What Are The Different Types Of Cherry Pickers?

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By Vincent Rogers

Cherry pickers, as you are no doubt already well aware, can be hugely beneficial in a variety of situations. The elevated platform that they provide allows you to access places you wouldn’t ordinarily be able to, whilst the mobility it provides gives you the opportunity to transport it where required.

There are numerous different types of cherry lift available of course, each one tailored for a specific purpose. Some, like the scissor lift, offer a vertical platform that offers greater rigid strength but perhaps lacks a little of the versatility. Others use a boom system, which allows the user to navigate horizontally as well as vertically.

The cherry picker itself can vary wildly. They can be different sizes, be purposely designed to deal with heavier weights and powered using various fuels. The standard choice is usually between an electronically operated device or a diesel or petrol powered vehicle. Both have their benefits and restrictions.

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The platform itself may either be entirely self-propelled, with the engine powering both the boom and the wheels, or it could instead be on a trailer. You can of course even buy specialist trucks that feature the cherry picker as an integrated part of the vehicle; this of course is particularly useful where you require regular access and need to cover distances.

The scissor lift, as already mentioned, simply raises a large platform vertically. These are often employed in airports and warehouses. They are particularly useful for accessing elevated surfaces where you may have to do some work. It can simply be driven into position, all the equipment and the technician loaded onto the platform and you raise it to the right height and get to work.

Cherry pickers are often used to get to difficult places. They also tend to be chosen in deference of a more traditional ladder where access may be too dangerous to climb, the terrain not suitable or you just couldn’t possibly reach. This might mean working on power lines, making roof repairs or just cleaning windows – if you need to get a little elevation to complete a job, you might well want to look into a cherry picker.

Boom lifts are often a larger version of the more traditional cherry picker. They can reach up to 17 metres generally speaking, although specialist models may well go even further than this. In the most part the actual trailer or vehicle isn’t all that large, which provides a great opportunity to get it securely set up even in areas with limited spaced. As the boom pivots you have complete 360 degree access from a single point, allowing you to get more work done without having to uproot each time you need to move.

Despite the relative slenderness of the boom lift used on most cherry pickers, they are extremely resilient and robust. Of course you will have to check with the manufacturer to ensure that you can complete the work you require, but this hydraulically powered lift is purposely designed to deal with most things, including imbalance in weight caused when fully extended.

The type of cherry picker that you require will be largely dependent on the job that you need to do. A huge boom lift might be useful when working on a clock tower or fixing a roof, but it won’t always be necessary. A scissor lift offers greater rigidity and is simplified by the fact that it doesn’t have any horizontal movement, other than the vehicle that powers it. This can be set up and you can work on a large surface with all your tools and equipment easily accessible to you.

Whichever model you do decide to go with remember to properly inspect the site to ensure that it is accessible. You also need to size up the job itself, will your cherry picker actually be larger enough to reach where you need it to? Do you need a static stick boom or a more flexible articulated model? If you get a trailer mounted cherry picker, do you actually have the vehicle needed to tow it wherever needed? If not trucks and vans often come equipped with them already attached to ensure that wherever you go, so too does your cherry picker.

About the Author: Vincent Rogers is a freelance writer who writes for a number of UK businesses. For professional waste management services, plant hire and

Cherry Picker Hire

he recommends Nationwide Hire.

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isnare.com

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