Glass Lifters: Features and How to Use

Glass handling is a tricky business—and transporting it safely and efficiently is even trickier. Whether you’re experienced at moving glass or not, glass lifters are one of the best solutions for handling and installing glass. Here’s a concise guide on how to handle glass lifting with glass lifters.

Why Glass Lifters Matter

Handling and transporting glass poses many challenges—from fragility to slippery surfaces. One misstep or error can lead to damages and even injuries to yourself and those around you. Whether you're transporting large, flat glass across awkward distances, or if you’re needing to make a window installation, you’re going to need some kind of glass lifting equipment. Glass lifters allow you to both safely and efficiently transport and install large or awkward glass panels. 

Professional glass handling equipment makes the process easier in many ways:

• Enhancing safety by providing a more secure hold on glass panels, large and small.

• Reducing risks of damages from glass panels falling forward—thereby reducing unexpected costs.

• Providing a better grip on slick, glass surfaces with safety features like vacuum cups.

Understanding How Glass Lifters Work

Glass lifting equipment makes glass installation far safer and easier by ensuring panels are properly secured with straps, angled ledges, and other safety devices like vacuum pads. Most lifting equipment works by securing glass with safety straps, and then a vacuum seal between the vacuum cup and the surface of the glass. Even if the other features fail, the vacuum seal holds the glass securely and reduces the risks of damages to the materials and the risk of injury during the process. 

No matter if you’re installing new windows on a house or storefront, or if you need to safely transport glass panels to another location, having the right kind of lifting equipment ensures a safer, smoother, and more efficient process.

EZ Ledge™ Glass Lifter

Some glass lifting machines are specially designed to enhance the efficiency even further—such as our EZ Ledge™ Glass Lifter. Key features of which include:

• Two 6" FTS™ vacuum cups, which provide secure suction adhesion to smooth and slippery glass surfaces, allowing for a much more secure (and safer) hold.

• 5-degree back-lean which allows the glass to lean against the bars and reduces the risk of the panels falling forward.

• Two locking mechanisms including a wedge lock and pin lock to keep the tool itself secured to a lift railing, keeping it still against the railing.

• The hanging design allows for easier attachment to all common types of boom lifts.

• The height-adjustable ledge platform allows for safer installation of small glass pieces as well as large panels.

• The multi-material application allows for the ledges to be used for a broader product range. It can be used for not just glass products, but different types of sheet materials—such as OSB, sheet rock, and even solar panels.

How to Safely (and Efficiently) Use Lifters For Glass

Knowing how to use glass lifters is just as important as having a high quality lifter. Here’s a step-by-step for you to make sure you use your lifting equipment correctly and safely:

1. Inspection

• Always check vacuum cups for any damages that may impede their function. 

• Check that all components of your glass lifter are in good working order and able to perform completely and properly. And be sure to check that all components are clean.

• Inspect the glass materials you will be lifting, and ensure that they are in prime condition—no chips, cracks, or damages that could cause it to break. If your glass is not in prime condition, do not lift it.

• Also be sure you are within the proper lifting capacities that your equipment allows.

2. Preparation

• Clean all components of your lifting equipment. Vacuum pads for glass need clean surfaces to attach properly. Clean any dust, moisture, texture and oils so the vacuum cups can attach as best as they can.

• Clean glass can be just as important as clean cups; clean whatever glass products or panels you intend to lift to ensure the cups can grab onto them. You can clean them with either glass cleaner or even alcohol, and wipe it dry with a lint-free towel.

3. Attachment

• Position the lifter correctly to the glass to ensure it will fit the panel correctly. Then place the glass against the angled ledges and vacuum pads.

• Engage the vacuum suction on the glass (as per the instructions of your lifting equipment).

• Check and test to ensure that all the cups are properly sealed and that the glass is ready to lift. If one of the pads didn’t hold its seal, you may need to clean and dry the pad and glass surfaces, and then check the seal again.

• Secure your glass further  with a safety strap.

4. Lifting

• Be sure that before you completely begin lifting, to test the vacuum seals again by lifting only centimeters above the ground—better to be safe than sorry.

• Then attach the glass lifter to whatever kind of lifting equipment you are going to be using.

• You’re ready to lift! Once you’re done lifting the glass to where it’s needed, be sure to position the glass carefully against its final position before releasing the vacuum seal and other safety measures.

Conclusion

Glass installation and transportation is a difficult and risky business. But having a glass lifter makes that task all the more easier. That’s why having the proper equipment needed is essential for a successful installation. Whether you work professionally to install windows, work in glass fabrication, or are even simply helping a friend move some materials, having the right tools is essential for a safer and more efficient lifting process.