Drywall cutter, holder and lifter: tools to help you get the job done. Drywall lift: review of factory models and recommendations for assembling homemade ones Do-it-yourself scissor lift for drywall drawings

DIYers do not see the need to purchase a drywall lift, and some had no idea about its existence. This device does not need to be on hand if there is an assistant, but two people use it a large number of effort for .


An example of fixing drywall using a special lift

In a situation where there is no one to help, you cannot do without this device, you can buy it in finished form, or build a drywall lift with your own hands.

This is very convenient device, with the help of which the gypsum board sheets are installed to the ceiling surface, markings are performed. It is produced like this:

  • the height of the tripod is slightly more than a meter;
  • The device is installed on the lift and secured with clamps, setting it to the desired height.

Considering that a plasterboard spacer lift can lift a sheet of material by 3-4 meters - this height is enough for marking in the highest rooms.

This is what a lift spacer for attaching drywall looks like

The main purpose of this device is to help install large sheets of drywall on ceiling surface. With the help of a lift, you can do the work yourself without help.

The sheet web is pressed tightly to the attachment point using a lift, and is effectively used as homemade options, and production.

This device has other purposes, for example:

  • simplified installation in hard-to-reach places;
  • a hammer drill can be attached to a lift for installing drywall for ease of use at height;
  • raising roll materials under the ceiling;
  • With this device you can lift the massive one and connect it.

Working principle of a drywall lift

Types of lifts

The practical use of lifts depends on the type of structure, of which there are several:

  1. The Premos wall lift with a table installed in a vertical position is intended for partitions.
  2. Ceiling with vertical table, which helps in installing sheets on the ceiling.
  3. Universal Premos – has a turntable and can be used on any surface.

The most popular among professionals are universal designs.

Where is it used?

The range of applications of the standard Premos drywall lift is quite wide:


Read also

Self-tapping screws for attaching drywall to wood

Even if the repairs are carried out by a team of specialists, it is very convenient to use this structure, especially if the ceiling height is more than three meters.

Make a lift for gypsum boards with your own hands

Before you build a homemade drywall lift, you need to know what it consists of:

  1. A tripod is the base for the entire structure, on which wheels equipped with a stopper are installed.
  2. Telescopic tripod - consists of several pieces of pipe different diameters, for example from 4 to 8 cm.
  3. Table-stand with a rotating mechanism, H-shaped.
  4. Winch – this item needs to be purchased, since it is impossible to assemble it yourself.

You can equip the mechanism with additional components, for example, an electric drive or a platform.

Blueprints

Before you start assembling the structure yourself, you need to draw an assembly diagram. This process is very important, as it will help to assemble the structure without errors.

Manufacturing process

Making a drywall lift is not difficult, just follow a few steps:

  • The base is mounted from profile pipe, 6x6 cm. The tripod is assembled from three elements, two of which are equipped with rotating mechanisms, and one of them is welded to the central element - the stand. It is advisable to equip the tripod with rollers to simplify movement around the room;
  • You can weld slanted legs to the base, with the edges cut at an angle of 45 degrees; they can be permanent or folding.

Diagram with dimensions for self-made drywall lift

As soon as the tripod is ready, you can begin mounting the tripod:

  • Three types of pipes are taken - 4x4, 6x6 and 8x8 cm. They need to be inserted into each other and lined with damped elements. It is advisable to choose a round element, it is more practical. Install the telescopic pipe on the stand;
  • The top tube is equipped with a special mount on which the stand will be installed; you can equip a removable stand;
  • An H-shaped platform is made, in which the middle jumper is through, for installing retractable structures;
  • The table is installed on the platform and secured;
  • For structural rigidity, install side supports with quick-release mechanisms;
  • The last stage of installation will be the installation of the winch; it is usually installed on an outrigger beam with braces.
Finished design homemade lift for drywall

As you can see, there is nothing difficult in installing a plasterboard lift; all you need to do is prepare the material in advance and be patient.

Industrial lifts

Purchasing a factory production system will help raise other sheet materials a large area up onto the walls, while you can change the angle of inclination of the material. Factory lifts Premos and fit have a number of advantages:

Description of the lift-spacer for plasterboard slabs

To mount sheets of drywall, a special spacer may be useful, which is a lifting rod and two telescopic pipes. The design is equipped with plastic stops and ring clamps. There is a lever for easy release of the clamped rod. This spacer is used to hold sheets in a vertical position.


