What piece of equipment to buy first?

loosegoosegarage · Wednesday at 1:29 PM

Having my 30' x 50' x 14' steel building put up in a few weeks. I plan on building a mezzanine/ loft in it for storage of parts.
I am looking to purchase at least 1 piece of machinery, but am torn on which one will be most beneficial.

--Scissor Lift- For running electrical, lights, hanging signs, etc. Would go with a small footprint, single person drivable one to take up minimal space. Not ideal for getting things up into loft due to design and capacity limits.

--Forklift- Good for moving heavy parts, and easily access loft, can fab up a man bucket for it, but takes 2 people to use it that way. Takes up a bit more floor space.

--Tractor- Would replace current Cub LoBoy I use for plowing/ mowing. Would need mid mount mower deck and loader, but most that can do both of those are pretty limited on weight capacity for lifting, especially if you add clip on forks to bucket and might be a stretch on lifting height as well. But would be more useful around property than Scissor or Forklift.

If you had to pick, which is your first choice?

Shiftless · Wednesday at 1:39 PM

Sounds to me like you could right away get the most use out of the scissor lift. In the meantime, keep your eyes open for good deals on gently used equipment for sale to save $$$$.

Beerhippie · Wednesday at 1:40 PM

A hammer. Always the first tool to buy. BFH is more useful.

PWC Repair · Wednesday at 1:57 PM

I say scissor lift as well.......only because I used the HECK out of one right after my shop was in the dry!!!!

YesIHaveAHammer · Wednesday at 2:29 PM

A scissor lift might not bring much in the way of new capability, but it makes your upcoming tasks easier, quicker, and safer. It's what you could really do with now.

Perhaps there are ones available with sufficient load capacity, platform size, and a drop side cage - that would allow using it to take your parts up to the loft.

mikedodge · Wednesday at 3:31 PM

Scissors lift whole you're building then sell it for a fork lift. A tractor isn't a substitute for that.

JeepYJ · Wednesday at 3:40 PM

loosegoosegarage said:
add clip on forks to bucket

Buy something with SSQA or JDQA and use proper forks, not the ones that attach to the bucket.

manwithtools · Wednesday at 3:46 PM

Used scissor lifts stop depreciating after about 10 years. You should be able to buy one for $3-3.5k and sell it for the same when you are done building. Then buy a used forklift when you are ready to use the shop, much more practical for moving / lifting things indoors than a tractor. Save up some money and buy the tractor for the yard chores it's intended for later. Evan a compact tractor with loader, forks and some 3 point ballast is huge to work in a 30' x 50' space. Things get tight in a hurry especially with other vehicles and equipment in there.

larry_g · Wednesday at 3:48 PM

When building my building I had a full size backhoe. I would get the bucket in position and then use a ladder to climb into bucket and use it as a work platform.

lg

Beerhippie · Wednesday at 4:15 PM

larry_g said:
When building my building I had a full size backhoe. I would get the bucket in position and then use a ladder to climb into bucket and use it as a work platform.

lg

FFS, don't tell OSHA!

IndyGarage · Wednesday at 4:24 PM

I've had all three and by far the most useful when the shop is finished is the forklift.

I use my forklift by myself with a man basket I set it up and use an extension ladder to climb up to it.

Scissor lift is great for doing stuff like electrical, hanging lights and air lines

AEAdam · Wednesday at 4:28 PM

What about a skid steer with forks. Mine is super helpful

Renegade1LI · Wednesday at 4:29 PM

Honestly, 30 x 50 is not that big, I would go with a good quality two tier baker scaffold for interior work. A baker also stores well & can be handy elese where. Not shure what else you plan to do but a tractor with qa & forks is real handy, i use mine like a power wheel barrow.

MovingAlong · Wednesday at 4:42 PM

Don't forget, you can sell one when ready for the other.

