Renting a scissor lift involves matching the right machine to the job needing to be done. Finding the correct scissor lift requires knowing what’s being lifted, in terms of size and weight, and how high it needs to be lifted.
The cost of renting a scissor lift has daily, weekly, and monthly rates. Small scissor lifts start at rates of $110/day, $220/week, and $480/month. Larger heavy-duty scissor lift rental rates can reach $455/day, $960/week, and $2050/month or more depending on the location of the rental.
Scissor lifts for rent are available in a narrow width of 32” for maneuvering through standard doorways. Extra-wide versions for larger jobs are available in a 48” width. Lifting heights range from the small 10-13ft models all the way up to the largest lift height of 50-60ft.
* Rates listed below reflect the low end of the price scale based on location. Some regions of the United States will have higher rental rates and are limited in availability.
| Lift Height Range | Daily Rate | Weekly Rate | Monthly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-13 ft | $110 | 220 | $480 |
| 14-18 ft | $120 | $235 | $490 |
| 18-19 ft | $125 | $250 | $520 |
| 20-21 ft | $150 | $300 | $660 |
| 24-26 ft | $180 | $360 | $820 |
| 24-26 ft x-wide | $200 | $400 | $855 |
| 25-27 ft 4WD | $320 | $640 | $1345 |
| 30-35 ft | $330 | $670 | $1400 |
| 36-49 ft 4WD | $400 | $800 | $1880 |
| 39-40 ft | $350 | $700 | $1600 |
| 39-40 ft x-wide | $370 | $740 | $1660 |
| 40ft 4WD | $400 | $800 | $1700 |
| 50-60 ft 4WD | $450 | $960 | $2050 |
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Size and Scope of Scissor Lift Rental
When looking into renting a scissor lift, there are five elements of the equipment to take into consideration. Each of these factors will help determine which scissor lift is right for the job. These five scissor lift elements are lift height, platform size, weight capacity, load stability, and method of loading.
Lift Height
Scissor lifts offer a wide range of lift heights thanks to the invention of the pantograph. Similar in function to a pair of scissors, the pantograph is made up of a sequence of interconnected parallelograms. These parallelograms have hinged intersections that can elongate the structure while maintaining the integrity of the geometric shape.
As the height of the scissor lift increases, the width of the parallelograms decreases proportionally. This helps to raise the platform of the scissor lift evenly, keeping the lift platform balanced. Scissor lifts use a device known as an actuator to achieve lift and descent via hydraulics or pneumatic means.
Platform Size
The size of the scissor lift platform is important to know because it determines how much of a workspace is available. The platform size will limit the amount of room available for materials and the workers using the machine. Determining how large of a platform the job will require depends on what is being lifted.
The width of the scissor lift platform is limited to the width of the entire scissor lift. This means that the smallest width is around 27 inches on the 35” models. Larger platforms with a 100 sq ft or more working area can be found on the larger-width scissor lifts.
Platform extensions can be used to achieve a larger workspace without disrupting the functioning of the scissor lift. These extensions can add an additional 2-3 feet of length to the platform thus increasing the area of the workspace on the scissor lift. In addition, the increase in the area of the platform increases the weight capacity of the lift.
Weight Capacity
Scissor lifts have the ability to carry large loads of materials safely to the desired height. They are limited in how much they can lift at one time. This makes it important to know how heavy the materials are and how quickly they need to be moved. The weight capacity of a scissor lift increases when using platform extensions.
A small scissor lift with a maximum height of 10-13 feet can hold around 500 pounds. The larger models that reach heights of 60 feet can lift more than 1500 pounds of materials and crew. The platform extensions can add up to an additional 250 pounds of weight capacity.
Load Stability
Being able to lift heavy loads of material to great heights requires load stability. Keeping the scissor lift properly balanced to handle extreme workloads requires proper stabilization of the machine. This is achieved through the use of outriggers that keep the weight distribution balanced.
Ensuring proper use of load stabilizers will reduce the risk of damage to the scissor lift equipment. It also prevents the scissor lift from becoming off-balance or tipping over while in the air. Load stability is important for keeping workers safe from injury or death caused by an unstable fully loaded platform.
Load Method
The method in which the scissor lift will be loaded with materials plays a role in choosing the right scissor lift. Each scissor lift is comprised of a safety cage that encloses the work area of the platform. Being able to use different methods of loading goods and personnel will be affected by the cage’s design.
