We posted about the Viking Arm, a one-handed lifting tool, a couple of months ago. The company – Massca Products – recently sent one over for review consideration, in addition to one of their very well-made pocket hole jigs.
I’m still testing my sample, but so far I am quite impressed with the Viking Arm’s construction, quality, and functionality.
Yes, you can find knock-offs at Amazon and other marketplaces, but readers who tried cheap copies have only had negative things to say about them.
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The Viking Arm is a bit of a specialty tool, which is why it’s taking me a little longer to test it out naturally in my projects. But, if I had to offer a verdict right now, I would enthusiastically recommend it.
The Viking Arm is useful for many types of lifting and installation tasks where you need strength and control. It has a lifting range of 6 -215 mm (~1/4″ to ~8-1/2″) and can support up to 330 pounds.
Frankly, many tools are priced at a premium, and some of them are well worth it. The Knipex Pliers Wrench. Wera Rapidaptor screwdriver bit holders. Martinez hammers. Some tools simply deliver unmatched functionality and quality. The Viking Arm seems to be a similar no-compromise type of tool.
The current Cyber promotion on the Viking Arm – ending soon – helps to ease some of the hurt on your wallet.
Sale Price: $180
Acme has another promotion – buy 2 and save an extra $10.
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If you refer to our initial post on the Viking Arm, see what readers have said so far.
Viking Arm – “Very impressed, accurate strong and smooth.” – Daniel
Cheap Copy – “One was rusted when it arrived, neither jack worked.” – Blair
Chris
Wow…I was on board with the premium reasoning and putting it on a pedestal with the likes of Knipex.
BUT $180?!? for a limited single use tool that is only at it’s most useful because it’s narrow. By the time you extend this out, you get into the territory of reversible clamps like Bessey, Irwin, Bora, etc. I could buy a slew of other tools for $180…
No, I’ll just stick to those $15 airbags in the tool aisle that are readily accessible and dirt cheap compared to this.
Stuart
Airbags are fantastic, but have limited lifting range. There are ways to extend their range, but not for all project types or surfaces.
King duck
I think that is his point a $15 air bag to get it high enough to slip in a $15 clamp if you need to go that high. If I was a professional no doubt I would own 2 but at home I have to justify that kind of spending.
Stuart
Oh! Still won’t work. Clamps in spreader mode still require quite a bit of clearance.
MM
I wonder how often these are used in tight clearance applications?
My thoughts are to use wedges or an airbag (perhaps with cribbing if needed) for small lifts, or spreader clamps when there is room to fit. My understanding is that these are used mainly for cabinet installs, and I suspect there’s usually enough room to get a spreader clamp in there.
I can see they make sense for a professional who is using them freqently, like a pro cabinet installer, but I still think they are outrageously priced for the average worker.
CharlesinRichmond
I’m a pro. And a tool junkie. This still isn’t worth it for me, I can get this done with what I have around.
At a price I’d bite. It’d have to be under 100
Lee
Depends on what you are doing. These are rated at 350 lbs each. I just had to lift a washer/dryer combo by myself that was 400lbs. and while it was lifted I needed to adjust some things underneath it. The cost for these items was well worth it when my head and hands were underneath something that is 400 lbs.
fred
I too had seen the promotion from Massca (the US Importer)
They offer further discounts for buying in multiples of 2, 3 and 4
Their big brothers in terms of lifting capacity are toe jacks. But toe jacks – while rated in tons – usually have a more limited lifting range and start out a bit further up off the floor. In our metal fabrication shop – we had a number of toe jacks and other machinery moving tools from Jung – but there are cheaper to jacks from Jet.
