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Loading roof shingles

kuffelcreek | Posted in Construction Techniques on November 3, 2004 07:19am

I’m faced with getting 12 squares of dimensional shingles up on a single story roof, and cannot get a forklift or boom truck near.  Other than hoofing them up the ladder, has anyone devised a gizmo for winching them up to the roof?  It needs to be home-made, as I don’t want to buy a ladder conveyer or other commercial device.

 

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  1. ponytl | Nov 03, 2004 07:36pm | #1

    i know i'll get slammed for this...   but around here for less than $40 you cold get any number of wineos, strong young kids, hispanics, or anyone want'n to make a few bucks to haul em up a ladder...  nothing wrong with a guy work'n for $$ even if he took his time thats still $20 an hour for what most pay to do in a gym

    pony

  2. DanH | Nov 03, 2004 08:30pm | #2

    Does the building supply place that's delivering the shingles have a conveyor that they can bring to the site?

  3. Karrl | Nov 03, 2004 08:35pm | #3

    I have set up scaffolding like a series of giant 5' steps. That way it is a series of lifts rather than carrying a bundle up a ladder. For me it is easier to lift two or three times than juggle a bundle on one shoulder as I climb a ladder.

    I have used the lumber rack on my truck as the first platform and lifted straight up to a porch roof before.

    Hope this helps.

    karl

  4. User avater
    BossHog | Nov 03, 2004 08:51pm | #4

    I've had pretty good luck getting the local lumberyard's truck into some pretty tight spots. They have a shingle conveyor on the back corner of one of their trucks.

    One other thing I've done is use a truck as scaffolding. I've backed my one-ton up against a house,and worked off a stepladder sitting in the back of it. I had the lumberyard set a pallet of shingles in the back first, of course.

    The other thing we did on my house was use Dad's farm truck with the livestock racks folded up. We pulled it alongside the house and put boards up on top of the racks to walk on. Then we'd hand shingles from the bed up to a guy on the walkboard, who would throw them up to a guy on the roof. At least that way we didn't have to climb a ladder with them.

    Show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser.

  5. User avater
    EricPaulson | Nov 03, 2004 10:06pm | #5

    One of my first jobs working with a builder...........boss tells me it's my job to get all of the shingles up on the roof. Get them up there any way you want.

    Roof over the garage was maybe 10' high at the bottom. so I took some planks and ran them from the roof to a set of 5' horses, and then another set from there to the ground. Cleated them up nice with some 5/4 spruce and walked all the shingles up like a gentleman.

    Boss was impressed.

    Eric

    I Love A Hand That Meets My Own,

    With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.

  6. User avater
    RichBeckman | Nov 03, 2004 11:37pm | #6

    I would take them up the ladder.

    Why? To me, the hard part is picking the bundle up and setting it down.

    Once it's on my shoulder, carrying it up the ladder isn't that big a deal.

    Well, it's a big enough deal that I wouldn't do them all at once. But I sure wouldn't want to be doing it in steps.

    Rich Beckman

    Another day, another tool.

  7. User avater
    JeffBuck | Nov 03, 2004 11:37pm | #7

    rent a shingle lift .. or ladder hoist ...

    or what ever they're called ...

    ok ladder conveyor ... we'll go with that.

    don't but it ... just rent one for a half day ...

    Jeff

  8. DanH | Nov 04, 2004 12:23am | #8

    If there's a semi-retired dairy farmer around you might be able to get him to come by with his tractor and hay conveyor.

  9. woodbutch777 | Nov 04, 2004 03:09am | #9

    If you cant lump those up 1 story then you dont belong on the roof in the first place.

    1. DougU | Nov 04, 2004 03:25am | #10

      I had to go back and read his original thread, man a single story and only 12 sq.

      I think your right!

    2. blue_eyed_devil | Nov 04, 2004 04:37am | #11

      Thats what I was thinking Woodbutch!

      I could stand on the ground and toss the shingles one by one!

      blueWarning! Be cautious when taking any advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, some of it is viewed as boogerin and not consistent with views of those who prefer to overbuild everything...including their own egos

      Additionally, don't take any political advice from me. I'm just a parrot for the Republican talking points. I get all my news from Rush Limbaugh and Fox and Friends (they are funny...try them out)!

      1. DanH | Nov 04, 2004 04:38am | #12

        Lower the roof to the ground, shingle it, then lift it back up.

