Safety should always be at the forefront – whether in the fabrication shop or on the jobsite. Manufacturers continue to develop products that not only make handling slabs and other large stone pieces safer, but also help to increase production and installation efficiency. The following are among the latest products available for handling and maneuvering material.
Braxton-Bragg- Hercules
Braxton-Bragg’s Hercules handling equipment is competitively priced. The company believes that having the lowest freight costs, even for the heavy stuff, allows you to afford a better product with your hard-earned money that you need in your shop on a daily basis.
One of the biggest enemies of material handling equipment that’s made of steel is water and rust. All of Braxton-Bragg’s Hercules equipment goes through a three-step process to ensure a lasting finish and durability. The durable powder-coat finish in safety red is the same finish that’s used on $800,000 earth moving equipment. Simply put, it’s tough and made for extreme conditions.
www.braxton-bragg.com/sales-and-promos/new-products/hercules-product-line.html
GranQuartz- Manzelli® EXE 16PN GRES
The new Manzelli® EXE 16PN GRES Thin Material Power Tilt Vacuum Lifter, available from GranQuartz, is a specialty lifter designed to support and lift thin materials such as large-format thin porcelain tile (including Techlam), as well as thin-stone veneers. Manzelli’s top-of-the-line vacuum lifter for thin materials features power tilt, 16 adjustable 150mm diameter vacuum pads and four adjustable arms. Any vacuum pad can be individually opened or closed to allow support of smaller pieces or across the entire field of a larger thin panel of material.
- Lifting capacity: 360 Kg. (793.6 pounds)
- Vertical/horizontal
- Engineered especially to the requirements for lifting thin materials
- Proprietary power-tilt technology for safety and strength
www.granquartz.com/manzelli-thin-material-lifter-16-pad-360-kg-power-tilt
Groves- TR6K
The TR6K from Groves has a durable nylon braided jacket base and non-marking non-petroleum-based rubber on the upright and tie-down bars to give you extra protection. The two-tiered backsplash caddie allows for extra storage within the heavy-duty A-Frame rack. This can be rested on top of the optional six-wheeled cart for easy mobility. Full-length forklift pockets allow you to easily detach the rack from the cart so you can load it onto your truck and transport it to the jobsite. The TR6K has a large weight capacity of 6,000 pounds, which makes it great for handling full jobs.
www.grovesglassandstone.com/product/heavy-duty-transport-rack-tr6k/
Intermac- Movetro’s Mistral
Movetro’s Mistral systems from Intermac continue to set the standard in automated systems for the storage and handling of marble, granite, quartz and ceramic sheets. They effectively optimize automation and efficiency, while eliminating the risk of accidents due to incorrect handling.
Customized to your specific needs, Mistral systems can encompass classifiers, ground, aerial and telescopic loaders, as well as prime and SWIFT shuttles. Better yet, they can be seamlessly integrated with Intermac and/or third-party cutting lines. Day-in and day-out, Mistral delivers a 100 percent productivity increase in half the space.
www.intermac.com/na/stone/storage-andhandling-systems-for-sintered-materials/mistral-series
No Lift Install System- “No Lift”
The award-winning “No Lift” from No Lift Install System is a revolutionary install device that is transforming the way 3cm granite and quartz counters are installed. The benefit to the installer is that the cart does the injury inducing lifts and rotations. Additionally, it eliminates the common practice of sending “shop guys” to help put heavy and awkward counters in place. The cart lifts the counters to cabinet height using a remote-control battery-powered actuator. Then the counters are rotated safely into the horizontal position with the pivoting support frame. This frame has “transfer balls” that enable the counter to be easily slid onto the cabinet. Labor-saving cranes, clamps and vacuum lifters have been available to fabricators inside their stone shops for decades and now, with the No Lift Install System, the same help is available for their installers.
Regent Stone Products- Nemo Grabo
The Nemo Grabo, available from Regent Stone Products, is the world’s first battery-powered hand-held suction cup. The Nemo Grabo features a built-in vacuum gauge and comes in a hard shell case with a backup battery, carry strap, replacement foam ring, charger and replacement filter. The Grabo has a 200-pound capacity on polished granite. The 200-pound capacity is based on performance, while the unit is on and running, which is how the Grabo is intended to be used.
