All about glass jacks

Operation with glass always requires maximum attention and utmost care, especially if it has a large area. This greatly complicates the work and the need to transport and lift the panel to a height. In case of careless handling, injury to a working person is not excluded, therefore, the use of a glass jack provides the necessary performance, and also minimizes the risk of injury and destruction of the glass surface. We will tell you about what this device is, what it is and how to use the equipment correctly in our article.

The glass jack is designed to grip and hold products with even and smooth surfaces for a long time. Although it is a very useful device that is widely demanded in a wide variety of industries, not all users know what a glass jack is and what its structure is.

It should be noted that the tool itself is characterized by exceptional wear resistance and durability... Glass jacks with plastic and aluminum bodies are widespread - such products are able to maintain their appearance and performance for a long time even in areas with high humidity levels. In fact, such a device works by analogy with powerful suction cups - they attach to the surface of the glass and thus hold it in an elevated state.

Glass jacks can be produced in different versions, each of which is designed for a certain weight, depending on which the device can have one or more cup-shaped suction cups. The device has a plastic handle for easy transport. Please note that lifting such a jack by hand can be difficult and even dangerous - very often the glass is damaged. To prevent this from happening, special clamps are provided in the design, which gently press the suction cups. Thus, when they are lowered, the bowls are securely fixed to the surface.

Some users are afraid that the handle will come off and the glass will fall off while carrying it. To minimize these situations, it is best to use double or even triple jacks. In this case, even if one of the suction cups moves away, the rest will act as a safety net.

You can move not only glass panels, but also some other materials with a smooth surface, such as artificial stone, plywood, tiles, as well as some other building materials. The following situation often happens: the floor is lined with a waterproofing layer, and it is extremely undesirable to move on it. At the same time, the elements of the future tiled floor fitted to each other are fixed from above. Of course, you can number them and move them to another room in order to subsequently grease them one by one and put them back. However, it will be much easier to use a glass jack - use it to lift the fragments of the floor, spread it with a fixing compound and immediately put it back in place, without disturbing the overall installation.

Glass jack can be used when transporting furniture if there is nothing to grab onto. The device is capable of lifting heavy porcelain stoneware countertops.In addition, the attachment can be used to lift materials to a height.

Depending on the level of complexity of the work performed and the dimensions of the glass, a variety of types of glass jacks can be used. Manual designed for transportation of sheet glass, has a relatively low weight in the range from 2 to 25 kg. Manual installations with a vacuum pump allow you to transfer glass leaves weighing 40-80 kg. Mechanized glass jacks They are mainly used in addition to cranes and are intended to work with glass plates weighing up to 500 kg. Such devices are widely demanded when carrying out facade glazing.

Despite all the existing differences in the design features of different types of glass jacks, they are all based on the same operating principle. In the functional plane, a zone with reduced pressure is artificially formed.

The choice of the optimal model of a glass jack directly depends on several important parameters.

The mechanism can be plastic or aluminum. When choosing a particular model, special attention should be paid not only to the material, but also to the shape of the case. Be sure to pick up the element and make sure of its good and well thought out ergonomics. There is an opinion that a metal case is heavier than a plastic one - this is far from always the case, especially if aluminum is used for its manufacture. Nowadays, you can find quite reliable plastic cases, which are very convenient to work with. Another undoubted advantage is the presence of rubber pads on the handle.

The more there are, the higher the total carrying capacity will be. It should be noted that in a professional environment, single jacks with a single suction cup are almost never used - in a reliable tool there should be at least two of them, and even better if there are the same number of handles. This design allows you to easily lift a glass panel weighing up to one centner. Most often, craftsmen buy a glass jack with three suction cups arranged in a triangle shape. With the help of this design, it is not only convenient to move the overall glasses, but you can also easily turn them on one side if necessary.

If you plan to move slabs weighing up to 150 kg, then it is better to entrust this matter to a glass jack with four suction cups. The same structures allow transporting the glass to a great height, however, in this case it is very important to make sure that the jack itself has a sufficient supply of capabilities. It is best to choose a model that has the required load capacity - only in this case it is possible to ensure a sufficient level of reliability and safety of glass movement. The design features of the case may be reflected in the total cost of the product.

Be sure to pay attention to the date of manufacture of the glass jack. Of course, for the overwhelming majority of mechanisms, this does not play a special role, so, in online stores and on ad sites, you can still find some canned models of the IP-4402 pneumatic nailer, which was manufactured back in the 90s. last century.With regard to jacks, this may not have the best effect on the technical condition of the suction cups - it is never known in what conditions the rubber was stored, and how this affected its fixing characteristics.

In conclusion, we will give a few recommendations that will greatly facilitate your use of the jack. By resorting to using such a tool, be sure to keep a soft cotton towel close at hand - it will be convenient for her to wipe the glass surface of the materials being transferred to ensure good adhesion. By the way, she can also wipe the suction cups themselves from time to time. Periodically, the suction cups need to be changed - it is advisable to do this every 2-3 years, you can always find a repair kit in any construction market.

Please be aware that suction cups can fail much earlier - this happens if you accidentally scratch their inner surface... However, experienced glaziers know very well how diaphragms can be repaired quickly and inexpensively. To do this, you must always keep a jar of cyanoacrylate glue on the farm, for example, Cosmophen. By treating the inner surface of the rubber with such a compound, you will not only be able to continue using the tool without any problems, but will significantly expand the functionality of your glass jack. After such treatment, it will be able to grip even corrugated and uneven surfaces.

The double glass jack is shown in the video below.