Get the scissor lift for the immediate tasks, then sell and buy the forklift for arranging the shop. Finally, when satisfied you've got the basic layout correct, sell it and buy the tractor for your day-to-day work going forward. :thumbup:

SouthernIllinois · Wednesday at 5:07 PM

For finishing the building?

I had all my material ready and standing by and rented a scissor lift for a couple days.

I knew I wouldn't need one when I was done and had no interest in buying one.

AEAdam · Wednesday at 5:22 PM

I didn't read this closely enough

loosegoosegarage said:
Having my

You aren't building the building yourself, right?

loosegoosegarage said:
30' x 50' x 14'

loosegoosegarage said:
--Scissor Lift- For running electrical, lights, hanging signs, etc. Would go with a small footprint, single person drivable one to take up minimal space. Not ideal for getting things up into loft due to design and capacity limits.

A 14' height is reachable with an 8' step ladder. Why would you need a scissor lift for that? I'd also look into quality scaffolding secondhand.

I have Werner tube scaffolding. It's really nice, breaks down into manageable pieces and you could sell it when the job is done. I will never sell mine.

loosegoosegarage said:
--Forklift- Good for moving heavy parts, and easily access loft, can fab up a man bucket for it, but takes 2 people to use it that way. Takes up a bit more floor space.

A forklift is really an essential piece of kit. Whether you can put forks on your tractor, you need a dedicated machine, or you use a skid steer like I do. Just getting equipment, toolboxes, etc out of the back of a pick up is a game changer.

loosegoosegarage said:
If you had to pick, which is your first choice?

I don't see the sense of buying a scissor lift for interior 14' reaches.

Firebrick43 · Wednesday at 5:48 PM

mikedodge said:
Scissors lift whole you're building then sell it for a fork lift. A tractor isn't a substitute for that.

Fork mounted for ssqa mounted forks or a fork lift.

A euro pattern quick attach platform that is elevated.

Direct to SSQA

Lots of trusses, header beams, walls and post have been set in place via a jib pole with a tractor. Many are pretty hinky home made contraptions but they have some that are well made.

The most important thing is that the tractor has sufficient capacity. The glorified garden tractor ones are just too small.

DAWrench · Wednesday at 5:54 PM

I would rent a scissor lift or scaffolding to do the initial work you need to do. After that it's hard to beat a compact tractor with QA forks especially if OP has acreage to maintain. In my opinion a forklift in a shop that size would be overkill unless you are dealing with very heavy material on a regular basis

loosegoosegarage · Wednesday at 8:22 PM

Thank you all for the insight and a few options I hadn't considered. I should have noted that my knees are pretty shot and climbing ladders/ scaffolding is hell on them, that's why I was looking at these machines for some, what aren't overly difficult, tasks.
Going to look more into a few of these

nadogail · Wednesday at 8:31 PM

Have you considered a Knuckle Boom?

Not only can they be a work platform, I have used them as Cranes.

W-Cummins · Wednesday at 9:34 PM

DAWrench said:
I would rent a scissor lift or scaffolding to do the initial work you need to do. After that it's hard to beat a compact tractor with QA forks especially if OP has acreage to maintain. In my opinion a forklift in a shop that size would be overkill unless you are dealing with very heavy material on a regular basis

I couldn't agree more! Rent don't buy the lift (this is from someone who owns 2 lifts). You probably will not need a slab lift for much after you get finished with the building inside, if you get a off road lift you might be able to use it outside for other things, but an articulated lift is way more useful outside.
The tractor with forks can do what a forklift can for most people and unless you get one with pneumatic tires, they are useless off the hard scape.

finn · Wednesday at 10:41 PM

Skid steer or CTL with forks. 30x50 is too small for a forklift unless you storing outside. Skid steers seem mor adaptable to outside storage , and are good ion hard surfaces. CTL are better if you have continuous dirt work. Tractor with forks isn’t as good because of line of sight limitations for fork work.

A man lift isn’t versatile.

