Posts Tagged ‘Pallet’

The Regular Pallet Truck

As in its name this is the standard type of pallet truck that is available. The idea of a regular pallet truck is to easily move heavy loads around as you wish, you slide the 2 front forks into the pallet or underneath the load you are lifting, use the jack to ‘jack’ it up off the floor, and then use the handle to steer the load where you need it to be. Once in position you can lower the load to the floor.
 
Low Profile Pallet Trucks

This is essentially the same as a regular pallet truck except it is more specialized to lifting ultra-low crates or pallets or equipment off the floor such as vending machines, gaming machines, filing cabinets and other furniture.

Rough Terrain Pallet Trucks

This pallet truck is designed to cope with very rough and uneven ground. Where the ordinary pallet truck would have difficulty with the ground and travelling on the flooring, the rough terrain pallet truck would handle this a lot more easily. This machine would be more suitable on building sites for example.

Reel Carrying Pallet Trucks

These are specially designed for carrying horizontal cylindrical loads such as paper reels, rolled carpets, cable drums and so on. It works in the same way as the regular pallet truck except you can easily slide the fork into the cylindrical load and carry it to wherever necessary.

Weighing Scales Pallet Trucks

As in the name this pallet truck features weighing scales. Powered by batteries any load that is lifted with the pallet truck will calculate weight which is sometimes necessary.

Galvanised & Stainless Pallet Trucks

These are pallet trucks made from stainless steel. These pallet trucks are a lot more suited to the food industry or any industry where corrosive acids and saline solutions are used regularly. The galvanised and stainless steel protects the pallet truck from these substances and so the turck stays in better form.

A pallet truck, also know as a pallet jack or pump jack, is a manually powered fork truck designed to lift and move heavy materials. The front wheels are placed on the inside near the forks at the front. At the back is a hydraulic jack which is used to lift the pallet off the floor.

How do use a pallet truck? 

Being manually powered the person operating the truck pushes the forks into the pallet, and then uses the jack part of the truck to ‘jack’ up the pallet off the floor to a certain height required. Once the pallet has been lifted the operator can then move the truck where ever they wish, the pallet is only listed off the ground so it can be moved, and so a foot or so is usually normally.

Powered pallet trucks

Pallet trucks are also available powered. It is the same principle as a manual pallet truck except instead of the operator having to jack up the pallets the machine lifts it for you via controls. This is easier to use as the machine does most of the work for you and they can lift heavier pallets if required.

Who uses pallet trucks?

Generally speaking pallet trucks are used by people who are suppliers and work in warehouses. This can be in a variety of fields such as food and drink, clothing, computers, machinery and so on. Any industry that requires moving about large and heavy pallets of products will use a pallet truck.

How much do pallet trucks cost?

Many companies will differ slightly in the cost of their pallet trucks, and depending on the type of pallet truck will alter the cost as well. You will be able to pick up a regular pallet truck for around £130. Searching online or visiting different shops you’ll be able to gain more of an idea of the prices available.

Many websites sell pallet and sack trucks:

Today pallet trucks and a sack truck can be bought in a variety of places, there are slight differences to each, but all supply you with the pallet truck or sack truck that you require for the job at hand.

Shop online! Simply put ‘pallet trucks’ or ‘sack truck’ into Google or Yahoo or any other search engine and this will bring up thousands and thousands of websites where you can browse, read up on and actually buy online without you even having to leave the house.

Another way to search online is to use comparable websites such as Kelkoo. These are very useful as they compare the item you are searching for against many different websites, and so you can type into the search ‘sack truck’ or ‘pallet truck’ and it’ll give you a list of many different sack and pallet trucks from different websites. This saves you time from having to search around from site to site and it compares them against each other under certain criteria such as price, customer reviews, delivery time and so on.

Get a more personal touch and visit the shops:

To get a more personalised feel when buying your pallet trucks or sack truck go shopping and visit the actual stores or sites so you can see and see and feel the trucks in person. This gives you a lot better idea of the feel of the truck and the quality.

