Logitrans RL-500 Reel Lifter | Manual Reel Handling for Production Machines

Logitrans RL-500 Reel Lifter 1100 lb Manual Reel Handling for Machines Reels to 50 Inch Diameter

Quick Specs
♦ Capacity: 1,100 lbs
♦ Reel Diameter Range: Up to 50"
♦ Maximum Reel Length: 20-1/2"
♦ Forks: Adjustable to different reel sizes
♦ Operation: Manual drive, manual hydraulic lift
♦ Lowering Control: Flow valve with factory-set maximum lowering speed
♦ Brake: Foot brake standard
♦ Handle: Ergonomically shaped tiller
♦ Custom Options: Larger reel sizes, higher lift heights, and powered versions available to order

Why Use This Product
The RL-500 solves a problem that a forklift cannot. Loading a reel into a printing press, a packaging line, or an unwind stand means working in the space around and under a machine, often with only a few inches of clearance, and setting the reel down gently enough not to crush the edge of the paper or film. A compact manual lifter with adjustable forks gets into that space, and the flow valve is what protects the material: lowering speed is factory-limited, so the reel descends at a controlled rate no matter how fast the operator releases the valve. That single feature is the difference between a clean load and a damaged roll.

Worth knowing on the compliance side, because it is the opposite of what most buyers assume. A manual lifter like this is not a powered industrial truck, so the OSHA operator certification requirements under 29 CFR 1910.178 that apply to walkie stackers and forklifts do not apply here. The relevant design standard is ANSI/ITSDF B56.10, Safety Standard for Manually Propelled High Lift Industrial Trucks. You still owe operators training on safe use under OSHA's general requirements, but you don't need a certification and three-year re-evaluation program for this machine the way you would for a powered truck. For a department that loads reels a few times a day, that difference in cost and administration is meaningful.

Key Features Explained
♦ Controlled Lowering via Flow Valve: Maximum descent speed is set at the factory, so a reel is placed gently every time regardless of operator technique. This is what protects paper, film, and foil edges.
♦ Compact Frame for Machine Access: Built to maneuver around and under production equipment where a forklift or pallet truck cannot reach.
♦ Adjustable Forks: Fork spacing sets to the reel, so one lifter handles a range of core sizes and widths rather than one product.
♦ Handles Reels to 50 Inches in Diameter: Covers full-size press and packaging rolls up to 20-1/2 inches wide at 1,100 pounds.
♦ Manual Drive and Lift: No battery to charge, no certification program to maintain, and nothing to fail on a machine that may sit idle between shifts.

Best-Fit Use Cases
♦ Printing Operations: Loading paper rolls into presses where clearance under the unwind is tight.
♦ Packaging and Converting: Positioning film, foil, and label stock into wrappers, laminators, and converting lines.
♦ Textile and Nonwovens: Moving and setting fabric rolls at the machine without crushing the edge.
♦ Warehouse to Production Transfer: Carrying reels from storage to the line, particularly paired with a reel rotator.

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