Wasted $150 on a drywall lift that couldn't handle 12-foot boards
Bought a cheap off-brand drywall lift off Amazon 3 months ago thinking I was smart saving cash. First job with 12-foot sheets, the thing tipped sideways on me and snapped a corner off a board. Called the supplier and they said the max rated height was for 8-foot sheets, not 12. Any of you guys tried one of those budget lifts or do you just stick to renting the good ones?
Those cheap lifts on Amazon are a gamble for sure, but calling it "operator error" feels harsh. I get why you bought it - $150 is way less than renting, especially if you've got a few rooms to do. But the real problem is the fine print on those listings is tiny and easy to miss. I've done similar stuff before, like buying a tool that looked good in the photo but the specs were buried. You're not the first person to get burned by a $150 lift that's really built for 8-foot sheets, not 12-foot ones. Next time, I'd check the weight rating and height limit three times before clicking buy, but man, that's a rough way to learn.