Used Pallet Trucks

Another great way of finding a good bargain for a pallet truck is to look at used pallet trucks. This may include checking out private advertisements, going to your local industrial park, or looking on sites like Ebay where people sell their own goods. Always go and check out the pallet truck before you commit to buying a used pallet truck as you can never be sure what state they are going to arrive in, and so doing a little research is recommended.

What determines the price for a pallet truck?

The price you pay for a pallet truck will all depend on certain factors such as where you buy your pallet truck from, which brand you looking at, which type of pallet truck such as regular, rough terrain, quick lift and so on, and the weight of the truck. Generally speaking the heavier the truck the more weight the truck can list and the more expensive they tend to be.

Shopping around the stores

Buying the pallet truck online can sometimes give you a cheaper price than if you went to a store, although you must remember that buying online will include delivery charges which tend to more than the delivery charge in store, or if you have a van and you are getting a smaller pallet truck you could transport the truck yourself as delivery will add on to the price.

Type into the search engines ‘pallet truck’ and browse the websites to gain more of an idea of the prices around, and so when you come to buy your pallet truck you can be sure you are getting a good deal.

Guide price for some pallet trucks

A rough guide based on the prices from www.pallettruckshop.co.uk

Quick Lift Hand Pallet Truck (2000kg / 540 X 1150) – £179.00
Quick Lift Hand Pallet Truck (2000kg / 685 X 1150) – £199.00
Hand Pallet Truck (2500kg / 550 X 1150) – £130.00
Hand Pallet Truck (2000kg / 450 X 800) – £159.00
Rough Terrain Pallet Truck – £675.00
Scissor Lift Hand Pallet Truck (1000kg / 540 X 1170) – £326.00
Weighing Scale Hand Pallet Truck – £689.00
Reel Carrying Pallet Truck (2000kg / 760 X 1220) – £231.00
Power Pallet Truck – £3,099.00

When you work in a warehouse or factory it is essential to have a pallet truck or sack truck to move around heavy loads and objects. Pallet trucks are the most economical method of easily moving your heavy loads.

Before you purchase your pallet truck, consider these points to ensure you receive the best pallet truck for its use and for your money:

Powered pallet truck or manual pallet truck? – the first decision to make is to decide if you are wanting a powered pallet truck or manual pallet truck, once you decide this you can then narrow the search down within these categories. The obvious advantage to a powered pallet truck is the ease of use and maneuvering of the pallet truck oppose to a manual one, however the powered pallet trucks are more expensive.

Check the weight – next you need to decide how much the maximum weight you are going to be lifting. Generally in warehouses and factories you tend to move the same items on a weekly basis and of the same weight and so you can choose a pallet truck that will be able to handle the heaviest of your loads.

Check the fork size – once the maximum weight has been decided you then need to think about the dimensions of the pallets you are going to be moving around. The average pallet truck is 48 x 40” but please do check before purchasing your new pallet truck as this is exceptionally important.

How high will the pallet truck need to lift? – pallet trucks should only be used to lift heavy weights a few inches off the ground, the maximum being 10 inches. Before buying your pallet truck measure how high the pallet truck will need to be lifting the loads to ensure the pallet truck can handle this height safely.

The steering of the pallet truck – every pallet truck will show the degree in which the pallet truck can turn. If you are in a small space or in a warehouse where turning around corners is essential buy a pallet truck with a high degree of turning, you can go for a lower degree if your working space is one big open space.

Businesses and factories have been using pallet trucks for decades to easily and quickly move heavy goods from one position to another, whether it’s to move building equipment onsite or to quickly unload a van of furniture. When using your pallet truck it is very important to know how much weight it can handle and how much the goods you are moving weigh so you do not damage your pallet truck.

