Nearly 30 years after it rolled off the assembly line at
Skyjack’s plant in Guelph, Ontario,
SJ-006-10 serial number 00E was called back home to be named Skyjack's Oldest Working Scissor Lift. The unit was purchased by Kraner Electrical Ltd., a Guelph, Ontario, Canada-based company that provides electrical maintenance and installation for heavy industries, at Bolton Auction House in May 1996, but the machine dates back to 1985.
“Based on our calculation, the SJ006-10, still in use at Kraner Electrical, is the third Skyjack scissor lift ever manufactured,” said Brad Boehler, president of Skyjack, during a special ceremony in February at The Rental Show in Orlando, Fla. “The year this scissor lift left the factory, the popular movie Back to the Future was just released!” At the show, Skyjack presented Kraner Electrical with a brand new Skyjack scissor lift.
The 29-year-old scissor lift is generally used for installing conduit or fixtures, running pipes or hooking up equipment for Kraner Electrical customers. “When we are running electricals up near the ceiling we need wide spaces, and the Skyjack gives us lots of space while providing a steady platform,” said Matthew Kraner, co-owner of Kraner Electrical. “It’s like a work van up in the sky because it fits all our tools, pipes, fittings and the radio.”
The SJ006-10 reaches 21 ft., has a capacity of 750 lbs., and has a platform that’s 40”x82”, providing a sizable work area yet keeping the machine compact enough to make it easier to move. The scissor lift is easily maneuverable with two-wheel hydraulic drive and three forward and reverse speeds that are controlled from the platform. Its retracted height is low enough to fit through standard doorways. The machine is also equipped with an automatic, spring-applied, hydraulically released brake that is in action at all times except in drive mode. The hydraulic system, engine and electrical controls are easily accessible via a flip-up door.
“This scissor lift is a prototype, so it’s slower than the newer Skyjack machines we have,” Kraner said. “Everyone laughs at how slow it is because you can walk faster than it, but it’s a very effective tool, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. After all, slow and steady wins the race.”
In other Skyjack news, the company shared another milestone at The Rental Show: It has manufactured its 100,000th SJIII 3219 scissor lift. Chicago-based aerial lift supplier Metrolift placed the order for the machine, which it will donate to charity.
