Building a cherry picker??

[GUS68]

Hey guys!!! I am doing an engine job on the side and am going to make about 200-250 bucks. I need a cherry picker (engine hoist) and I also need a chop saw to do some of my own projects. Soooooo, I was thinking for about 200 bucks I could buy a decent chopsaw and build my own cherry picker!!! has anyone here ever buit there own??? Any tips??? or anything you would do different??? Or would I be better off just saving up and buying one???

[Matt@RFR]

With the price of steel anymore, it'll probably be more expensive to build one.

[CDJr]

I agree with Matt the Welder. I bought a lil 2-ton one at PepBoys awhile back for like $125, and I couldnt have built it for that.

[Jim Nilsen]

If you know someone with a Sam's Club card you still might be able to find a Goodyear brand name picker there still and they were really nice for the price. I think it was around $175 and folded up nicely along with being rather heavy duty looking.

I really like my Excell 2ton that is not a fold up but it knocks down really easy. It pulled the 425 engine and trans out of a Cadillac without a wimper. the guy that bought the engine and tranny said he about killed his 1.5 ton foldup hoist trying to do just the engine. You can pick up the Excell like I have for about $250 -$300 these days and to me is worth the saftey margin it has alone.

And eveyone is correct. You can't build one for what you can buy one for these days.

Jim Nilsen

[LowBuckX]

You cant buy the hydraulic ram for the price of a new picker..