So how much can a pallet truck handle? All pallet trucks will differ in how much their maximum weight capacity is, infact this is a great deciding point in how much a pallet truck will cost, the more it can hold the more you will pay. Here are some examples of weight capacities:

- Regular hand pallet trucks can range from a capacity of 1500kg to 3000kg
- Rough terrain pallet trucks can range from a capacity of 1200kg to 3500 kg
- Galvanised and stainless pallet trucks can range from a capacity of 1000kg to 2000kg
- Heavy duty pallet trucks can range from a capacity of up to 10,000kg

As you can see the average weight for a pallet truck to handle is around 2000kg, excluding the need for a heavy duty pallet truck which allows you to move a lot heavier loads.

Are pallet trucks harder to move the more weight they can hold?

With any pallet truck they need to be handled with care and you should never work a pallet truck or any piece of equipment without the proper training. Pallet trucks are designed to be easy to move no matter how much weight is on the pallet truck. If you are constantly moving heavy loads you may want to consider buying a powered pallet truck which takes the strain off yourself as the pallet truck is electric it does all the hard work for you. If you have a manual pallet truck the jack is easy to use to jack up the pallet and the load and the wheels and steering handles make the moving of the pallet truck easy and light but it is still a case of having to push the pallet truck to move it along which requires strength and a good level of fitness.

Stackers and Pallet Trucks – Always Together

If you are searching to buy a new pallet truck or stacker truck either online or from visiting the shops you may have noticed that you always see these two items together. Why is this? What exactly is a pallet truck and what exactly is a stacker truck? A stacker by definition is a large machine used to handle bulk materials. What is a pallet truck? A pallet truck is a large machine used to handle bulk materials. Sound familiar? Well indeed they are quite similar machines used for similar processes, so why buy one over the other?

Variations of Pallet Trucks and Stacker Trucks

There are many different variations of pallet trucks and stackers. Pallet trucks are available as Regular, Low Profile, Rough Terrain, Quick Lift, Galvanised and Stainless, Scissor Lift, Weighing Scales, Extra Long, Powered, Reel Carrying, and Mini. Stackers are available as Manual Stackers, Power Stackers, and Semi-Electric Stackers. Each are quite self explanatory by their names being either manual or electric or powered, extra long, and so on. Depending on your requirements will depend on the type of machine you should purchase.

Stackers and Pallet Trucks – The Differences

It has been described that stackers are a step up from the traditional pallet truck. Why? The nature of a stacker truck is that it is not manual; it takes away the manual effort which is required in pallet trucks in order to lift the load and move it around whereas the stacker does everything for you. A stacker is kind of on par with a forklift truck in what it can do however stackers are not as big and not as bulky which makes them easier to store and more economical to run than forklifts.

For these reasons stacker trucks are somewhat more expensive than pallet trucks, for example a regular pallet truck can usually be picked up for around £150, whereas a regular stacker truck will cost you in the region of £600. But of course you do get a lot more for the price in how much the stacker can move, the ease of the machine operation, and what the stacker can be used for. Stackers are great for warehouses and light manufacturing applications. Pallet trucks are again good for warehouses but are more commonly found in factories, shop-floors to move the merchandise, and loading bays.

Pallet trucks are machines designed to lift and move a series of stacked pallets easily and safely. The pallet is positioned into the pallets using the two front forks, they are then jacked up so they are off the floor, and the steering handle and wheels are used to more the pallets to where they need to go.

Here are 5 things you know about pallet trucks if you are thinking about buying one or using one:

1. Different Names – pallet trucks are called a few different names such as pallet jacks, pump truck, and hand pallet truck. All of which refer to the same machine which lifts stacks of pallets and moves them around with ease.
2. Manual or Powered Pallet Trucks – pallet trucks are available in a wide range including manual or powered. As the name suggests the manual pallet truck requires manual effort and the powered pallet truck is electric and does everything for you.
3. Pallet Trucks for Food Industries – if you are using a pallet truck in the food industry then you will need a Galvanised Pallet Truck. This type of pallet truck is corrosive free and fully sealed so no rust or oxidation from the pallet truck is transferred to the food products in motion.
4. Pallet Trucks for Chemical Industries – as with the food industry with chemicals and pharmaceutical products it is necessary to protect the goods and so special pallet trucks need to be used. Galvanised and Stainless Steel Pallet Trucks are used in this industry because they have protective sealants to avoid contamination.
5. Pallet Trucks that Weigh – to make your job easier you can purchase pallet trucks with weighing scales built into them so you don’t have to struggle weighing the pallets and you don’t have to guess. Overloading the pallet truck can cause it to fail and will eventually break.

