Any views on which spider lift?

[dpm_dpmartin]

I live in a 4 storey house that will require ongoing maintenance over the coming years and decades. I don't plan on moving, therefore I'll be here for another 40 years (hopefully) so I'm planning on investing now in a small spider lift - serious outlay. I've ruled out scaffolding tower (£2,000 to £2,500) and abseiling (death) as options!

When balanced-out against the frustration of finding workmen who will go up to this height and then the hiring of scaffolding or a similar machine, it just seems to make sense - yes, we might invent hover boots next year, making these obsolete, but I'm not seeing that myself. This is a common-sense pragmatic long-term investment.

I've been doing my own research and I've arranged two upcoming visits to look at a Hinowa 14.70 and an EasyLift R160. There are plenty of brands out there that sell much the same kind of spider lift - Teupen, CTE, CMC, Cela, Oil & Steel - and I, as a newcomer to this, have no understanding of what is going to be best.

Most companies that sell these seem to focus on one brand - their favourite, you assume - so does anyone on here have an objective and empirical view as to what's good and bad about all of these different options?

My shopping list is as follows - 12m to 15m high, with some nominal outreach they should all come with, no more than 1m wide so it can traverse around the entire building, it should be able to ascend some steps with a ramp on them, no need for power or water to the cage, but I would like it to be able to operate on AC mains once it's in position for quiet running.

Brand, model or age doesn't matter to me that much, but I'll want something that's sound and I'll be treating it with kid gloves myself. If I could 'buy British' without paying a silly premium, I would.

 

[flameport]

It's totally unrealistic to spend a 5 figure sum on a machine which will be used once a year or less.
They require maintenance and inspection at least once a year, in many cases every 6 months.
You also require an IPAF PAL card and insurance to operate such things, both of which are not free.
The machine will not last for 40 years and even if it did - in 40 years time will you be wanting to or be capable of using it?

As for ongoing maintenance on your property - what exactly do you intend doing? The types of work which can be safely done from a mobile platform are extremely limited.

 

[dpm_dpmartin]

Forget about your nay-saying, and just let me know if you are able to answer the question, please.

The machine would not be used one per year, in any case, as well as being able to do all of the maintenance I need at the time I choose, and not be reliant on anyone else, I will also use it to clean my very many high-up and hard-to-access windows (impossible for a normal Window Cleaner due to protruding sills). In addition, you do not need the things you mention if you are a private owner on your own land... so - my apologies - but it doesn't really seem like you're on the ball with my specific question, which you've failed to address in any respect.

If you can provide any actual insight into the question... I'm happy to hear about it.

 

[dpm_dpmartin]

As for ongoing maintenance on your property - what exactly do you intend doing? The types of work which can be safely done from a mobile platform are extremely limited.

Window cleaning.
Window sealing.
Roof ridge painting / weather protection.
Whole house painting.
Moss removal.
External pipework.
Chimney stack remedial work.
Tree pruning (in the garden).

I reckon all of these are doable from the mobile platform.

 

[dpm_dpmartin]

While a 5-figure sum might seem a frightening prospect, it becomes less so when compared to the cost of erecting scaffolding around the house - £4,400 for 2.5 weeks was the best quote I'd got. With that you end up with nothing, you have a finite timeframe in which to get stuff done, it annoys everyone in the vicinity - the spider lift has so many positives it's almost untrue. Even if it theoretically depreciates to £0, I'll have had many years of good use from it.

 

[dpm_dpmartin]

Dual post due to lag. Edited.

 

[dpm_dpmartin]

I've been out this morning and seen these for the first time face-to-face. I've been up to 14m in a Hinowa 14.70. I've seen a CMC S15 and compared them side-by-side.

Out of the two machines, the CMC S15 is more desirable, that's for sure. There's not much wrong with the Hinowa but you use levers on the machine itself to drive it around, on the S15 you have a 'remote' control which allows you to happily walk alongside. The diesel motor was very very loud on the Hinowa, so I was pleased to see that you can move it around (not just the cage) solely with electric motor. The Hinowa has a 120kg limit on full outreach, it weighs what's in the cage, whereas the S15 can take 2 people. The Hinowa has 5 levers to control the various parts of the articulating boom - it's simple to use. I'm told the S15 is simpler, but it still has 5 levers so I'm not sure about that. The Hinowa provided 110v to the cage (but only if you're powering it from 110v). It would be nice to get 230v to the cage as well. The removal of the cage was simplicity in itself, but a two-man job.

It felt sturdy and safe. I liked it very much. I would like to have a machine like this that was just electric - no diesel motor back-up or inclusion at all. Yes, you might get a power-cut - but even if you get a power cut and you've no diesel, there's still a hand-pump to move it around! It's all there. So I would do away with the diesel / petrol completely if I could.

 

[jj4091]

Your post says "any views on spider lift", mine would be, have you considered a cherry picker as an alternative, I would have thought they would have been cheaper & more versatile. I'm afraid I have no experience of the type you mention, but I would have thought they would only be any use on a level site.

 

[dpm_dpmartin]

Thanks.

I've used a telescopic boom thing here before... it had big tractor types and I could only get around the front. I thought cherry pickers might be the same... I thought one thing these spider lifts had going for them was their very slim profile, around 80cm wide... which means I should be able to take it around all 4 sides of the property (110cm stairs to get up - with ramp, and 90cm gate). Spider lifts can operate on not fully level ground, and compensate, but - actually - that's not too big an issue here anyway.

I am going to check out promaxaccess who are in my neck of the woods... they have a Spider 13.80 in stock to view.

 

[dpm_dpmartin]

I've already been hearing the reasons why the prices are so high due to... exchanges rates and Brexit. Aw!

Buy British, ey? These things all seem to be Italian.