Baker’s scaffolding can be used for storage with room for parts washers, etc underneath, plus it’s cheap.

IndyGarage · Wednesday at 11:43 PM

AEAdam said:
I didn't read this closely enough

You aren't building the building yourself, right?

A 14' height is reachable with an 8' step ladder. Why would you need a scissor lift for that? I'd also look into quality scaffolding secondhand.

I have Werner tube scaffolding. It's really nice, breaks down into manageable pieces and you could sell it when the job is done. I will never sell mine.

A forklift is really an essential piece of kit. Whether you can put forks on your tractor, you need a dedicated machine, or you use a skid steer like I do. Just getting equipment, toolboxes, etc out of the back of a pick up is a game changer.

I don't see the sense of buying a scissor lift for interior 14' reaches.

I agree with the rolling scaffold. I have both baker scaffold and regular masons scaffold with wheels and they work great. I've never owned one, but i hear those single person manlifts aren't that good.

I've had a full size scissor lift and they are fantastic for interior finish work, and yes, they are good if you have trouble climbing - you still end up climbing 2-3 rungs into the basket but from there it's easy. And most of them move pretty easily on concrete too although they usually have joystick controls which are clumsy and they don't have very good turning radius. The big problem with them is they take up a whole lot of floorspace to store.

I would not say forks on a tractor or skid steer are anywhere close to a real forklift. Sure you can lift a skid off a trailer, but if you need to position a machine or move a car or a heavy trailer, nothing beats a real forklift. The thing that is different from the others is the precision which you can position stuff. I can move things within fractions of an inch precision - you can't do that with a skidsteer or tractor. I use a 5000lb Nissan battery powered lift. I have moved everything in my shop with it, including picking up the back of an F450 truck and moving it around. Picking up small cars off of a trailer. Putting stuff up on racks 15 feet high. Building a heavy steel stairway. Setting my 12,000 lb two post lift. Pulling dents on cars, moving trailers. If I can get something onto my truck or trailer, I know I can get it off back at my shop with the forklift.

mikedodge · 2026-05-21T00:57:19-0400

What sort of stuff are you putting on the mezzanine? For the size of the building you're not going to want to maneuver a tractor or skid steer around in there much to lift stuff. You can get a small forklift that doesn't take up much space and would suit the purpose of lifting stuff onto the mezzanine a lot better and won't take up much space.

If you're only keeping small stuff that you can easily lift up there and the purpose is to not have to carry things up stairs or a ladder and you have a straight shot at the mezzanine you could use a tractor with a bucket and proper sized counter weight on the back that you can lift the bucket to the second level to move stuff up there or one that's big enough that lifting a load that high won't put it in danger of tipping. There are lots of cases where I'd rather have a fork lift to lift stuff.

DSEng · 2026-05-21T03:38:37-0400

A forklift would be my pick, but i dont have a yard that needs a tractor. The scissor lift is pretty useless after wiring is done. I use the forklift pretty much weekly.

Rent a man cage for the forklift to do the wiring, it was like $75 for the weekend. Thats what I did for wiring my shop lights. Only downside is it takes 2 people vs 1 for a scissor lift. Wasn't a problem as the girlfriend is the one of the two of us with an actual forklift license... she drank hot chocolates while I worked overhead and occasionally drove me around

Ps edit : My shop is 32x64' which is comparable to the OP. The forklift is a battery1.5metric ton with pneumatic tires, its pretty compact. I've had a 4t forklift in the shop to move my lathe but it would be ungainly for daily use.

Lassen Forge · 2026-05-21T03:48:50-0400

My thought - you need the scissor lift for the lighting, and eventually it can also double as an elevator (possibly stationary and anchored) for your mezzanine (like a stock room lift), which you will want to get stock and stuff up and down. From there the Tractor (because the tractor is infinitely useful) and eventually a Forklift.

