[Ashley Brothwood]

Hi What's the best manhole lifter that doesn't cost the £500-£800 ive seen on the internet?

I've got plenty of manhole keys and rods I can lift up standard sized covers but every so often I get the ones that are a lot heavier with the block paving / slabs over the top.
I don't really want to spent upwards of £500 to get a lifter I might use once a month or so if there's possibly a cheaper option. Has anyone ever made their own or found one that's value for money

Thanks
Ashley

[Matt Gibson]

Ive seen drain guys lifting the big square monoblock covered ones with two keys. Its a two man job.

[JandS]

Yep 2 man job but all you need is 2 T keys, slip in and twist and lift.

[Rob_Mac]

http://www.hss.com/g/69313/Man-Hole-Lifters.html

Rob

[Ashley Brothwood]

Yes something like the link Rob put up.

I was looking at something similar for when I attended drains on my own but didn't really fancy paying the £800 price tag of that equipement. I was looking at making one up myself or getting a fabricators to do one for a lot less

[Rob_Mac]

Ashley

I thought the same.

Rob

[Roger Oakley]

Most builders merchants sell drain keys, that's where I got mine from, Jewsons or Travis Perkins and not the £500+ price tag.

[BDCS]

You lot need to man up - a lot of my work in drains, I work mostly alone and can honestly say I lift them on my own. The very big concrete filled ones take a grunt but I can lift them with a pair of 18" keys- these allow you to keep your back straight and use your legs. I get all my gear from a firm called wardsflex

http://www.wardsflex.co.uk/acatalog/Manhole-Cover-Access.html

[Ashley Brothwood]

Yes I've got some of the bigger type from wardflex but some of the newer ones there laying on new high streets round here are a lot heavier and quite big so they're awkward to lift.

I've looked at making some simpler hydrolic lifter with a basic square frame and a hydrolic Jack either side just to lift up the bigger ones

[BDCS]

Why are you lifting inspection covers on High streets ? Do you have street works and a contract with the Sewage provider ? I have been told by the company that I sub for that do road jobs now want safe contractor - as part of it they want me to write a bomb scare policy and MS

[Ashley Brothwood]

No its when I've done ones for the local swimming pools that have the newer type of pathement outside and some of the shared local housing flats / old people's homes have the heavy drain covers. I do it for a maintance firm and housing association mostly but don't very often get them types of drains