A pallet jack can save you a whole lot of work
Moving a pallet of goods or equipment around can be difficult without help and if there is none, there is a very simple piece of equipment that can make it really easy for you and that is a pallet jack. There are many different types of pallet jack on the market with the basic one being pushed or pulled along manually. There are also motorized or electric ones available and these are particularly useful for heavier loads that would be difficult to move manually. But how do you choose what sort you need? Take a look at these guides, they may give you the help you need.
Choosing the right pallet truck for your operation takes careful consideration.A pallet jack, also known as a pallet truck, pump truck, or jigger is a tool used to lift and move pallets. The front wheels are mounted inside the end of the forks, and as the hydraulic jack is raised, the forks are separated vertically from the front wheels, forcing the load upward until it clears the floor.
By Bob Trebilcock, Executive Editor
October 04, 2010 - MMH EditorialMark Twain once referred to golf as a good walk spoiled. The phrase could just as easily be applied to using the wrong pallet truck, or walkie, as they’re often known. The right walkie can make short work for the operator moving a pallet around the dock in a distribution center or across a parking lot out in the field. Choosing the wrong machine can make that job as frustrating as a bad round of golf.
Just what is a walkie? “In its most basic element, a walkie is the simplest motorized vehicle for moving pallets,” says Sue Rice, product manager of pallet trucks and stackers for The Raymond Corp. (800-235-7200). “The only other alternative is a manually operated pallet jack.”
The name came about because the operator walks behind or beside the walkie instead of riding on it. Pallet trucks, the class that includes walkies, are designed to handle one or two pallets, and loads of up to 8,000 pounds. They are also among the most common and flexible motorized pallet moving devices available, says Rice. In the distribution center, a walkie is typically used to load or unload trucks, or to move pallets a short distance on the dock. Out in the field, they’re used by delivery drivers to unload pallets and move them across a parking lot. A grocer or big box retailer might use a walkie to move pallets from the stock room to the floor. Click to continue
Further reading