OT scaffolding

[Young Ed]

Anyone ever make their own? Was thinking of making some out of 2x4s etc... I only need it to work for 2 windows that are 12ft off the ground. We've had a break in the weather and it looks like it will still be warm enough to work on windows the rest of the week.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I was fortunate to have a friend with about 30 sections of scaffolding..he sure bailed me out when I built the garage with the high bay..I am sure that for the cost of the lumber you may be able to rent this stuff plus the walkboards that clip on the rails for safety..check with your local rental units..or in they don't rent...check the pawn shop for some..sometimes you can buy from them..sell it back and stillbe about a rental payment..but gives you a bit more time to use the stuff...

[Young Ed]

I was going to rent but the rental stuff will only work on one side of my house. The other side has steps for the back door. I was going to make mine bigger to fit over the steps. If it wasnt for that I'd certainly be renting. Its $70 for a 10ft high section for a week.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Boy do I feel your pain on the steps in the way..I have steps and hedges that are close to the house and about 10 feet thick..just way too big a hedge..step ladder will barely go between the porch and the hedge but with 16 inch overhang it is of little use..wish I had a quick answer for you..not fun..I built some scaffolding years ago for a temp job and I have no clue as to how I did it..

[Guest Jen......]

made some out of 2 x 6s and 2 x 4s for temporary building of the barn project. this worked out very well for us

Jen

[Young Ed]

Thats what I was thinking. Just trying to make sure it doesn't fall down and take me with it!

[Olddaddy]

I'm in the same boat. My house is over 100 years old and the previous owners must have painted once a year at least. I need to scaffold my entire house for about a year to get the paint off before re-painting. I designed and will build scaffolding fitted to my house. It's 24" deep and 72" wide. The upper end has a bracket that will clamp to the facia and the bottom will have 48" feet that will pin into the ground with rebar pins. The walkboards will be steel with plywood floors. I figure I can build four towers and cover one side of my house at a time. I'm hoping to keep the material costs under $300, my time is free of course.

[Young Ed]

I've only got a 2.5 ft window on one side and a 5 foot one on the other side to replace. I'm thinking about 4x8 for the platform. I'm hoping to get it built friday and do the windows saturday and sunday. After that its going to start getting cold.

[Normspeed]

Wow Charlie, a 100 year old house in Florida must have some history. Where I lived down in Broward County, that would be considered historic. I'd like to hear more about it. I have a place in NM that was built in 1929...47...70...depending on which room you're in.

Ed, sure hope it doesn't take you down with it, wear a safety harness and stake it securely to the ground, LOL!

[Young Ed]

Other Norm I certainly don't plan to be taken out by this project. Now if it was replacing a ceiling fan........

[BobT-47P15]

Ed, you could like they do in some of those Carribbean ports we've visited. They use small diameter trees as uprights to support boards like 2x4s & 2x6s. Had a picture but can't find it right now. Rather scary looking stuff, but I guess it works for them.

[Guest Dave Claussen]

A contractor friend of mine has a nifty setup he uses when installing siding which consists of two extension ladders and a pair of braces that fit over the ladder rungs and provide a flat platform that accepts a walk board. I'm sure you could rent the braces and walk board for a comparable amount to the cost of the lumber(providing you were purchasing the lumber). The beauty of the system is it can be made any length/width needed and with only two points of contact to the ground it would probably be able to clear any obstacles that would prevent the use of scaffolding.

I helped him on a job this past summer and spent the better part of a day up on the ladders and the only part that takes some getting used to is flexing of the walk board. The walk board we were using was about 20 ft. long and it was a little bouncy when you were working in the middle of it. We were working from 6-12 ft. off the ground.

As they say, it's not the fallin' that hurts, it's the sudden stopping at the end that gets you!

[martybose]

My day job is working in a shipyard, where we use a lot of scaffolding. We buy scaffolding planks, which are 2" x 12" x 10', and are exceptionally stiff; almost no bounce. Any good-sized lumberyard should be able to get them.