AEAdam · 2026-05-21T06:36:02-0400

loosegoosegarage said:
Thank you all for the insight and a few options I hadn't considered. I should have noted that my knees are pretty shot and climbing ladders/ scaffolding is hell on them, that's why I was looking at these machines for some, what aren't overly difficult, tasks.
Going to look more into a few of these

Are you comfortable on small platform lifts? Have you worked on them?

I weigh 250lbs. I think my scaffold is probably rated to 300 or maybe more. But the point is, the whole time I’m on it, it’s flexing and my feet and knees are compensating.

When I first started using it, like for the first year, it was hard for me. Not the heights so much as the flexing, shaking, swaying. So I made saddle clamps and screwed them directly to the house. But after a few hours on that, I was pretty exhausted, foot sore.

I’m better at it now, but maybe stronger, better able to counter the flexing. My guess is, the smaller platform lifts are pretty wobbly. Before you spend money on one of those, maybe it would a good idea to try it out at height.

Alternatively, for wiring, hanging lights and ceiling fans etc, hire some one to do it. Think this thru and be honest with yourself about your capabilities now and 2 yrs from now. I started my barn conversation 9yrs ago. Now I’m 62 and not the man I was 5 yrs ago.

Lassen Forge · 2026-05-21T07:42:37-0400

Good consideration. I'd rather have the platform lift (or a person lift or commander truck) than deal with ladders... My knees will NOT put up wiht the flexing of ladders anymore (you'd think I was a carpetperson or something!) which really *****, never mind I have an aversion to the things. NOT heights - I can stand on a 34" cable at 500' ASL, and enjoy the view... but ladders? Maybe because I've ridden them down once too often, IDK.

I could still see converting a scissor lift to a stationary (and braced) stock lift for the balcony, but adding to that, I'd want to make sure it was rated for 1/2 ton capacity minimum.

Damon L. · 2026-05-21T11:47:25-0400

I have a small Allis forklift in my 30x60 and don't plan to get rid of it. I use it more than I thought I would for loads beyond the capacity of most skid loaders. Hard tires, so no off-roading, but I have put down 3/4" ply on the occasion that I have needed to lift something in the lawn.

Is it a pain to store? Sometimes. It makes up for it when I buy 500 bd-ft of oak and need to unload the trailer. Or a 2000# pallet of blast media, or when we're pulling an engine (I don't have a cherry picker, bought the lift instead).

It's also small enough to maneuver well inside, and will go through a standard 32" door.

I typically keep it inside the 30x60 envelope. If it's gonna be a while, I have a 10' cold storage section that I store it long-term if I have projects taking up a bunch of space.

So the forklift gets my vote. I have scaffold on wheels for the work you describe, but my knees are still in decent shape. I would rent the lift if I could get work knocked out quickly, or buy a used one and sell when done.

The tractor really isn't the ticket for lifting and moving stuff inside.

loganb · 2026-05-21T11:56:35-0400

Small forklifts like a Baker are cheap and stupid handy, in this case smaller is better. You don't need a 5k lb capacity thing. Note the above comment about it being for indoor only....you don't want to take if off concrete even if you think it's "dry"....getting a stuck in the dirt forklift out isn't a lot of fun.

I would rent the scissor lift or build the rolling scaffolding to finish the interior as required but buy the forklift as soon as a decent unit comes available. Review the weight though, they're deceptively heavy and may require a trailer rental or pay to have it delivered

nadogail · 2026-05-21T11:59:36-0400

Booms can be added to your Forklift. They slide on the forks, just like a pallet.

A forklift will a Boom has often been pressed into Sevice as a substitute for a Crane or Engine Hoist.

We don’t need any stinking Safety Wardens

IndyGarage · 2026-05-21T13:56:15-0400

loganb said:
Small forklifts like a Baker are cheap and stupid handy, in this case smaller is better. You don't need a 5k lb capacity thing. Note the above comment about it being for indoor only....you don't want to take if off concrete even if you think it's "dry"....getting a stuck in the dirt forklift out isn't a lot of fun.