Salem Stone, partnering with Groves Incorporated- Heavy-Duty Bundle Rack
Salem Stone, partnering with Groves Incorporated, brings you the Heavy-Duty Bundle Rack. Designed for storing jumbo-sized bundles or slabs in your shop and/or warehouse, this rack features a capacity per opening of 9,000 pounds. (4,500 pounds per post). Complete with a heavy-duty powder coat finish, this rack comes with an 11-inch connector tube for butting rails together in a straight line for the desired length. The rails of this sturdy rack are built with 2.5-inch square holes spaced 5 inches apart and a steal plate with identical holes welded and boxed inside the rail – 1 inch up from the bottom. The rails are also designed with slots to hold 2 x 4’s to protect the slab edges, as well as the finish on the rack itself.
Salem Stone, partnering with Wood’s Powr-Grip- MT1010T
Salem Stone is your source for material handling equipment. Partnering with Wood’s Powr-Grip, Salem brings you a lifter specially designed to handle loads with textured surfaces – the MT1010T. Made to fit between tight vertical storage racks, this Powr-Grip vacuum lifter can handle stone and other high-density materials with rough surfaces or irregular shapes. It features 90-degree manual tilting, 10 specially designed vacuum pads and an impressive 1,500 pounds [680 kg] capacity. Additionally, this lifter’s individual pad shuts off to allow the lifter to attach to oddly shaped slabs. The MT1010T is a popular lifter in the stone industry – perfect for stone shops and installing granite countertops.
Weha- A1500 5 Pad Multi Configuration Venturi Automatic Tilt Vacuum Lifter
The Weha A1500 5 Pad Multi Configuration Venturi Automatic Tilt Vacuum Lifter offers 1,500-pound capacity in both horizontal and vertical lifting. The Weha A1500 Vacuum lifter with five pads spread out as far as it can go on the extension bar, as well as the crossbar, will have a maximum spread of 108 x 58 inches. The minimum spread with the five pads close together is 36 x 39 inches. Every vacuum pad has a dedicated shut off valve. These red on/off valves are easily controlled by the operator. The entire frame and extensions are hot-dipped galvanized.
www.wehausa.com/A-1500-Venturi-Vacuum-Lifter-Granite-Stone-p/138514.htm
Weha- Double Sided Cut Stone Trolley Cart
The Weha Double Sided Cut Stone Trolley Cart is made out of hot-dipped galvanized steel for years of use. This extremely heavy-duty stone cart can load islands, standard tops, even with a bowl already installed. Includes 11-inch hard rubber wheels that roll super easy through the shop. With a built-in pull handle, it makes moving loaded islands and countertops super easy. The design of the Weha Cut Stone Trolley allows for the back-friendly placement of workpieces. By tilting the side adjustable struts, you can store shorter workpieces. The pull bar is hooked in an upright position when not in use.
www.wehausa.com/cut-stone-trolley-p/8010143.htm
Wood’s Powr-Grip (WPG)- 8-inch Hybrid Hand Cup
Wood’s Powr-Grip (WPG) hand cups have been trusted by the glass industry for decades. But WPG makes great models for handling stone too. The 8-inch Hybrid Hand Cup for flat surfaces (model number N4300) is ideal for anyone working in a stone shop or another environment where grit and abrasive particles are present. Or, step up in size to its big brother, the N5300, with its lifting capacity of 150 pounds (68 kg). Other stone-friendly Powr-Grip models include: the N4000TS and N4950TS for flat, textured surfaces; and the N5300CS and N6300 for flat or curved surfaces.
www.wpg.com/catalog/hand-held-vacuum-cups
Wood's Powr-Grip (WPG)- PT10 Lifter Series
World-renowned for its glass-handling equipment, Wood’s Powr-Grip (WPG) also has the right solution for handling heavy stone: the PT10 Lifter Series. These vacuum lifters — each powered by compressed air, AC or a cord-free battery system – lift and move stone weighing up to 1,500 pounds (680 kg). Use the individual pad shutoff valves to control airflow, allowing different sizes and shapes of stone and other high-density materials, including those with rough surfaces or irregular shapes, to be handled. And, adjust load angles from 0 to 90 degrees easily with powered tilt.