Marty

[Plymouthy Adams]

Man have I climbed a lot of scaffold while working in the Navy shipyard...they build that stuff in a dry dock to the top of the mast...talk about a work of art...twist lock pipe for extensions and double jaw clamps that are adjustable 360..remarkable stuff.

[Ed Griffin]

Thats something I dont miss, walking the scaffolds. Never had a problem with heights, only with the scaffolds that were built by contractors in a hurry. I've worked off scaffolds that were built with overkill down to 2x10 20 footer slid across hand rails. Swinging scaffolds to bosin's(sp) chairs hanging off the side. The fall wasnt what scared me, it was that step to the side you would take and made that 2inch drop from where two boards were connected, thats what will make your heart skip a beat.

A cherry picker sure would come in handy for those home siding and roof jobs. Not to mention there fun to work out of. Sure could use one on this 12 12 pitch roof. I put 3 exhaust turbines on the roof before they shingled it and it wasnt too bad but with the shingles on it's out of my league now days.

Whatever you end up with Ed, just be sure it's secured well

[Ed Griffin]

Norm, those type stories never get old. I have a sick mind having a tendency to laugh when someone bumps their head, etc., so I expect my wife would have been mad at me if that were to have happened here. I laugh at myself when I do something like that but not until the pain is bearable.

I worked with one fellow on a job that was well known for being accident prone so with that in mind we were up against a several story high boiler wall at TVA. Standing on the buckstage/beam between the wall and the hand rail where the grated floor was. Between us there's a gap where you could see 2 floors down. There was a ladder we had leaning against the handrail over on the floor side incase we needed it. We started to step over the gap to the beam to climb back over the hand rail but this guy decides to reach over the gap and grab the ladder. Knowing him, he was probably going to pull it over and lay it where we were standing to keep someone from grabbing it while we were away.

Instead, he grabs the ladder and it shifts sideways throwing him off balance. By the way, his nickname was KungFoo. Through the gap he goes but he grabs the middle rail, swings into the rail hitting the beam with his chest and face He's dangling from the middle rail with his legs hanging below the floor. Well, more like thrashing. He then pulls himself up, gets over the rail and turns around. His eyes were as big half dollars. He was almost fell but didnt. I laughed so hard it was shameful.

One of our co-workers on the next floor down began to clap. Then asked him if he needed to clean his drawers.

[Young Ed]

Well I went ahead and decided to rent some anyways. It was a little iffy on both sides but it worked out. On one side it was right on the edge of my steps and on the other side the front feet ended up right over the window wells!

[BobT-47P15]

Boy, that one corner on the steps with the board was iffy. But, as long as it didn't slip off, I guess it was OK. So, now the windows are in. That's the good news.

[Merle Coggins]

Sometimes people will do crazy things to get a job accomplished, and it's not always the safe way.

At least your rigging didn't look like these setups, Ed

[Young Ed]

Boy, that one corner on the steps with the board was iffy. But, as long as it didn't slip off, I guess it was OK. So, now the windows are in. That's the good news.

That's why the straps where there to keep it from sliding backwards. Honestly that side felt 10 times as stable as the other where it was on grass. The upstairs windows are done trimmed caulked etc. I'm ready for winter now.

[Ed Griffin]

Way to go Ed. Since you didnt brake a leg then you are officially not a part of Flying Burrito Brothers. Thats a good thing

[Plymouthy Adams]

Ed..glad you got some professional scaffolding...

When you don't have the right mother sometimes you need to invent one..(something like that) Did not invent the stepladder..just did a slight mod to it..this old 8 footer had a cracked back leg so no biggy..it was rickity and a danger..now it is more solid and very much suited to front proch work..was able to paint today without any problems..now how many of you have a dedicated front porch ladder...lol.

[Young Ed]

I must the little giant ladder works quite well in situations like you posted Tim. I don't own one myself but I've used a friends on a few occasions.

Ok so now that all the exterior is done any advice for interior trim?

Ed

[BobT-47P15]

Hey, at least he had that rock behind the rear wheel to keep it from rolling.

Click on Link: