Wall Jacks

[That One Guy]

Anybody use the type of wall jacks utilizing a long 2x4 as the main vertical support.  The brand I'm looking at is made by Qual-Craft.  The local rental shops rent these kinds of jacks and I'd like to know of anybody's first hand experience.  I'm building on a concrete monolithic slab so would not be able to anchor the bottom of the 2x4 directly to the floor while lifting the wall.  Any ideas would be welcome.

[PEG688]

 I have three,  use them a lot.

 #1 Hand pick good straight 2x4 douglas Fir , 2 by's  that are not split , no large (as in 2" dia) loose knots and no funkie / anglie / slashie grain .

 #2    Get  2 by's that are at least 2' longer than you need to go in height , this is so the jack and post can ride out the whole trip . You don't want to have to hold the wall up and also put the jack down at one time , or have the jack fall down as it slides off. That length is  figured on a angle ,  a right triangle I think,  as your jack will start out at the "top" of the wall and chase the wall up , so if your wall is 12' in height your start point will be 12' from the floor / wall l edge (roughly) as you jack the wall up it will end up 12' in height so the diagonnal lenght of that is 16' 11" so you'd need 18' 2x4's .

8' wall  you'd need 14 ' stock.

#3 On a wood floor I like the jack over a floor joist, less stress on the sub floor.

#4 on a slab you'll have to be creative .  either locate the jacks over interior wall partion plate lines , put the plates down or at least some temporay plates to get the bolts that should be in the floor to hold the temp plates fixed . Or Rig some temp.  fixed , some how,  plates .

[highlight]  It is critical that the bottoms of those 2x4 jack posts do not move / slip out/ slip / twist off etc .[/highlight]

#5 Pry up / lift the wall with a 5 or 6' leveler while some one else puts the jack / post under , I generally put a sinker on each side of the 2 by 4 post into the top plates ,  so the post , once your almost up and are hand guiding / pushing the wall  up, the jack ,  doesn't slide off the wall plates and wack someone on the head / shoulder / collarbone .

#6 I use 3/4" black iron pipe cut off about 2 ' long as jack handles.

#7 You'll need a ladder for each jack man even on 8' walls to be able to keep in line / together.

#8 I figure about 10 '  to 12'  of wall 2x6 or 2x4 wall with sheathing applied per jack.  So the jacks are about 10' apart , on the ends I start in about 6' from the wall end .  

[highlight] #9 remember if it doesn't seem right for you check with some one who has done it and can assist / show you more.[/highlight]

 [highlight]The last thing I want to hear is you got crushed / injuried cuz you didn't understand me. Be careful.[/highlight]

Good luck, PEG  


 [highlight]BTW   The taller / higher the wall being lifted the squrrieler it gets . Up to 9' walls things are easy 12' and up things get interesting. [/highlight]

 Another BTW I also has lifted straight up big gluelams that where held stable by king studs .
In both cases the beams where to heavy to just lift and a boom truck or crane couldn;t be used , roof was already on / site to tight for one etc .  

[glenn kangiser]

Remember that PEG is a pro and you can't get much better guidance but this is advice of what works for him --when you do it you are on your own --no guarantees --- you must be sure in your own mind that you can do it safely.

[firefox]

Hi PEG,
  Does anyone use block and tackle anymore to assist in these kind of operations?
Bruce

[PEG688]

 Not that I've seen. There are some wall jacks that are sort of a B&T deal . cables etc look like a PITB to me .

 Forklifts now that's the way to go , some times , like on a slab like TOG is on but unless you own one or could work a deal some way . pretty $$$ to rent for one job/ time deal.

 

 

[JRR]

I bought four of those jacks ... and made some dandy 16' double 2x4 posts to use them with.  I assembed the whole thing up beside my house to do some painting ... and then I CHICKENED OUT!   (Jeez, I'm so ashamed!)  Mind you, I did a little iron working years and years ago, but these jack-things never made me comfortable!

The jacks are now rusting away, but those 16' built-up posts are the handiest things ... I use them often, at ground level, for different construction needs.

I ended up using a 14' aluminum walk-board between two extension ladders ... using the appropriate hangers.  For some reason, this feels perfectly fine to me.

[peg_688]

Ah JRR two different tools and use's , the one you are talking about are commonly called pump jacks they are for staging , like this :

 

The ones TOG is asking about are for raising framed walls from the floor to the "up right" standing wall position. Like these:



 Neither tool can do what the other does .

[JRR]

Sir, you are correct!   I leaped!