I Need A Grabbing Device

Barry:
Try also a medical supply house, eg http://www.colonialmedical.com/index.php?action=search&k=Grabbers.

Large selection of types, sizes and prices.

Good luck.

Abe,

Thanks!

I have this very tool.  Good tool.  I use it way too often!    :-)

You guys are doing this the hard way...didn't you see the Lionel video on how they stretched track...just put some on your arm and you'll be able to reach things on the layout all the time!

you got me. sorry.

Barry, mine has an aluminum one piece shaft.  Very strong.  It gets used a lot and has never failed.

I have this one http://www.handyhandcompany.com/splash.asp

I glued foam to the inside of the jaws. It works well and can lift heave items.

I have two others as well, a short wooden one good for light objects and a plastic one that my grandson gave me that’s actually a child’s toy but works well for light objects.

Hey Barry,

I've had some experience with different reachers and have found they all perform different tasks. Right now I've got three different types and believe it or not the Duro-Med 32 Aluminum Reacher with Magnetic Tip is the one I use the most http://www.amazon.com/Duro-Med-Aluminum-Reacher-Magnetic-Tip/dp/B0009STNME/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370117420&sr=8-1&keywords=medical+supplies+grabber+magnet+tip

It doesn't seem like it'd be as easy to use as others and may not heft as much weight but I find it squeezes into small spaces easier and the magnetic tip is an added benefit. But like I said I have several different types and use them all for different purposes.

I rarely try to lift a derailed Locomotive with any of them because I don't trust them no matter what their manufactures say their capabilities are. In those cases I usually push or pull the locomotive into a position where I can reach it with my hands. 

Barry,

I find that a grabber with straight shaft makes it difficult to translate vertically to pickup a piece of rolling stock. The grabber I find works the best has a joint in its shaft that enables a vertical approach to an item. As for lifting a heavy locomotive with a grabber, it doesn't work well and will do damage to details like grab rails.

Lee,

I have this very tool.  Good tool.  I use it way too often!    :-)

Will it pick up an engine?

POTRZBE,

Barry, mine has an aluminum one piece shaft.  Very strong.  It gets used a lot and has never failed.

Will it pick up an engine?

In addition to being concerned about the weight of a locomotive that a grabber device could handle, I would probably be more concerned about the possible damage to somewhat delicate (or very delicate) details on most of today's O gauge motive power.

Why not use a three-step step stool? My layout is 40" tall. I'm not the tallest person at 5' 4" with 31" arms. My non-folding step stool is made of sturdy stainless steel. When not in use it stores under my layout. There are no areas of my track that I cannot reach. Just a thought.

Barry, most of the steamers it has picked up are the PW types and docksiders.  The largets I can recall was a Williams GP9.  I've never used it on my largest loco, a recently purchased Lionmaster Challenger.  I'd need a reacher or 2, a crane car, and my son to help lift that thing.

Pappy,

Why not use a three-step step stool? My layout is 40" tall. I'm not the tallest person at 5' 4" with 31" arms. My non-folding step stool is made of sturdy stainless steel. When not in use it stores under my layout. There are no areas of my track that I cannot reach.

I have such a step-stool and it reaches almost all of the areas of the layout. However, there's a spot or two that, in order to reach them with the stool, I must clear out a large area of a yard, put down plywood and then climb up on the table. That's where a grabber would come in handy.

Allan,

In addition to being concerned about the weight of a locomotive that a grabber device could handle, I would probably be more concerned about the possible damage to somewhat delicate (or very delicate) details on most of today's O gauge motive power.

No kidding - really?  

When the alternative is either pushing an engine with a stick ore dragging it down the track is when I plan to use a grabber. It's sort of a last resort.

POTRZBE,

Thanks!

In picking up a steam locomotive, you have to consider not only delicate parts and the weight but also that it is draging the tender. I would try to move it along with a firm grip on the cylinders until it was at a point where I can reach it and safely remove it from the platform. Otherwise would get up on the platform, clearing what was necessary first, and retrieve the engine. I would not trust one of these devises to hold a heavy engine at arms length as Ilifted the engine from the back of the layout.

And yes I do have a gripper and yes I have used quite a few times.

Charlie,

I would try to move it along with a firm grip on the cylinders until it was at a point where I can reach it and safely remove it from the platform

Agreed!

Barry, if your intent is to push or pull the engine along the track until you can reach it then IMHO, a grabbing device is probably the wrong tool to use considering the fact thay when held horizontally the grabbing part will also likely be horizontal unless the grabbing end can be locked at a 90 degree vertical angle down from that horizontal shaft. Also in which direction will you be pushing and pushing against what part of the engine? Against the rear of the engine's cab roof edge [certainly not pushing on the tender] or pulling the front end by grabbing onto what? Pulling from which part of the engine's front end [and yes, there are many delicate parts there to contend with]. If you're planning to grab onto the cylinders from above be certain the grabbing tip will extend that far down while clearing the top of the engine. Personally trying to manevuer it successfuly into position and then moving the train along the track to where it can be reached seems as much trouble and effort [without a guarantee of success] as it would be moving items off the layout so you'd be able to successfully reach and move the engine along with your hands.