An electric fork lift is the equipment dedicated to picking up and stacking empty pallets. Most pallets are 48 inches square and weigh anywhere from 50 to 80 pounds, so asking employees to manually lift and stack these items is physically demanding and may not allow a stack of more than 2-3 high. With an electric forklift or electric fork lift, you can consolidate the empty pallets into columns up to twelve feet high. Even full pallets can be stacked two high, so long as the weight doesn't exceed 3300 pounds for the heavy duty straddle leg electric fork lift truck.
A new forklift can be either manual drive or electric drive, and again, the choice of your electric fork lift you make will depend on the use you plan to make of the equipment. If the electric fork lift will only be used occasionally, and the warehouse floor is smooth, one employee will probably be able to handle a load of up to 2000 pounds. If any of the variables is increased, you should probably purchase a new forklift with electric drive.
An electric fork lift is more expensive to purchase, but have added features such as forward and reverse gear, variable speeds and safety brakes.
Three types of electric fork lift stabilization designs are available on forklifts. Each one has both advantages and disadvantages in a particular working situation. The first type of electric fork lift is called a fork over design. The forks are placed directly over the stabilization legs. This design is less expensive and does not require as much room to operate. The disadvantage of the fork over electric fork lift is that you can't lift and move a closed bottom pallet directly from the floor. The fork over type does work well when unloading a truck and the disadvantages can be overcome by selecting open bottom pallets or by using blocks.
The second type of stabilization leg design for a forklift is the straddle leg electric fork lift. The forks lower completely to floor level and the stabilization legs rest outside the forks. Using this electric fork lift means that pallets can be picked up directly from the floor. The disadvantages are that the straddle leg forklift requires more room, so doesn't do well in narrow aisles and it is also more expensive to purchase.
The third type of electric fork lift is the counterbalance forklift. With this type of new forklift there are no stabilization legs to get in the way. The electric fork lift relies on weight at the back of the unit to balance the load weight. This type of electric fork lift is relatively inexpensive and can navigate confined spaces because there are no stabilization legs to get in the way, but it has the disadvantage of lessened height and weight capacities.
Except in rare circumstances, it is recommended that you choose a new forklift rather than a used one. A used electric forklift might be acceptable if you were personally familiar with the use that had been made of the electric fork lift and whether regular maintenance schedules had been followed. Beyond that, the factors of efficiency, employee safety, convenience, and cost all play a role in determining which style and size of electric fork lift is selected.

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