You can find more information about pallet trucks and their uses online by visiting websites or by visiting your local supplier and talking to a sales representative. Be sure you know your requirements of pallet truck before you purchase one and take on board the advice given to you by the company selling it to you.

The length of time a pallet truck lasts depends on a few different aspects. For example the pallet truck will last a lot longer if it is properly maintained and has regular services over the years. A pallet truck that is well looked after should last several years. Of course this again depends on the brand of the pallet truck, how much it is used and if the pallet truck is well looked after. A pallet truck used only once a week for a few hours will last a lot longer than a pallet truck that is used on a daily basis all day long, and so it is all relative.

Is it cheaper to buy a new pallet truck or maintain the existing one?

Pallet trucks are not very expensive; every type of pallet truck will vary in price and depending on where the pallet truck is purchased from, but generally speaking they are not costly. Because pallet trucks are not exceptionally expensive you may be thinking it might be cheaper to throw out the old broken pallet truck and buy new rather than spending money keeping them maintained. This may be the case although to keep a pallet truck maintained it is quite cheap as they may require a new set of wheels every so often and the bearings changed. Doing this will keep the pallet truck for around 5-7 years. This type of maintenance isn’t very costly and so buying a new pallet truck every couple of years seems more expensive. Having said this it is recommended not to spend more than £120 – £140 repairing a pallet truck as it is more worth your while buying from new.

Where can you get your pallet truck serviced?

Many pallet truck shops offer the service of maintenance to your pallet truck, this may be included in the price of the truck or an additional feature. You do not need to go to the shop where you bought your pallet truck from to have it serviced, although you may receive a better price for doing so, but you can take it to any pallet truck shop and have their repair team take a look at it.

Regular checks on pallet trucks are required by law to minimalise the risk of injury. Items that need to be checked are the wheels, the bearings, the jack and the forks.

If you are a newbie looking to buy a pallet truck the whole process can be a little daunting and overwhelming. There are many variations of pallet trucks and it is important to buy the right one for your needs so you are not wasting your money and time. Here are some top things you should know pallet trucks that may help you along your way:

1. Pallet Trucks for Worksites – pallet trucks on worksites need to be a little tougher than your average pallet truck especially the wheels, going over bumpy floors, over nails and screws can cause punctures, and so it is better to use Rough Terrain pallet trucks to facilitate the uneven ground. These trucks are better suited for worksites and can cope better with rougher floors and surroundings.
2. Hire or Buy Pallet Trucks – pallet trucks can be hired and they can be bought as well. Work out how much you are going to using your pallet truck as it may work out more economical for you to hire instead of buying, or vice versa. Having your own pallet truck may seem easier as it will always be there if you ever need it but if with a hired pallet truck you don’t need to worry about repairs or damages you simply receive a new pallet truck each time you hire one. This is just another option for you to consider when purchasing your pallet truck.
3. New or Used Pallet Trucks – pallet trucks can be bought new or used. Of course used pallet trucks are cheaper but you can never be sure of the condition of the used pallet truck and you may end up paying out more for repairs than you would have for a brand new one. Be sure to get a full history of the used pallet truck before purchasing to ensure it still has some life left in it such as age and what type of work it has been involved in prior.
4. Training to use a Pallet Truck – although no official license is required to use a pallet truck you still need to have proper training before you use the equipment. Failure to receive this training can be dangerous for yourself and others.
5. Cost of Pallet Trucks – depending on the type of pallet truck you are after will depend on the cost, a standard pallet truck can cost from around £200 and electric pallet trucks can cost from around £3000. Be sure you know which type of pallet truck you need for your requirements and then you can shop around for the best price.