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Bent ladders

Sphere | Posted in Tools for Home Building on May 22, 2005 08:23am

My 28′ Werner took a few too many drops in recent gale force winds, it bent a tad..just enough to make it a real hassle to deal with, not trashed.

I know it shoulda been vicegripped or roped, but that is old news.

It is the heaviest duty aluminum one they make, I have had and also have a fiberglass 28′ with never a problem.

Just wondering if it can be straightened? Come along and two trees? witha 2x ?

I don’t think heat is a good idea..I did flip it and drop it the other way, that just made an “S” OOOOPS.

It is only a year old, I’d hate to breakit down for two 14′ ers.

Anyone ever tried this?

  Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

this is small, so you  feel compelled to look at it

And…………………….I …………………………..think………………it ………………………..works……………….wait, I have a plan…ok?……………let’s …oh neve mind, just email me and forgo the stuff,,is that whole life?  or just the recyclababbels?

 

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Replies

  1. RW | May 22, 2005 08:37pm | #1

    If it still works, knock yourself out. I imagine you are plenty aware that even a small kink is fairly likely to impact the load bearing capacity of the ladder and Werner has a firm policy that you should destroy any ladder that is thus damaged. They sure aren't going to assume any liability if you bust a vertebrae on it now.

    Are you in good with your paint store? Sherwin here has a once a year ladder sale thats the shizzle. Darn near wholesale on anything you want, for a day or 2.

    "If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." - Mark Twain

  2. JerBear | May 22, 2005 08:43pm | #2

    I straightened my Type 1 32' after loaning it to a "friend" and having it bent. Take a 2x4 and 9 lb sledge and place the ladder on the ground or against a brick wall with the hump facing you. Place the 2x4 on the hump and do a series of firm hits with the sledge. Eyeball it and keep tapping and hitting till it's straight. It'll never quite be the same as new, but mine straightened out and works quite nicely.

    1. Piffin | May 22, 2005 10:35pm | #5

      It might look straight, but the joints and knuckles are looser now, reducing the bearing capacity. Better be sure you are the only one on it, and kiss your wife good bye every morning. Compromised ladders can do some weird things with bounce. If yopu insist on keeping on using it, I would add a stop so it cannot be extended as far as it used to be.take another way of looking at it - the new laddewr would cost what - $250? Sou you are weighing the cost of a life or a hospital stay against a measley $250? If it were just me, I might, nmowing all the weaknesses of the tool, but to put ANYONE ELSE on the ladder is a negligent act, IMO 

       

      Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

      1. JerBear | May 22, 2005 10:53pm | #6

        Well, considering I haven't used it in maybe 3 years I may just take you up on your advice. I don't much like being 'up there' anymore. I like to be where I can hear the radio.

  3. User avater
    Gunner | May 22, 2005 09:11pm | #3

    Speaking of straightening out stuff. Straighten out your tag line. Your making the screen too wide you little pain in the Azz. View Image

    I don't know how to straighten a ladder, I get off the roof and lay everything down when the wind kicks up.

     

     

    Shout out to Andy C. Namaste my friend.

    http://www.hay98.com/

    1. DANL | May 22, 2005 11:30pm | #8

      That's funny! I was helping a friend build an addition once and it was windy, so he was trying to putz around doing other stuff while deciding whether we should go up on the roof. We both heard a crack and saw the neighbor's willow tip over onto the porch. My friend says, "Okay, we're not going up on the roof today!"

  4. Piffin | May 22, 2005 10:28pm | #4

    I've got one with the same S bend. Wind fall put the first curve in it, then trying to rebend/straighten did the second. 'bout an inch eaach way. Now it is reserved for a chicken ladder

     

     

    Welcome to the
    Taunton University of
    Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
     where ...
    Excellence is its own reward!

  5. woodguy99 | May 22, 2005 10:55pm | #7

    Metal bends when it's exceeded its yield capacity.  Bending it back won't make the ladder as strong as it was originally, even if it was perfectly straight--those little metal molecules are all messed up now.  Kinda like when you lose the temper on a blade. 

     

    Mike

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