually just pulls the nail in two.
 

bob vaughan

Bob Vaughan
Senior User
I have one of these and I love it: The Nail Extractor

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It has a parallelogram action so it grips the nail and doesn't try to cut it in two. Bought it at a WWing Show in CLT back when they had such things. Sales rep was pulling 16d nails THROUGH 1-1/2" spruce with a 1" square cheater bar on one handle.
Only thing it hasn't done for me is pull light gauge nails out of hardwoods. It usually just pulls the nail in two.

I bought one of those inspired by posts here. Its a great little tool, but for some things, a set of long handled horseshoe nippers beats it. I just checked. I've got a set of diamond 15" nippers I bought 30 years ago for $10.00 from a friend. Those things are about a C-note now. For the modern price, they'd better be good.
 

CrealBilly

New User
Jeff
This unit is designed to assist in taking sheet goods to the table saw single handed. It wouldn't work for overhead applications.
From the description: The support arm can tilt and lock horizontally, and is adjustable from 28" high to 38" high.

Even my chick brooder is higher than 38"
 

Gotcha6

Dennis
Staff member
Corporate Member
I bought one of those inspired by posts here. Its a great little tool, but for some things, a set of long handled horseshoe nippers beats it. I just checked. I've got a set of diamond 15" nippers I bought 30 years ago for $10.00 from a friend. Those things are about a C-note now. For the modern price, they'd better be good.
I keep some of those handy too, but I'm more prone to cut the nail off than pull it out with them. Of course, sometimes that's what you want to do..............................
But I digress. I don't know why I don't see more of these hoists used on jobsites, but most of the hangers I've known will take 2 or 3 guys and hang it manually, not even using a dead man prop. And they are usually about 125 lbs. soaking wet......
 

CrealBilly

New User
Jeff
I keep some of those handy too, but I'm more prone to cut the nail off than pull it out with them. Of course, sometimes that's what you want to do..............................
But I digress. I don't know why I don't see more of these hoists used on jobsites, but most of the hangers I've known will take 2 or 3 guys and hang it manually, not even using a dead man prop. And they are usually about 125 lbs. soaking wet......

Well it's like Bruce said: "The older I get, the better I USED to be".

No doubt 2 or 3 strapping young bucks could work faster than one old dude and a Marriage Saver. But I started out life 6' tall and still am 6' tall. You young buck when your my age, will probably be 5' 9" or 10" from all the herniated disk in your back.
 

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