The Viking Arm is said to be able to support 330lbs with a lifting range of about 8.5 inches.
https://toolwell.com/products/compact-toe-jacks.php
I’ve seen tile guys using a tool that has some of the same functionality – but looks like it’s made of plastic – and not meant for heavy loads:
https://www.amazon.com/Raimondi-Krick-Leveling-Guide-Individually/dp/B00MX3WFXW
MM
They remind me of toe jacks as well. There is also a similar tool that I’ve seen used for rescue work as well as metal fabrication or spreading pipe flanges. I have seen those using either an acme-threaded screw or a hydraulic cylinder to provide force. The one common factor about all of these tools, the Viking Arm included? Expensive.
fred
Jung (German Made) products certainly command steep prices but they work flawlessly. Lots of cheap hydraulic bottle jacks seem to garnet more complaints than praise on Amazon. I’m not sure if its poorly fitting seals – or difficulty with bleeding the hydraulics or just overall bad QC. Anyway, As I said above – Jet does offer a cheaper toe jack line compared to Jung – starting at $267 for their 2Ton:
https://www.amazon.com/JET-JTJ-2ST-2-Ton-Toe-Jack/dp/B0023DYOAE/
SamR
For sure, $180 is a price that was set based on Norway people willing to pay.
In the US, most jobs cannot justify the cost of buying it.
I will wait for the Chinese tool companies to copy it and improve on it.
A cool tool to have.
Stuart
No-name companies have imitated it, and very poorly from what I understand.
Why would a copycat brand work to improve anything? Or rather, how often does that really happen?
fred
You are probably correct – especially with regard to a product that has a niche market. But with some tools that have a broader market – once the original comes off-patent there may also be a plethora of both imitators and those who try to improve on the original.
The Fein Mulitimaster and Lamello biscuit jointers are the 2 examples that come to mind. Arguably both companies still make the best (or nearly the best) versions of the original. But others have innovated with some added features and/or varied price-points to appeal to a broader audience. I also know that many folks seem to be waiting on the Festool Domino machine to come off-patent to see what develops. I’m not talking about Asian-based knockoff companies (like ones making bad copies of the Viking Arm) who are in it for the quick buck – but reputable tool manufactures like Bosch, Dewalt, Makita, Milwaukee et al.
For me – I have an original corded Fein Multimaster – but more recently bought a Milwaukee M18 cordless to better comport with my LiIon battery platforms.
When I bought my first biscuit jointer – it was a corded Dewalt – because I felt that I could not justify the cost of the Lamello. When I decided I wanted a cordless – it was a Makita – but now I’m back to using a Lamello Zeta P2 because of its added (unmatched) capabilities.
I also bought a Festool Domino XL machine – which markedly changed that way I work.
Projecting – perhaps 10 years into the future – my choices (God willing) would probably be different.
Matt
Fred, not a lot of Zeta P2 owners. Are you on the FOG? See you post here lots wondering if you’re over there as well.
Col. Bud
I was one of the marks who bought a cheap copy off a fb ad for about $30.
It was pure crap. Poorly designed and finished, it wouldn’t lift much of anything, partly because it easily jammed internally. It went in the recycling bin.
John
Bought two of these year and a half ago the moment they hit the US. These are built solid and have endless uses. Not every company uses southeast Asia to make their products, so in the real world where people are paid a living wage, products can cost more.
Mike S
Why not buy this USA made Clamp / Jack ?
https://www.jackclamp.com/
Stuart
Because that’s a bar clamp and this is a lifting tool.
Emilio Gonzalez
Nice that you got a free tool. But what would you use this for? I have better ideas on how to spend $180
Stuart
Leveling cabinets and light machinery.
I use air bags and shims and supports, but can never get heights *just right* and end up giving up and using trial by error to set leveling feet a fraction of a rotation at a time.
If I use it and like it, I’ll buy it.
This is a specialized tool. If you can think of better ways to spend the money, then do so.
I don’t understand why people seem to get offended about pricing of tools they don’t need. If you need it, you need it. If it can save you time and effort, it’s your call whether the cost is worth it.
haulna
I bought two of these and they paid for themselves in the first two weeks. They are a great tool when you need to move heavy stuff solo. You quickly forget about the price.