Dropped $180 on a power stretcher at a pawn shop near Dayton and it saved my back on a 3 room job

Nina Murphy · 2026-10-12T12:10:04.31148+00:00

I do mostly rentals and small rooms so I always figured a knee kicker was good enough, but my knees have been screaming at me for a year now. Last month I found a used Crain power stretcher at a pawn shop outside Dayton for $180 and the guy even threw in the case. I almost walked away because it looked rough, but I cleaned it up, oiled the gears, and tried it on a 12x14 bedroom last week. Took me a bit to get the hang of the tail block and the technique, but once I did, the carpet locked in tight against the wall with way less effort than kicking. My knees felt fine the next morning for the first time in months, which honestly was the real win. Only hiccup was I scratched a baseboard being careless with the tail, so now I tape them off first. Anyone else make the jump from kicker to stretcher late like me, and did it take you a few jobs to really trust it?

🐿️Pinecone Attack

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Dropped $180 on a power stretcher at a pawn shop near Dayton and it saved my back on a 3 room job | Carpet Installers - Pinecone Attack