I would rent the scissor lift or build the rolling scaffolding to finish the interior as required but buy the forklift as soon as a decent unit comes available. Review the weight though, they're deceptively heavy and may require a trailer rental or pay to have it delivered

I started with an old 2K clark forklift. It's the one tool that changed completely what I was doing in my shop. I soon found that I was using it for heavier and heavier stuff and often pushing the limits. Also the old one wasn't nearly as stable as a newer model.

I find that the 5K electric is not a lot bigger and is actually more maneuverable than the old 2K Clark was. It is also significantly heavier, however -probably more than double the weight. Personally I like electric better than propane or gas models, although I have a propane one too.

manwithtools · 2026-05-21T14:28:59-0400

IndyGarage said:
I've had a full size scissor lift and they are fantastic for interior finish work, and yes, they are good if you have trouble climbing - you still end up climbing 2-3 rungs into the basket but from there it's easy. And most of them move pretty easily on concrete too although they usually have joystick controls which are clumsy and they don't have very good turning radius. The big problem with them is they take up a whole lot of floorspace to store.

I'm not sure what you would be comparing turning radius with to say a scissor lift has a poor turning radius. They turn more sharply than just about anything else I can think of, they have a zero inside turning radius (meaning the lift pivots on its own axis). Joystick controls are a breeze once you use them for a short time.

A platform scissor lift is far superior to scaffolding from the standpoint you only climb into it once and then you can maneuver (by yourself) to where you want to work. It's awesome for running conduit, electrical cable, plumbing, ceiling sheet metal, etc. You can do things by yourself that would likely take two people on ladders, then up/dn, move the ladders, up/dn, etc. and there is no danger of falling off a ladder.

As far as taking up space is concerned, that's why I suggested buying one that has fully deprecated. Use it at your leisure to finish the inside of the building and then sell it for what you paid for it. This beats the rental alternative by being available to you anytime it's needed at very little if any cost. When done, sell it, no space required to store it then.

Only negative is they can be a little wobbly (even when new). You soon get used to it . Also, any suggestion of using tractor, forklift or skid steer to hold up a human work platform is a tiny bit risky. Those machines don't have the hydraulic and mechanical safeties built in to them that a scissor lift or the man lifts do. The chances of something bad happening is very slight but something to be aware of.

FowlShot76 · 2026-05-21T16:01:47-0400

First I'll say I have neither, but have had the need for both. I'd say go with the lift first if that is an option. I've got 14' walls with ceilings at 16' 8". I bought 2 sections of industrial scaffolding that gives me access to the ceiling but getting things up there is a challenge. I used an extended dry wall lift to get plywood walls up and will do the same for metal ceiling but it gets sketchy working at that height especially if you are having to lift or hold heavy stuff over the sides. I've managed so far, but having a man lift would have saved me a lot of time and would have been much safer. If you are just hanging lights and not doing heavy work, then scaffolding may save you some $$.

IndyGarage · 2026-05-21T20:35:15-0400

manwithtools said:
I'm not sure what you would be comparing turning radius with to say a scissor lift has a poor turning radius. They turn more sharply than just about anything else I can think of, they have a zero inside turning radius (meaning the lift pivots on its own axis). Joystick controls are a breeze once you use them for a short time.

A platform scissor lift is far superior to scaffolding from the standpoint you only climb into it once and then you can maneuver (by yourself) to where you want to work. It's awesome for running conduit, electrical cable, plumbing, ceiling sheet metal, etc. You can do things by yourself that would likely take two people on ladders, then up/dn, move the ladders, up/dn, etc. and there is no danger of falling off a ladder.

As far as taking up space is concerned, that's why I suggested buying one that has fully deprecated. Use it at your leisure to finish the inside of the building and then sell it for what you paid for it. This beats the rental alternative by being available to you anytime it's needed at very little if any cost. When done, sell it, no space required to store it then.

