Ladder type for use with ladder jacks?
m2akita
| Posted in Tools for Home Building on
Would you folks be comfortable using a type I ( 250 lb load rate) Alu ladder for use with ladder jacks?? Another carpenter I know has one that he would sell me. I already have a fiberglass type IA ( 300 lb rate) and was planning on getting another one like that, but I can get the Alu one for a good price.
Just wondering what others would do. Go with the one for a good price, or spend the money and get a heaver rated one.
Thanxs for any suggestions,
m2akita
Live by the sword, die by the sword….choose your sword wisely.
Replies
Depends. How big of a pic are you useing? our 24''x24' rated at 500lbs is a heavy mutha. You and tools weigh what? How extended is the ladder?
Common sense is the rule, I have used my cheap stanly 20' ladder in a pinch with an extendable walk board, but can't tell anyone to get on it or expect them to.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
There is no cure for stupid. R. White.
The adds here in NZ suggest we should all be using the Little Giant???
Get a matching fiberglass ladder. Aluminum ladders are for skinny painters who need to move them every five minutes and carry nothing but a gallon of paint up there.
Type 1 should be good as long as you don't go too heavy with the plank, you and materials.
I have the light weight expandable pics/walk boards (10' - 16'), so for right now thats not much of a problem ( would like to get a nice pic but thats in the future). I think Ill get the ladder and use it for now, but plan on getting a Type IA (300 lb rating) when the need actually arises. No sense getting the ladder before I get the pic.
Thanxs guys,
m2akita
Live by the sword, die by the sword....choose your sword wisely.
guess it all boils down to how fat you are?
I thought it was more how heavy your tool belt is!!!!
Right now Im about 165 lbs without my belt, so Im not really a problem. But a friend who I get to work with me, weighs around 260 lbs. Guess I should put him on a diet.
Thinking about it, the weak link is probably the ladder jacks. I dont have a clue what mine are rated for. Will go and take a look.
-m2akitaLive by the sword, die by the sword....choose your sword wisely.
Most Ladder Jacks are rated for 250lbs. and are good for use on a Type I ladder or better.Disclaimer: Don't take any of my advice.Now that I've got that out of the way, I weight 205lbs naked, add a few tools or bucket of mortar and say I'm at 250 plus the weight of the plank, etc...I use a Type II ladder and Type III for support. Here's my justification: The rating is based upon max weight per rung. The Jacks are spread over 4 rungs (two per ladder). That means that in my configuration the rungs are actually supporting 250 / 4 = 62.5lbs each.Anyone see a problem with that?
Looks OK from here!
I use my ladders for jacks and planks a small percentage of the time, but I climb them with tools and materials the rest of the time. I weigh 240 buck naked, 270 with clothes and bags on, and over 500 (momentarily) when I carry my end of a glulam up the ladder and then shove it upward into place. Heavy duty ladders make me happy.For breakfast today I ate a 20' lightweight aluminum extension ladder and part of an old 10' wooden stepladder that I found at a job. They were both real good.
We have extremely heavy duty aluminum ladders in the fire service. I've climbed our 24' in full gear with another big guy in full gear below me... now THAT'S a real ladder. Way too heavy for work use, though.
From my exp. all the ratings are designed at a double the failure stated..
I.E. a 250 lb walk board will capacity out at 500lbs.
Dont hold me to that, but I have exceeded the max many times.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
There is no cure for stupid. R. White.