Every type of compact boom lift has its uniqueness and design according to the nature of the work. There are various lifts, including boom, scissors, and telescopic. But which one is better for your job site? Boom lifts are commonly used for short-term work on elevated work sites, such as construction or maintenance. Boom lifts are also known as cherry pickers. The other name for boom lifts is MEWPs which means mobile electric working platforms. Depending upon the configuration and variation in the machine, it is used to reach overhead job sites. Two of the most common configurations in a boom lift are straight and articulated. Straight boom lifts are known as telescoping; the other name of an articulated boom lift is a knuckle boom lift.
Both of these lifts are used for handling challenging work, and depending upon the models, below are some other options that you can get in a boom lift. Let’s look at those.
- High capacity versions
- Tires versus tires
- Engine – (LP. Gas diesel), hybrid or electric
- Outdoor and indoor
Each lift makes it worthwhile for the specific type of work. You can’t rely on one boom lift for every kind of work. Some will be beneficial for carrying heavy loads. Others will be better in versatility. For instance, a telescopic boom lift has more capacity and will help reach farther efficiently. At the same time, an articulating boom lift has the option to lift you up, and an added feature is that you can move the platform around the objects on which you have to perform the job. But the capacity of an ordinary articulating boom lift is generally lower than the telescopic boom lift. Let’s discuss the more in-depth details of choosing the boom lift for your job site.
Articulating booms
As compared to telescopic booms articulating booms have less horizontal outreach. But these booms are adequate for high job sites and give versatility to:
- Reach up, over, or/and out to access work areas
- Work in confined work areas, narrow or tight access, and space-restricted areas
You can easily recognize an articulating boom lift because of the distinctive shape of the boom. There can be various pivot points on the boom part, which are helpful in giving you reach and length. These knuckle points will provide you with space and access to objects. The major benefit of articulating booms is that it can make it easy to position around objects at height despite obstacles.
Telescoping booms
A straight boom lift can give you a higher height limit than articulating booms. These booms can provide outreach to:
- Get into a quick working position
- Access the jobs from a distance, especially where obstacles or terrain prevent close access.
Telescoping boom lifts require more area to operate. The area around the boom lift should be enough to make movements and take turns. For horizontal reach, the telescoping boom lift is best. Various websites are selling lifts online and providing information about capacity, height, and type of lifts. You can visit them too if you are planning to buy the boom lift.
