Gorilla Gripper

[Canuck]

I have only completed 2 of 14 hollow core door replacements with solid core and these were skinny 18" and 20" doors. Needless to say, I had forgotten how old I've gotten and shudder at lugging the remaining 12 thirty inchers up and down the stairs for machining and fitting.

I have been looking at the Gorilla Gripper and was just wondering if this thing would save my back.

Anyone out there have any experience with this contraption for carrying sheet goods any distance?

Thanks

Wayne

 

[SteveColes]

Wayne, why dont you borrow mine and see if they help? I have two and i would be glad help so long as there aren't many stairs.

 

[nn4jw]

I was interested in these things and read a bunch of reviews on Amazon. The one thing that came up a lot was that the load needed to be level. If you slant the load to carry up or down stairs it slips out. That would be a problem for what you want it for I'd think.

 

[Canuck]

Wayne, why dont you borrow mine and see if they help? I have two and i would be glad help so long as there aren't many stairs.

Thanks for the offer Steve, but there are way too many stairs!

Do your Grippers have a wider jaw for carrying 1 3/8" material? (I was actually looking at the door gripper version that has a wider capacity and maybeadapti g a shim for thinner sheet goods.)

(I would've posted a link, but new to this tablet and haven't learned "copy and paste.)

Wayne

 

[SteveColes]

Sorry, mine were the original kind 3/4 to 1 1/8.

 

[Skymaster]

I have only completed 2 of 14 hollow core door replacements with solid core and these were skinny 18" and 20" doors. Needless to say, I had forgotten how old I've gotten and shudder at lugging the remaining 12 thirty inchers up and down the stairs for machining and fitting.

I have been looking at the Gorilla Gripper and was just wondering if this thing would save my back.

Anyone out there have any experience with this contraption for carrying sheet goods any distance?

Thanks

Wayne

You may want to consider an appliance dolly with the stair crawler treads. OR can you take a room or space upstairs to cover and dedicate to this job? If so get some help and stage the doors,take em one at a time almost in situ that way no stairs

 

[Chemeleon]

I picked up one a month or two ago because of all the 3/4 osb I was hauling around for my workshop's subfloor. Works pretty well overall. I've not dealt with inclines with it, but at least on flat ground, I've had no issues with any slipping out from it so far. Obviously its not reducing the weight any, but my arms don't get sore nearly as quickly from being at full extension trying to carry it with one arm below, other helping balance it on my shoulder, and perhaps more importantly, its holding it low enough my view isn't blocked to that side.

One minor thing to watch out for - I ordered from amazon, assumed it was the normal size one, but received the one with the larger grip, so if you're wanting it for thinner stock, may want to double check the model #. In my case I'd wanted the larger one, just didn't see a listing for it, so all worked out good for me.

 

[CrealBilly]

Oddly... I find myself wanting a gorilla gripper - eventhough I have no use for one.

Here is their advertisement video...
https://youtu.be/F06vt_0zna4

 

[KenOfCary]

I seem to have the same one Steve has - it says on the label 3/4 to 1-1/8. Works well on flat ground - would think it would be awkward on an incline like stairs.

 

[Jeff]

I have been looking at the Gorilla Gripper and was just wondering if this thing would save my back.

Probably not! This product is new to me and your project with lots of stairs is a back breaker even with a Gripper.

The Door Gripper (for 1.25-2" thick) fits your 1 3/8" t requirement. What's the weight of a solid core door?

http://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/gorilla-gripper-44011l#topoftabs

Their videos make it look simple for exterior construction but interior stairs, etc. ???

Senior body equation: $ spent for professional installation + healthy body = healthy camper.

 

[Canuck]

What's the weight of a solid core .

Each 30" door is approx 60 #, the 24's - a little less.

I think I will take Skymaster's advice and try to convince Loml to let me turn one unoccupied bedroom into a temporary work area up there. Eliminates multiple trips to the garage/shop.

I ordered the Door version of the Gripper and I will see how it performs.

Than k s.

Wayne

 

[Mark Stewart]

Oddly... I find myself wanting a gorilla gripper - eventhough I have no use for one.

Here is their advertisement video...
https://youtu.be/F06vt_0zna4

After I watched this add I think I want one as well but Im not sure why

 

[Hmerkle]

After I watched this add I think I want one as well but Im not sure why

....Becasue you can leap tall buildings and lift little ones and put them in place if you have one!

(that is what the sales guy said....)

 

[Canuck]

Well. I went ahead and ordered the Gorilla Gripper door version. At 1st glance, I think it may work well.

The advertised capacity of this particular version is 1 1/4" - 2". In view of my current project just being 14 interior doors to lug around, I wondered if it could be modified to carry 3/4" plywood panels.


So..... I added a 1/2" MDF shim faced with a piece of anti slip stair tread to one jaw. (Couple of machine screws, washers and wing nuts) Works like a champ now for carrying 4x8 sheets of 3/4 ply.
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Saved me the additional investment in purchasing the smaller capacity version.


Well off to lugging around my interior doors.......

Wayne
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[CrealBilly]

Well. I went ahead and ordered the Gorilla Gripper door version. At 1st glance, I think it may work well.

The advertised capacity of this particular version is 1 1/4" - 2". In view of my current project just being 14 interior doors to lug around, I wondered if it could be modified to carry 3/4" plywood panels.


So..... I added a 1/2" MDF shim faced with a piece of anti slip stair tread to one jaw. (Couple of machine screws, washers and wing nuts) Works like a champ now for carrying 4x8 sheets of 3/4 ply.
​

​

​

Saved me the additional investment in purchasing the smaller capacity version.


Well off to lugging around my interior doors.......

Wayne
​

​

It was the advertisement video that made you want to buy one wasn't it?

Calm seas never made a good Capitan

 

[JimD]

In all the discussion of the gorilla gripper (which has a good add) I neglected to mention something else. If I had a bunch of doors to do, I would make up a custom jig for the hinges so that I would know the door jamb would match the door. I would use a scrap of plywood cut to fit the hinges either with a template guide in the router or, preferably a top bearing router bit so the openings can be hinge size. If the existing doors are inconsistent, a little bit larger hinges might still allow this to be done. The same template can do the door jamb and the door if you pull the stop. Nice to do things once.

 

[Canuck]

In all the discussion of the gorilla gripper (which has a good add) I neglected to mention something else. If I had a bunch of doors to do, I would make up a custom jig for the hinges so that I would know the door jamb would match the door. I would use a scrap of plywood cut to fit the hinges either with a template guide in the router or, preferably a top bearing router bit so the openings can be hinge size. If the existing doors are inconsistent, a little bit larger hinges might still allow this to be done. The same template can do the door jamb and the door if you pull the stop. Nice to do things once.

Thanks for your input, Jim.

For the hinge mortising I have using one of these jigs.....

http://www.mcfeelys.com/hingemate-ii-for-woodworkers-qty-1-9mp98.html

So far it is working out well. (Just having to mortise the door hinges.)

Wayne

 

[gritz]

I custom made one out of a 6"x30" piece of 1/2" ply and an old sliding glass door handle. Mine works by lifting the panel from the bottom and is slipped under the tilted panel to the balance point. Then I reach over and lift with the panel under my arm and balanced against my side. I adjust the width to suit plywood, sheetrock or a door by using a short block of 1x and a plywood lip. I was too cheap to buy this...http://www.homedepot.com/p/Stanley-Panel-Carry-Orange-93-300K/202262083