Operating instructions for a lift-spacer for plasterboard sheets

This device helps to mount plasterboard board quickly and without assistance, and it has the following advantages:

  1. A rotating base that helps not only move a sheet of drywall, but also move it in any direction to obtain smooth and high-quality joints between the material. It is also used for ceilings.
  2. This mechanism is light in weight and easy to use; its use will not be difficult even for a person who does not have professional skills.
  3. If the installation is carried out by one person, then you need to use at least three spacers, then arranging the wall will not be difficult.

Video review of a drywall lift.

Device for carrying drywall

Often you have to carry drywall slabs by hand. It is worth noting that doing this alone is inconvenient. Sheets are usually transported by two workers, but even with such transportation to the floor, the sheet can be broken. Eat special systems for carrying sheets of material, for example:


For the convenience of working with drywall, there are a large number of devices that you can buy in a store or build yourself to save money.

Working with drywall shows good results in almost every project, and we often do it without an assistant. Which means it is necessary special tool and accessories for drywall, which will help make the work even better and greatly simplify the processing of immense sheets.

auxiliary tool

Today we will look at special devices for installation and processing of plasterboard sheets.

Lift

When the ceiling is finished, it is very difficult for the master to cope with the work. Lifting fragile and bulky sheets to the ceiling and keeping them up is not an easy task.

Drywall spacer lift - a reliable station for lifting and holding gypsum plaster boards, and others finishing materials, which is used when working with ceilings, bookmarks ventilation ducts and even decorative finishing ceilings. The device for lifting drywall can be made of aluminum or steel, is easy to disassemble and assemble, and is convenient to use and transport. A plasterboard lift with a height of 1.4 - 1.6 m can withstand the weight of material up to 60 kg, and a device with a height of 3.5 - 4.5 m can support 30-40 kg. Often, such lifts are additionally equipped with holders and clamps.

Essentially, a drywall spacer lift can be called a type of jack that is capable of lifting huge sheets of paper to the ceiling. These modern devices allow you to install them yourself, without helpers ceiling structures at a height of up to 4.5 m.

Premos

The Premos lift is a modern device for installing plasterboard on the ceiling. The device greatly facilitates the process of installing sheets, so for many it has already become indispensable.

Premos - the lift is designed for lifting sheets to the ceiling with subsequent fixation in a horizontal position during ceiling work with plasterboard.

Advantages of the tool:

  • The device allows you to install and fix a sheet of drywall in any position;
  • Moving sheets of drywall from one place to another is not a problem with the Premos device;
  • In addition to working with drywall, the device can be used when installing air conditioners, fixing massive chandeliers, installing ventilation, and fastening large equipment.

The lifting height of the Premos device is from 3.2 to 4.2 m, the load capacity reaches 100 kg at total weight designs 23 kg. The device is convenient both during transportation and during operation.

Angled attachments for power tools

Often when working with plasterboard, especially if it is associated with fairly complex geometric shapes And multi-level ceilings, attachments for screwdrivers and drills are used. They are conveniently located on the electric tool, can be fixed in several positions, and rotate around their axis.

Shape cutting device

Professionals also have in their arsenal a special cutter for gypsum boards - a ballerina, with which you can easily make large, correct form holes - from 15 to 35 cm. The tool is easy to work with and even a beginner can handle it, the main thing is that such a thing is in your tool kit.

If we talk about small holes, say, from 2 to 13 cm in diameter, which are most in demand when working with plasterboard, then it is better to use a set hole saws on drywall. This special nozzles for drills that are used in working with ceilings and niches, for lighting or laying some communications.

For installation

When screwing a sheet of drywall to a wall or ceiling, you can damage the material if you do not take into account the depth of immersion of the screw. Professionals recommend using a special attachment for drills and screwdrivers, which will help with covering the frame with plasterboard. This is a bit with a limiter that will prevent the material from being damaged while wrapping screws into a sheet.

For carrying

Quite often we work alone, and moving a sheet of drywall from one room to another can be too difficult. To make it easier to carry gypsum boards, holder handles for drywall were invented, which allow you to conveniently lift the sheet and, holding it, move it where necessary.

To lift

To carefully lift drywall from the floor or simply change its position slightly when you apply the sheet to the ceiling or wall, you can use a foot counterweight - a drywall pedal, on one side of which a sheet of drywall is installed, and the other acts as a lever.

