Cherry Pickers – Which One Should I Hire?

The cherry picker started out life as something used to collect fruit, a platform that could be raised to different heights to allow workers to pick fruit.  These machines are easy to operate and don’t require scaffolding or other complicated structures to allow people to reach high spots.  But how do you know which one you need to hire?

Look at the job

The first thing to consider when choosing the right cherry picker for the job is the height and reach you need the equipment to have.  All cherry pickers have a maximum reach, the highest point that they can take a person.  This will be measured from the ground and the figure quoted includes the average person’s reach when standing in the basket.  Therefore, it is always best to estimate a little more than you actually need to ensure comfort when working at the height – no-one wants to spend hours on their tip-toes!

The other measurement used for cherry pickers is their sideways outreach.  This is measured from the turret, the arm that lifts the cage or basket and again is measured to include the average reach of a person.  Therefore, you should add a little onto your needs to ensure a comfortable working position unless the job is a quick one.

Other considerations

Each cherry picker will come with a maximum weight that the basket or cage can hold.  This is based on the weight of a person or persons and the equipment they carry with them so it cannot be exceeded.  For example, a CTE CS135 Spider can carry up to 200kg in the basket, normally enough for two people plus their tools.  Bigger cherry pockets often have larger capacities in the basket.

The other area to look at is the work area you need to operate the cherry picker in.  if you are working inside, you need to look at the access to the space. Some of the smaller cherry pickers can fit through normal single doorways but obviously, these tend to have a height reach of around 15 metres.  The ones that can reach greater heights tend to be correspondingly larger and may need more access space.

Ventilation and floor strength are two other areas to consider when operating inside.  If the cherry picker is electrical, then ventilation is less an issue than if it operates by a diesel engine.  Also the larger the machine, the more it weighs and the stronger the floor needs to be.

Outdoor use is a little less complicated as there are no worries about flooring or entrance ways. Some cherry pickers can operate on a slope or on uneven ground, with the Teupen Leo 23Gt Spider being a prime example of this.  If the ground is very waterlogged, this too should be checked to ensure it is stable enough to support the weight of the machine and its load.

Conclusion

Here at Dragon Access we are happy to help you make the decision about which cherry picker is right for your project, meaning that you don’t need an intimate knowledge of all the different machines.  Our cherry picker hire includes a wide range of equipment to ensure we can always find the right one for you.