        1. blue_eyed_devil | Nov 04, 2004 06:15am | #13

          Dan, the guy from Pennsyvania does that...not me!

          blueWarning! Be cautious when taking any advice from me. Although I have a lifetime of framing experience, some of it is viewed as boogerin and not consistent with views of those who prefer to overbuild everything...including their own egos

          Additionally, don't take any political advice from me. I'm just a parrot for the Republican talking points. I get all my news from Rush Limbaugh and Fox and Friends (they are funny...try them out)!

        2. Hubedube | Nov 05, 2004 12:53am | #18

          com'on, how can ya lower the roof to the ground?, with what?  he aint got no sky hook available

          1. DanH | Nov 05, 2004 04:23am | #22

            Knock the studs out.

          2. seeyou | Nov 05, 2004 05:07am | #23

            What a bunch of sissies you all are. Building contraptions, splitting the bundles in half, using a forklift. You make me wanna puke. Be real men and hire some Hispanics.

            I invented muchacos.

    3. kuffelcreek | Nov 04, 2004 07:45pm | #14

      I agree.  I have no business being up on this roof in the first place.  I'll probably killed, either by falling off the roof or from humping 2500 lbs. of shingles up the ladder. 

      Actually, I'm leaning toward a hoist made from a couple 2x10s, two pullys, and an electric winch.  I'll post photos of the contraption for your amusement afterwards.

      Dryrot

      1. mike4244 | Nov 04, 2004 10:00pm | #15

        I made a jury rigged hoist about 10 years ago for a two story house with 28 squares of shingles. Consisted of two 22'-0" 2x8's, 2x8 blocking inbetween at the ends and a couple more spaced out in the middle. I think the ladder type frame was 18" wide. I took a piece of 3/4" x 4'-0"x 2'-0" sheathing , attached 4 small casters underneath, then nailed 2x4 on edge to bottom sides of sled. The 2x4's keep the sled from sliding off frame.Bored a hole in end of plywood and attached a shackle and comealong to it.The back end of sled had a stop made from plywood to keep 3 bundles, one on top of each other from sliding off.I would load a square, go up on roof and crank the bundles up. Probably would work without the castors, the casters I used were only 1 1/2" in diameter and the fixed type.Worked pretty good, kept the sled but used the 2x8's for something else when I finished.

        mike

      2. gdana | Nov 04, 2004 11:29pm | #16

        In the time it takes you to figure out how to make a lift, you could have already rented one, put the shingles on the roof, and returned. 

        1. User avater
          EricPaulson | Nov 05, 2004 12:20am | #17

          ...that's no fun..........I Love A Hand That Meets My Own,

          With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.

      3. DANL | Nov 05, 2004 03:34am | #20

        Probably shouldn't admit it, but I sometimes split each bundle in half and carry halves up. Twice the number of trips, but it's amazing how much lighter a half a bundle is--only problem is then all your bundles are open and the shingles can slide around more. Oh, don't forget to always place any opened bundles or loose shingles right side up or they'll stick to the roof when the sun gets to them!

        1. MojoMan | Nov 05, 2004 03:45am | #21

          Reading the macho strutting above had me shaking my head. Maybe this guy has a bad back. Maybe he has more brain than brawn. Maybe he's...old!

          When I was 18, I could carry two bundles at a time up a ladder on my shoulder. Now that I'm 50, I can still carry one, but I'd rather bring half a bundle up every time I go down for some other reason.

          Al Mollitor, Sharon MA

          1. DANL | Nov 05, 2004 03:38pm | #24

            Greencu probably just pitches the bundles up onto the roof from the ground! ;-)

          2. Piffin | Nov 07, 2004 06:49am | #25

            you've seen how tall the man is!

            But this thread has been a real laugh! Twelve squares can be hauled up there in the time it takes to think about an other way, let alone build one. 

             

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

  10. kuffelcreek | Nov 05, 2004 01:47am | #19

    Well shoot, after all that, the roofing supplier has a forklift that will fit in there and lifts 20' high, and they will deliver the shingles and load the roof for $35 (hmmm, let me see...hump shingles up the ladder, or pay them $35... what to do, what to do).  Now I'm disappointed I won't get to build my gizmo. 

    Dryrot 

  11. User avater
    Dinosaur | Nov 07, 2004 07:30am | #26

    Aw come on--you think you got problems???

    View Image

    Dinosaur

    'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?

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