DIY lift

This device can be made with your own hands. The drywall lift consists of four mechanisms that are assembled separately, combining at the final stage into a single device.

Construction drawings should include the following elements:

  1. Tripod. 3-4 legs are welded to the telescopic tripod fixture for stability. For ease of use, it is better to equip the legs with wheels with stoppers.
  2. Telescopic tripod made from three sections of profile pipe with a cross section of 80.60 and 40 mm. The segments are inserted one into another like a “Matryoshka”, with plugs placed on one side. At the end of the thinnest pipe, a mount is made for the turning plane.
  3. Rotary table. First, an H-shaped frame with a through jumper in the middle is welded. Retractable T-shaped supports are inserted into the frame opening on both sides to hold the bulky sheet of fragile material.
  4. Winch. It is easier to purchase this element than to make it yourself. An outrigger beam with a brace is used as fastening for it.

Devices for carrying and fastening drywall, shaped cutting and more quick installation, are constantly developing and modernizing, and therefore, be sure to keep an eye on new products on the market.

Once again, while traveling on the endless Internet, I came across such a device, Drywall lift, or in our native language, a drywall lift. This device solved the eternal problem of installing drywall - it fixed a sheet of drywall to the ceiling for an unlimited time. Anyone who has ever installed drywall to the ceiling will understand how extremely inconvenient it is to stand with two or three of you, hold and align the sheet along the profiles and still manage to screw it in place at the same time. Undoubtedly, when you need to assemble one, two or three ceilings, then a drywall lift is unnecessary, but when you need to constantly assemble ceilings, then it is simply necessary. In addition to the fact that it evenly presses the sheet of drywall (the sheet does not bend or sag), it makes it possible to work alone, which significantly reduces labor costs and, accordingly, allows you to earn more money.

I was very interested in how much this miracle costs, and after digging around on foreign sites, I found its price. The price itself is small, $200-300 per piece, but the cost of delivery raises its price to $1000. And this, even for such a necessary device, is a lot. And I, as always happens, put off thoughts about the lift until later, when it’s really needed, then we’ll think about whether to buy it or make it ourselves.

Time passes, work is in full swing. A year has passed unnoticed during the work and more people have been added to our team, and accordingly we need to put the work on stream, and devoting three people to assembling the ceiling is too luxurious. There was a serious shortage of drywall lifts, and again looking for prices for them, I came to the conclusion that it would be easier and cheaper to assemble it myself.

I started collecting information on the structures and components of a drywall lift. The site mytechnics.com helped a lot, as it turned out, my fellow countryman, we live in the same city. On the site I found a selection of photographs of foreign lifts, a photo shoot of a homemade lift, as well as a short description of the components. Well, we have a start, we need to start drawings, because I don’t really want to assemble a drywall lift and figure out and calculate everything on the go.

I started to calculate and draw with the lift chassis.

I planned to make three sliding legs from a 20x20 mm pipe profile, weld one leg rigidly, and make the other two swivel so that the chassis could be folded. Central pillar the chassis to which the legs are attached should be made from an 80x80 mm pipe profile, into which a piece of 60x60 mm pipe profile is welded, which needs to be increased in width so that the main telescopic stand of the lift fits on it, in other words, add more metal to the 60x60 pipe profile so that It is possible to put on a stand made of 80x80 mm pipe profile practically without play. I plan to attach a wheel to each leg.

The central posts are the most important part; it determines whether the drywall lift will work.

The telescopic part of the drywall lift consists of three racks: the main rack made of 80x80 mm pipe profile, on which the drum winch is installed, the middle rack made of 60x60 mm pipe profile, and the small rack made of 40x40 mm pipe profile. The racks are installed one inside the other, the racks are pulled out using a winch, cable and pulleys. I plan to make the guides for the winch foldable, this is convenient for transportation.

The third part is a rotary table for drywall.

Consists of a 30x30 pipe profile. Two sections of pipe profile are welded together, and two 30x30 transverse pipe profiles are bolted on top of them, together forming an H-shaped structure. A 20x20 pipe profile is inserted into the longitudinal part of the table (into a 30x30 pipe profile welded together), to which sections of 30 pipe profiles are welded, which form adjustable side supports; this is done so that the length of the sheet can be adjusted by simply extending the side supports. Also, the table is equipped with two stands for vertical loading leaf. The entire table is attached to the small stand using a swivel unit.

