Is a power stretcher worth the money or just a waste? I'm on the fence...

I dropped $350 on a power stretcher last year after fighting with my manual one on a big commercial job in Denver. First few uses it felt like a lifesaver, got the carpet tight way faster and saved my knees some pain. But last month I used it on a tricky stair run and the thing kicked back so hard it put a crease right in the middle of the landing. Customer wasn't happy and I had to redo that section by hand anyway. Now I'm wondering if I should've just stuck with the old manual tool for everything. The power one is nice for open rooms but feels like overkill for tight spots. What's your experience? Has anyone else had that kickback issue or am I just using it wrong?

2 comments

2 Comments

jamesf418d ago

Wait, it kicked back on a stair run and creased the landing? That's wild man, never heard of that happening before. I figured those things were pretty foolproof once you got the hang of 'em.

pat_fisher248d ago

Haha yeah, "foolproof" is a generous way to put it. I mean, I've definitely had my board decide to fold itself in half mid-run like it was trying to show me a magic trick. Maybe it's just me, but I think the board just saw me coming and wanted to keep things interesting.