I spent $200 on a stil-matic drywall lift and it nearly killed me

I bought this used lift off Craigslist last month for $200 thinking it would save my back on a big ceiling job, but the slip clutch failed and the whole 12-foot sheet came crashing down at an angle. I barely dodged it and now I've got a dent in my floor and a new fear of heights. Has anyone else had luck with those cheap second-hand lifts or is it just me?

2 comments

2 Comments

wade_hall1mo ago

Buddy of mine tried the same thing. Bought a used one for $150, figured it was a steal. First sheet went up fine. Second sheet, the locking pin sheared off halfway up. That 12-foot sheet came down like a guillotine blade. Took a chunk out of his new laminate floor and bent the lift frame. He said the sound was like a gunshot. He ended up renting a brand new one from Sunbelt for that job. Paid more in rental fees than he saved buying that junk.

val2231mo ago

Yep, cheap tools always find a way to cost you double.