Thus, I plan to make the lift out of three components: chassis, telescopic stand and turntable. Based on the money, I figured that all required material will cost $170-200 and the time to assemble it with modifications will take about 5 days. Unfortunately, I don’t have that kind of time yet, so this project still lives on paper.

All drawings can be downloaded below, made in AutoCADe. It contains not only diagrams of all components, but also drawings of individual components. Of course, this is just a project, during the assembly process you will have to redo or complete something, because it is impossible to calculate everything down to the smallest detail, and besides, it is unknown what can be bought from what is required for assembly. As soon as I assemble the drywall lift and carry out the necessary tests, I will definitely write a report and make the necessary adjustments to the drawings.

If this information is useful to anyone, or if you have any questions, write to me, I’ll be happy to talk.

Finishing surfaces located at considerable heights, such as ceilings, with plasterboard is quite difficult. Plasterboard sheets are quite large in size; holding them even together for a long time is extremely inconvenient and tiring. Professionals have long found a solution to this problem using purchased lifting mechanisms. But what if you don’t want to spend money on them? With some skills, it is quite possible to make a drywall lift with your own hands.

Lift functions

The main purpose of a gypsum board lift is to deliver and hold a sheet of drywall at the required height during the installation process. This not only makes the work much easier, but also makes it possible to install drywall alone.

It is natural that craftsmen The lift was quickly adapted to perform other related tasks:

  • Mounted on a drywall lift laser level, you can mark up better and avoid mistakes. The level is fixed using clamps and then raised to the required height. This device provides ideal markings of the ceiling and corners of the room.
  • It is indispensable in hard to reach places. The device allows you to fix profiles while they are being attached.
  • The lift will greatly facilitate the installation of not only drywall, but also any massive suspended equipment: air conditioners, chandeliers or air ducts.

Varieties

According to the area of ​​use, gypsum plasterboard lifts can be:

  • wall;
  • ceiling;
  • universal.

They differ in the location of the table plane on which the drywall is mounted.

The most practical is a universal lift, the working surface of which can change the level of inclination.

The industry offers many types of these devices, but they are not cheap. They are usually purchased by construction teams specializing in installation plasterboard structures. But they often prefer to make lifts themselves.

Making your own lift

Finished products do not always suit the craftsmen, and extra costs does not add to their popularity. A device for fastening Premos drywall will cost about 15 thousand rubles. Therefore, many people prefer to make a drywall lift with their own hands, and take drawings from various Internet resources or design the device themselves.

What should you remember when making a lift yourself?

There are four constituent elements, the presence of which in the design is mandatory:

  • Chassis or tripod that creates the base. It is better on wheels equipped with a locking mechanism. This will make it easier to install the device in the required location.
  • Telescopic stand. It can be made from pipes or squares of various sections, nested inside each other according to the matryoshka principle. In this case, extension is carried out due to a system of rollers and a special cable.
  • A spacer table on which drywall or other elements to be lifted will be secured.

It is better if the table has a rotation function: this will not only make loading drywall easier, but will also make the device universal.

  • A winch, due to which the telescopic stand of the device will be extended. May have a manual or electric drive.

Important nuances

Some points to consider:

  • Regardless of the material, it is metal or wood, racks and other parts that experience serious loads must be equipped with “kerchiefs” or other elements that impart rigidity and strength.
  • The folding design of the lift is preferable: this makes it easier to transport, and it will take up much less storage space.
  • In addition to the locking device available on the winch or rack and pinion, it is imperative to provide an additional device that reliably fixes the work table in the raised position. Otherwise, there is a risk of the device collapsing under load, which could result in serious injury. What you definitely shouldn’t skimp on is your own safety.

Many home craftsmen are not yet sure of the usefulness of such a device as a drywall lift, and some have not even heard of it. In principle, if the work of installing sheets on the ceiling is done by two people, then you can do without such a device as a drywall lift, but you will have to put in a lot of physical effort.

Drywall lift

There are situations when there is no assistant nearby and the installation must be carried out alone, which is when a drywall lift is needed. You can buy a ready-made one, or you can make a drywall lift with your own hands.

What is it needed for?

Factory models are usually made of metal, they are collapsible, which allows them to be conveniently carried in a special case; the most popular manufacturer of such devices is the Premos company. At home, most often you create a lift-spacer for drywall with your own hands.