Placing items on the platform by hand or by a crane is the least restrictive method of loading the scissor lift. Carefully stacking the materials can be easily achieved on any number of styles of lifts when using this method. It’s imperative that when using this method of loading that the materials are placed evenly to maintain balance and stability.
The second method of loading materials on the lift is to slide them onto the platform. This will require the platform of the lift to be able to handle the pushing motion being put upon the materials. It will also require the scissor lift’s platform to be easily accessible without obstruction from the safety cage.
Loading the scissor lift with a forklift or wheeled dolly is referred to as the rolling method of loading materials. Using this method to load the scissor lift will need to take into account the weight of the forklift or dolly to prevent damage to the scissor lift. Rolling loads onto a scissor lift will also require a lift that can accommodate the shift in weight as the forklift places the materials on board.
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Types of Scissor Lifts
Scissor lifts require an energy source to maneuver the lift from place to place. This method of energy also powers the pantograph system of the scissor lift. Scissor lifts available for rent typically use electric or fuel-powered motors for movement and lift. Other options include hydraulic and pneumatic power.
Electric Scissor Lift
This type of scissor lift uses a quiet drive mechanism that eliminates the noise and fumes found in gas and diesel-powered machines. They are typically less bulky than other lifts and have greater maneuverability in small places. Electric scissor lifts are great for using indoors where ventilation isn’t as efficient.
Diesel or Dual Fuel
Most commonly found on construction sites, this type of scissor lift features a cross-braced system to achieve greater heights than other models. Because they are powered by a diesel engine they are much noisier than other options. They are limited to outdoor use due to the fumes from the motor.
Scissor lifts that are powered by diesel motors are hefty in their design with larger platforms. A bulkier design means these scissor lifts won’t fit into smaller spaces. However, they have a greater capacity for lifting heavier loads.
Hydraulic
Scissor lifts that rely on hydraulics for movement and lift are hand-powered or engine driven. A hydraulic scissor lift relies on changes in pressure of the oil to operate the lift. This type of lift is much easier to use requiring less training than other models.
Because hydraulics rely on the viscosity of the oil, they are not well suited for extreme cold. The lower temperatures reduce the fluidity of the oil making the scissor lift operate at a much slower pace. These scissor lifts are ideal for indoor use or where speed of operation isn’t fundamental to the project.
Pneumatic
This type of scissor lift uses air pressure to raise and lower the lift’s platform. Since it is not using a fuel source or electricity, a pneumatic scissor lift is popular among those wanting to lower the carbon emissions on the job site. Using air pressure instead of other energy sources will also save money.
A pneumatic scissor lift pulls the air from the atmosphere and pressurizes it for use in the lifting mechanism. They are not as powerful as scissor lifts that use fuel or electricity making them a bit slower. However, since they use the air all around, a pneumatic scissor lift can be used almost anywhere and is especially popular for indoor use.
Rough Terrain
The most rugged of all of the scissor lifts available is known as the rough terrain scissor lift. This type of lift was specifically designed for outdoor use. It’s built with a higher weight capacity and drives around on heavy-duty tires. They are fueled by diesel, propane, or dual fuel.
Rough terrain scissor lifts can be used on uneven surfaces and slopes found on construction sites. They are constructed to work in various conditions of inclement weather and unstable environments. Their designs also feature safety restraints and arrestors not found on other models of scissor lifts.
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Factors in Choosing a Scissor Lift
Choosing the right style of scissor lift must take into account where the scissor lift will be put to use. If being used indoors it will be important to know if the door widths of the building can accommodate the size of the lift. In addition, the weight of the scissor lift plays into effect if there will be a need for using the elevator or other building lifts.
When working with a scissor lift outdoors there are a number of factors to consider. This would include natural elements such as wind, rain, or other inclement conditions such as extreme temperatures. Also included in this decision process is the type of terrain the scissor lift will be required to traverse while in use.
In both indoor and outdoor situations it will be important to know what power source will be best suited for the job at hand. Since most scissor lifts available for rent use electric power it’s important to determine if external electricity will be available to charge and run the battery-powered scissor lifts.
Other factors that can play a role in the decision process of choosing the right scissor lift include how long the lift will be needed. This is important when deadlines need to be kept and budgets are limited. Renting a more powerful scissor lift that can work faster may be more economical in the long run than using a cheaper slower-moving scissor lift. You may be interested in genie lift rental costs or maybe in a crane rental cost.
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