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.
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 .
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.
Hi PEG,
Does anyone use block and tackle anymore to assist in these kind of operations?
Bruce
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.
(https://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b299/PEG688/dill7.jpg)
:) :) :)
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.
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 :
(https://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b299/PEG688/May302.jpg)
The ones TOG is asking about are for raising framed walls from the floor to the "up right" standing wall position. Like these:
(http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000224MY.01._AA280_SCLZZZZZZZ_.gif)
Neither tool can do what the other does .
Sir, you are correct! I leaped!