Using this device, you can not only install sheets on the ceiling, but also carry out markings.

This is done as follows: take a laser level (usually its tripod has a small height), secure it with clamps on a lift and raise it to the required height.

Considering that the lifting height of the sheets is 3-4 meters, this will be enough for marking work in almost any room.

You just need to secure the laser level well so that it does not fall during work, and you can mark the ceiling.

The main purpose of this device is to help with ceiling filing. large sheets drywall. With his help this work can be successfully performed without an assistant.

You will be able to firmly lean the sheet exactly where you need it; this can be done either with a homemade device or, for example, using a Premos lift.

To complete the work, you must first tilt the frame and place a sheet of plasterboard on it. Since it does not have to be lifted very high, it can be done by one worker. Then the frame is moved to a horizontal position and, using a rack and pinion mechanism, the sheet can be raised to the required height.

The presence of wheels on the support legs allows you to move the device with the sheet to the place you need.

After you have installed the sheet in place and pressed it, all that remains is to take a screwdriver and securely fasten it.

The Premos lift is the most popular, this is explained by the fact that its price is low, and its operation scheme is simple, and therefore reliable.

Another appointment of this device is to facilitate the installation of profiles in places where it is difficult to reach.

Using this device, you can secure a hammer drill, edge rolled web when performing work on the ceiling, it is also convenient to mount massive chandeliers, air ducts, air conditioners, fan coil units and other equipment.

How to make a device yourself?

There are several options for making this homemade device, it can be wall-mounted, in-line or universal; the Premos company produces the entire range of these products.

The main difference is the type of location of the desktop; for a wall-mounted device, the table is located vertically, while for a ceiling-mounted device it lies in a horizontal plane.

If the lift is universal, then the table can change its angle of inclination and be used for mounting sheets, both on the wall and on the floor, using one of the best options is a Premos product.

It is not difficult to make such a device yourself; the drawing can be found on the Internet, and the price of the lift will be less than when purchasing a factory product.

The main elements of such a device are:

  • chassis, which, due to the presence of wheels, ensures installation of the device in in the right place. It is possible to adjust the position of the sheet during installation;
  • telescopic stand that can change its length;
  • spreader table;
  • winch.

Once you have decided on the type of structure that you will make with your own hands, you can begin to carry out the work.

Lift diagram

To make supports, you can use wooden beams or metal profiles, which are convenient and easy to work with, and they are inexpensive. Making a winch yourself is quite difficult, so it’s easier to buy it in a store.

You can make a device that is designed to work only in a specific room, or you can make a universal lift.

It is clear that the first option is cheaper, and it is also easier to convert it to work in another room than to make universal device. If you are not professionally involved in installing drywall, then the first option will be quite enough for you.

Work order

Let's look at how to make a simple design yourself step by step:

  1. When choosing wooden beam, it must be taken into account that its cross-section should not be less than 50 mm, and its height should be equal to the distance from the ceiling to the floor. You will need another beam 90-100cm long. They are connected to each other in the shape of the letter “T”.
  2. To ensure stability of the support, it is necessary to make scarves; they are also made of timber. It is necessary to control that the angle is straight, otherwise the device will turn out crooked, unstable and unreliable.
  3. If necessary, the horizontal surface can be expanded, the main thing is that all angles should be right.

If you know how to work with a welding machine, then you can make a universal lift from metal pipes. To create such a design, you will need a square with a cross-section of 80.60 and 40 mm with a wall thickness of 2 mm, they are inserted into each other like a nesting doll, the table is made from pipes 4x2.5 cm and 3x2 cm.

The racks are made, as in the version described above, only from a square metal profile; gussets are installed for reinforcement; right angles must be observed. Fastening is carried out using welding machine. A drum is installed on the largest pipe and a winch is mounted.


Ready lift

Now all that remains is to weld the table, make movable legs and assemble the entire structure. The best thing individual elements fasten them together with bolts, which will allow you to disassemble the lift, making it easier to transport.

Prices for materials and lifts

Below is a table of the cost of materials needed to create the lift.

If you do not have the time, desire or ability to make such a device yourself, you can purchase ready-made models. In the table below you can see the prices of ready-made lifts.

In any case, you will purchase a ready-made lift for plasterboard sheets or do it yourself, this will greatly facilitate and speed up the process of installing gypsum boards on the ceiling.