Only negative is they can be a little wobbly (even when new). You soon get used to it . Also, any suggestion of using tractor, forklift or skid steer to hold up a human work platform is a tiny bit risky. Those machines don't have the hydraulic and mechanical safeties built in to them that a scissor lift or the man lifts do. The chances of something bad happening is very slight but something to be aware of.

I've owned two different scissor lifts over the years and neither of them had a very good turning radius. One was a wide platform JLG with a 20 foot lift. It had a fantastic working platform, but it took up a ton of room in the shop and it was too nice to leave outside. It certainly did not have any kind of zero turn radius, and the steering was wonky because you steer with the joystick and drive with a pedal if I remember correctly. Later I had an MEC which had the same length deck but was skinnier - not as nice to work from but easier to store. I thought the steering on it was not much better. You can get them where you want them, but it took a lot of back and forth. They were both 10-20 years old, so maybe newer ones are better. One thing both of them had, and I would highly recommend is the overhanging deck extension. It allows you to get right up next to walls .

jblnut · 2026-05-21T20:42:49-0400

loosegoosegarage said:
Having my 30' x 50' x 14' steel building put up in a few weeks. I plan on building a mezzanine/ loft in it for storage of parts.
I am looking to purchase at least 1 piece of machinery, but am torn on which one will be most beneficial.

--Scissor Lift- For running electrical, lights, hanging signs, etc. Would go with a small footprint, single person drivable one to take up minimal space. Not ideal for getting things up into loft due to design and capacity limits.

--Forklift- Good for moving heavy parts, and easily access loft, can fab up a man bucket for it, but takes 2 people to use it that way. Takes up a bit more floor space.

--Tractor- Would replace current Cub LoBoy I use for plowing/ mowing. Would need mid mount mower deck and loader, but most that can do both of those are pretty limited on weight capacity for lifting, especially if you add clip on forks to bucket and might be a stretch on lifting height as well. But would be more useful around property than Scissor or Forklift.

If you had to pick, which is your first choice?

Don’t choose. Buy them all !! I am on the lookout for a scissor lift. I seem to borrow one a few times a year and that means I need to own one.

Make sure to get a few things that can do fork things. That way you you’ll always have the correct tool !!

OldCarGuy · 2026-05-21T20:51:18-0400

I purchased a GLC Sizzor Lift (30” by 6' with 21' work height) some 35 years ago for $300.00. After I rebuild it and purchase new batteries, she's served me well since. I'm working on the third set of batteries. I so often work alone a lot easier,, because it can be controlled entirely from the platform.

Today I store it in my 12' by 16' shed, where I keep my garden tractor and small 14” swing lathe..

19741ddf-d0cb-4e3f-8053-6617df5c0f4b.jpe

I built five garages on my property with 13' ceilings. One man drywall hanging.

Assembling my auto paint booth..

Installation of two post lifts..

Removed rails from platform to set 20' and 27' Bridge crane beams..

I clamped an I-Beam to the platform and pulled 200 Amp wires through 2” underground conduit between my buildings. With Hundred feet runs.

drokihazan · 2026-05-21T22:08:18-0400

I have a dream of having a shop that big, and I can tell you the first piece of machinery I'll buy. I can also tell you, I think it's a really good fit for the needs you describe. I want a mini-telehandler. Like an agricultural one - I like the New Holland ones because, you know, blue.
With a mini telehandler you can do SO many things. Man-basket work platform, forklift, crane jib on the boom, you can have a grabber for bales and bulk stuff, a bucket for grading and scooping dirt and gravel. You could even plow with them like a tractor, they are very heavy and powerful and are 4WD. The footprint is comparable to a small tractor. I feel like, as a homeowner and not a full-on farmer or business, I could probably accomplish every single thing I wanted to do with an agricultural telehandler and some attachments stored outside on a pallet rack.

What piece of equipment to buy first?

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