Gorilla Gripper

[Dave Lehnert]

Did a search and the reviews on Sawmill is a little old. Like to get opinions after using it for some time now. Have a gift card from Amazon and thought I may pick one up as it is a tool I would never spend $40 of my own money on. Like to use gift cards for such an item like this.

[Van Huskey]

I had one and it was excellent for moving sheet good BUT it doesn't make 1 1/8" T&G subfloor any lighter... :D

After we finished our house I gave it to my grandfather in law who is in the trades, I don't move sheet good enough to warrent keeping it and he uses and love it.

If you have any issues at all moving sheet goods in your shop I think it is a good buy, it did work as advertised for me, the only place it let me down was 4x12 drywall, you need two people each with a GG to move it effectively, plus the ones that hook under the bottom instead of clamping on the top were better for bendy drywall, at least for us.

[Bas Pluim]

I've had mine for a couple of months. It's a one-trick pony, but it does its trick really well. If you have to move sheet goods by yourself, this is the way to do it. As Van said, it doesn't make it any lighter, and it's still hard to maneuver a full sheet of 3/4" plywood around a corner. It's sturdy enough it should last forever, but I agree it's not cheap. The only viable alternative is a shop helper, and those tend to be even more expensive :)

[glenn bradley]

I have a few different sheetgoods helpers. All got used only a few times as I do not move sheetgoods any distance. For me, while moving stuff around in the shop, none of them were of any great benefit. They are clever devices and would certainly be helpful if I were moving sheets at least from the shop to the street or something like that.

[Roger Jensen]

I used my a lot when I was building my shop and now for getting sheet goods from my van to the shop/garage. However, if you need to lift sheets very high you need a tool to lift from the bottom. When I was doing my roof (by myself) I used the gorilla gripper to get it up the ladder and a carrier like this to lift it higher (I got a cheap one at HD):

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41DjslJmcVL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

If I were to have only one of the tools, I'd get the gorilla first.

Roger

[Don Morris]

Roger J. has it right. I've had a Gorilla Gripper for several years. Lets you keep your arm up where it's a little more comfortable (better leverage?) for me and thus better control. But lifting high from there you need the other lifter and his picture of the bottom holder is the other lifter I also have. I find I use the Gorilla Gripper more, even for less than full sheets, but, I'm just a serious hobbyist.

[David G Baker]

I like the sheet carrier that Roger J posted a photo of. I have 2 or three of the Gorilla Grippers and found them to be quite handy until any part of the sheet touches on the bottom and allows the Gripper to open and drop the sheet. The opening of the jaws is my only complaint, the opening usually happens to me when I try to carry a sheet up or down stairs creating some exciting moments as the sheet takes off on its own. I like where I hold my lifting arm on the Gripper while transporting a sheet, it is more comfortable than the plastic sheet carrier. I use the plastic carrier to lift sheet goods from a pile of sheets, can't do that with the Gripper.

[Jeremy Greiner]

If you're short like me (I'm 5') the gorilla gripper is really uncomfortable to use. To lift the wood you have to raise the handle almost above your head.

I think if you're average height or taller, I don't think that it's a problem I'm just throwing that out there.

[ian maybury]

Coincidentally i bought one last week in the UK as i got fed up trying to manhandle plywood sheets with my bad back, and could see that for moving sheets around a floor area that the underneath/hook variety (which can easily be made DIY) and the various rope and other solutions have disadvantages.

I'm still struggling with indigestion from the huge price over here. (about $80), but hopefully that will fade quickly while the usefulness will remain. I bought it because to make one from scratch in metal would have been quite a project, and still would have fallen short in terms of the non slip coating on the jaws etc. - and because it seemed to me such a very capable tool.

It works very well, and is extremely robust and well made. So far so very good on function - it grips well, the high level lifting handle it provides works really well for me...

ian

[David Giles]

The Gorilla Gripper is meant to lift sheets with one arm. Just saying.