He Built His Own Drywall Jack

He Built His Own Drywall Jack FARM SHOP Maintenance 32-6-39 Putting up drywall is now an easier job for Frank Dyck, who built his own drywall jack. "It's a real time saver," says Dyck, of La Crete, Alberta. "I came up with the idea because I was finishing a basement and had to put up the 8-ft. high ceiling by myself." The jack rides on four small caster wheels and consists of an adjustable length of thin wall, 1 1/4-in. sq. tubing that fits over a 48-in. length of 1 1/2-in. sq. tubing. The outside tube has a roller chain welded along its length to match the teeth on a sprocket that's operated by a hand crank. The crank and sprocket are mounted on another 48-in. length of 1 1/2-in. sq. tubing welded to the base about 3 in. beside the other one. "It's especially useful on 12-ft. long sheets which are almost impossible for one man to put up," says Dyck. "My total cost was less than $100. Comparable commercial jacks sell for $500 or more." The angle iron frame on top measures 42 by 42 in. so I can lift a half sheet. A sprocket is welded onto a 3/4-in. dia. shaft, which drives a bigger double chain sprocket. The shaft at the top of the double chain sprocket supports another sprocket that engages a length of roller chain that's welded onto the sq. tubing. He welded a saw blade to one end of the shaft. The blade's teeth engage in a pawl to hold the load in position and serve as a brake. "The top H-frame is attached to the sliding post with a heavy hinge so when I approach the lift with a sheet, it's already tilted toward me," says Dyck. "I made a stopper on it so it can only tilt about 45 degrees. I step on the nearest base end so it stays, lay the sheet on it, and tilt it level. Then I wheel the load into position, crank it up, and lock the pawl in place. It has a maximum lift of 98 to 99 inches." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Frank M. Dyck, P.O. Box 388, La Crete, Alberta, Canada T0H 2H0 (ph 780 928-3944).

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