Panellift Model 138-2

I was surprised at how well the unit was constructed and thoughtful design. The unit assembles with male and female joints allowing easy transportation. The wheels are large and smooth enough to roll over most debris on a sheet rock job. The frame that holds the sheet rock is spring loaded to allows slight movement. Thisallows you to adjust the sheet rock around interferences. The triangular wheel base collapses so that you can roll in through doorways and such which is very convenient. You just need to remember to extend the wheels when you're back to lifting sheetrock. Besides Sheetrock the unit allows accurate fixture placement. I used the panel lift to hold a folding attic stair case before nailing. I was able to locate the unit precisely between joists prior to nailing. One other job inwhich it was invaluable was the lowering of light fixtures. As part of a demolition, I was given 40 light fixtures but I had to remove them and they were on a twelve foot ceiling. No problem. I'd raise the panel lift to secure the light, cut wires, unscrew the fixture and lower it with no damage. That one job paid for the lift. What would have been a two man job became a one man job I purchased the optional extension to use for 15 ft. ceilings. This extension also works well. This is one tool that I had low expectations and was surprised. A definite buy for the one man operation.

Often times, one wishes for great tools, then after looking at price they run to china tool store and buy crap , then 3 months latter it breaks and they pay to throw it in landfill, Well, this panel lift brand is solid steel through and through, went together very easy, loaded with a 4 x 8 sheet and it holds it solidly, you know this unit has your back while working. I use this by myself, at 63 yr young i feel very safe while working under it, im not a rich person, but I believe in supporting American made , this was a solid investment i can leave to my family once im gone

I built a 1600 sf addition on my house and bought this to save money on the drywall installation. This included installing 12 foot 5/8" drywall on a ceiling with a 16 foot peak. It had been sitting in my garage for a couple of years. I pulled it out recently and used it for another job. A warning on these... don't loan these out. The rental stores always seem to have bent/damaged parts of these pulled out of stock. These are fairly heavy and ackward, so if you aren't careful with the parts, you'll wreck it. I don't recommend tossing the components off your deck, etc... Dont' get me wrong though, once these are assembled, it's a big, sturdy unit.

I had one of the cheaper versions of this that lasted for 5 small jobs. I hung 3-5/8"x8' sheets on a kitchen ceiling, did a 24x24 garage, hung 4-5/8"x8' sheets in a basement remodel, hung 6-5/8"x12' sheets in a kitchen remodel, and dry-walled a 400 sq ft mother in law suite. It struggled from the beginning and finally got to the point where someone had to lift sheets while I cranked the lift up. I used this one to lift 80 5x8"x12' sheets in a 3200 sq ft house and it worked great from beginning to end. If you are doing one room or small job you might as well buy one of the cheaper models because you can buy five of them for the price of this one but this one will last a lot longer if you are going to use it much. If you look at the cheaper models and then look at the specs on this one the biggest difference is the weight. This one weighs about 30 pounds more than my other one and it's all in thicker steel. My cheap one had the arms bend on it even though we were lifting sheets that were half of the weight it says it's rated for. Would buy again but I don't think I will need to.

Great for a one-person job. After doing the old "lift, brace & screw" on my last ceiling drywall project I resolved to get a drywall lift the next time. That time has arrived. After checking out the Chinese knock-off at Harbor Freight, and then this Panellift original at a Home Depot rental center, I went with the more expensive original. I want quality when I am cranking a panel 8 to 11 feet over my head! The Chinese stuff was rickety, lose and wobbly in comparison. The Panellift unit assembles easily, moves well, and feels solid when extended. Rather than a struggle, this tool makes a single person job a joy. I took off a point for the B grade paint job. I don't want my tools coming pre-distressed. Come on Panellift, deliver a premium paint job for the premium price!

My former boss bought one of these years ago, and we hung thousands of sheets of drywall with it over the 13 years I worked for him. Now, I have my own remodeling business, so I ordered the same model. I was concerned about the quality after reading other reviews, but it arrived in great shape! I inspected each piece as it came out of the box. Yes, there were a few "wear" spots in the paint, but no scratches or dings. A few of the parts have been redesigned, but everything worked like the older model. I'm looking forward to assembling and using this new model. One thing: I almost threw away the crank handle with the cardboard box! It was rolling loose on the bottom...

This is the best lift you can buy. I owned three cheap ones but have had to replace them all. This is one built to last. Heavy gauge steel. Quality components. I know the price is a bit much but i think it is worth it. I put up 5/8" sheetrock on the ceilings of all my projects and have all the confidence in the world with this lift. It only takes one failure to ruin your day. Don't want to chance it.

Easy to assemble and operate. Was able to lift and maneuver drywall into place with no problems. Very sturdy and well made.