Scaffolding / scaffolding tower

[eatapeach]

Anyone got any advice about scaffolding - apart from not falling off it? I've got guttering to replace on a tall victorian house (gutters at 24ft) and a gable end to paint on another. Getting someone to hire it is absurd, and weekend hire of those cherry picker things is astronomical - I want to rent it not buy the fcunking thing...and it means I've got to complete the whole job in a weekend which is fine if I had a whole weekend and it's not scheduled to rain.

So I reckon I can buy a tower, do both jobs and then sell the tower after. What I maybe able to do is get one high enough to do the gutters, then move it to do the gable end and just do a one day hire to finish the painting off on the second house.

How high is safe to work on, any tips to think about and what to buy? Do I get a Boss one or just find a job lot of scaffolding poles and get it bolted together?

cheers


.

 

[BRE Fabrications LTD]

You'd be better off going with an Ali tower. We use them at work up to 6m but you can go higher. They are easy to erect and can hire them from most tool hire places like speedy at a weekly rate
Just make sure you have big outriggers on them and use a few scaffold boards under the feet if the ground isn't solid.

I wouldn't bother with the scaffold poles.

 

[Bob]

I've worked safely at 7metres, 23 ft in old money, on Eiger 500 Alu scaffold towers. That's been mostly indoor though, not so sure how wind affects them. If it was me I'd rent the Alu tower from a hire centre. Maybe 170 for a full weekend? Scissor lifts are way ahead in terms of speed and versatility, but as ya said cost is high. Not a fan of second hand steel scaffold myself

 

[eatapeach]

I've worked safely at 7metres, 23 ft in old money, on Eiger 500 Alu scaffold towers. That's been mostly indoor though, not so sure how wind affects them. If it was me I'd rent the Alu tower from a hire centre. Maybe 170 for a full weekend? Scissor lifts are way ahead in terms of speed and versatility, but as ya said cost is high. Not a fan of second hand steel scaffold myself

cheers Bob and Ryan

Should have been clearer - Boss is Youngman Boss and by tower I mean aluminium tower. I can get a full alu tower for about 450/500 and take my time on both jobs rather than hire over weekends for about 350. anyone got any advice re aluminium towers?

Oh yeah - the gable end is very high - about 30 foot plus the drive next door where the scaffolding would go is lower than the bottom of the gable! Hence wanting the proper access to do that top bit!

 

[silvercruiser]

We have both, the single boss tower is good for tight alleyways and then we use an alto double width tower that reaches 30ft easily both of ours we bought second hand and i think that is the way to go. make sure it comes complete with all outriggers and make sure you have enough poles/platforms to get to required height. your get your money back easily when you have finished the job. i dont know if its only you that will be on it, but to put them up and be legal you should of done a PASMA course but if its only for yourself you should be ok, we have to erect and work in oil storage depots so they insist on the tickets.


and out of the two i prefer the alto its a quality tower.

Joe

 

[sae70]

Get yourself a descent set of ladders for 1/20th the price of a tower and then keep them for when all of those other maintenance issues come up

I also live in an 1884 double fronted Victorian house with a ridge line @ 11meters, that's about 36feet in old money!!!

Very soon after moving in I realised that I'd be needing a descent set of ladders so bought a set of Class1 Zarges triples that I'm always using for one thing or another around the property

These ones in fact http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zarges-Industri ... B002SHDDPW Max extended length 9.98meters, nearly 33feet

 

[eatapeach]

Get yourself a descent set of ladders for 1/20th the price of a tower and then keep them for when all of those other maintenance issues come up

cheers - I've already got a set of triples (and a double!) and that's why I'm after a tower - it's bad enough at that height without trying to get 12 foot sections of heavy guttering up to the level and it's then not possible to fit them unless you've got 3 other blokes on 3 other sets of ladders around to help. Cheers anyway

 

[BrendanB]

Working at heights, THINK & BREATHE SAFETY!

When working on various Victorian properties off ladders I used to insert an eyebolt in the brickwork and secure the ladder.

Scaffolders routinely insert a ring bolt through which they pass one of the scaffold poles.

Working off tall towers I would do the same, no matter how solid/level the ground is.

Brendan