A monkey lift is a steel bar contraption that uses a counterbalance to keep a movable lift stable on the roof of a building while an overhanging wench lifts a load to the top. This type of lift is the most useful in many situations, such as when construction is temporary or the building does not wish to use an elevator to lift powdery and hazardous materials. Monkey lifting weights are specifically designed counterbalances, and they come in many sizes and materials.
While a monkey lift is versatile, it has some drawbacks. There is a platform or carriage for weights, but which weights to use might be hard to determine. Some people sue cement blocks while others use steel weights that are stable when stacked properly. Commercial weights are ideal when needing an exact counterbalance weight or when a company inserts and reuses a monkey lift frequently.