I’m crazy but this is the last time

Bugsinrugs · 10-01-2021, 02:32 PM

This is the hardest part of my house to stain. This will be the last time I will do it. I’m getting far to old. Just getting the ladder on the platform I built was tough. Hopefully I knocked down all the wasp nests.

masraum · 10-01-2021, 02:36 PM

That looks like a pain. Looks like it is the perfect sort of thing to pay someone else to do.

Zeke · 10-01-2021, 02:43 PM

Looks like you have level enough ground to use a lift of some sort. I know, there are a lot of 'if's' like soft ground etc. I just think they are fun to operate.

LEAKYSEALS951 · 10-01-2021, 02:55 PM

This reminds me of staining my next store neighbors house (yes, the same neighbor who's battery exploded in another thread). His wife decided she wanted the house white. I made an offer, got the contract (as a teenager), and spent the whole summer staining the house white. Lot's of wasps nest in those upper eaves.

Problem being, it takes a lot of white stain to cover over brown, so I had to do it twice.

At the end of the summer, his wife decided she liked the brown better, so he wanted it stained back.

Good memories indeed.

Bill Douglas · 10-01-2021, 03:02 PM

Braver than I am Bugs. I bought one of those aluminium mobile scaffolds that have locking wheels and are about 1.5 meters x 2 meters wide working platform. So takes away the scary factor in these jobs.

Chocaholic · 10-01-2021, 03:06 PM

I gave up risking my life for such things long ago.

Be careful.

herr_oberst · 10-01-2021, 03:13 PM

No thanks. Just moving long orange fiberglass ladders is young mans work. The idea of hanging off that at my age is not just no but hell no.

Be safe and careful up there.

Bugsinrugs · 10-01-2021, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeke

Looks like you have level enough ground to use a lift of some sort. I know, there are a lot of 'if's' like soft ground etc. I just think they are fun to operate.

I would get a lift if the ground was level but it’s not. I made the platform off the railroad ties so it would be level. Platform looks funky but it’s strong. I’m about 30 feet up.

Bugsinrugs · 10-01-2021, 03:18 PM

After 2-3 trips up the ladder I get pretty comfortable. If I don’t post again you guys will know what happened🙏

gregpark · 10-01-2021, 03:19 PM

That looks like a 32 foot extention ladder. Why the platform if I may ask? Your ladder looks like it has plenty of extention to get from ground to eves.

JavaBrewer · JavaBrewer's Garage

A few months ago I was trimming a hedge in our back yard, uneven dirt base sanding near top of my 8’ ladder. My daughter was helping. I remember falling then my wife asking if I was ok moments after my daughter ran in the house saying dad is dead. No more ladders for me

Bugsinrugs · 10-01-2021, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregpark

That looks like a 32 foot extention ladder. Why the platform if I may ask? Your ladder looks like it has plenty of extention to get from ground to eves.

The ground is sloped and I feel more comfortable when the ladder is not extended fully. Far stiffer.

908/930 · 908/930's Garage

Do you own a roofing harness? Scaffolding would be my way of doing that.

Bugsinrugs · 10-01-2021, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JavaBrewer

A few months ago I was trimming a hedge in our back yard, uneven dirt base sanding near top of my 8’ ladder. My daughter was helping. I remember falling then my wife asking if I was ok moments after my daughter ran in the house saying dad is dead. No more ladders for me

I went flying off a ladder maybe 20-25 years ago. Wrenched my back and bruised a kidney. Took a while to get back to feeling comfortable up there but I have too many ladders not to use them.

javadog · 10-01-2021, 03:47 PM

I’m done with ladders like that. Sold mine a year ago.

Commercial scaffolding can be rented for next to nothing and is well-suited to work on uneven ground. FWIW…

Bugsinrugs · 10-01-2021, 04:14 PM

I’ve been looking to buy used scaffolding for years now. Never pulled the trigger. Even with scaffolding I would still need a ladder as the railroad tie retaining wall is in the way. I’ll knock this out in a couple days. Power wash then spray my stain. Stand back and admire it. Then never again.

pwd72s · 10-01-2021, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by masraum

That looks like a pain. Looks like it is the perfect sort of thing to pay someone else to do.

Bingo!

Bugsinrugs · 10-01-2021, 05:03 PM

I had some estimates to stain my house 20 years ago. They came in at 25-30,000$. I’ve been doing it myself ever since. Every seven years. The rest of the house is pretty easy. This end is the husband killer. I still need a challenge now and then.

Jeff Hail · 10-01-2021, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeke

Looks like you have level enough ground to use a lift of some sort. I know, there are a lot of 'if's' like soft ground etc. I just think they are fun to operate.

My good friend Robert rented a scissor lift because he thought it would be fun and less risky to hang Christmas lights on his tall two story home plus the guest house. Had driveway and concrete walks all the way around the homes. Really easy job.

Saturday morning, wife left to run some errands, kids gone being kids. Robert on lift thinking this is really the way to do it, no interruptions, going to knock this out.

About 30 minutes in Robert has to pee. Goes to lower the lift and the main electrical buss fails. Platform is 20 feet in the air with Robert standing proud . Lift is dead as dead can be, no power, no hydraulics. Cell phone is on the kitchen counter. Nearest neighbor out of yelling distance as this is an estate property surrounded by orchards.

Something like 3 hours later after broiling in the sun someone arrives home. Great right? After some fiddling with the base control panel no go , still no juice. Now a distress call is placed to Northridge Equipment rentals for assistance. Takes them another hour to get to Roberts home. They get the platform down and everything is good. They will bring another lift the following day to replace the failed unit.

Did I neglect to mention Robert is not comfortable with heights but he had no problem taking a leak at 20 feet considering the wait.

LEAKYSEALS951 · 10-01-2021, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Hail

My good friend Robert rented a scissor lift because he thought it would be fun and less risky to hang Christmas lights on his tall two story home plus the guest house. Had driveway and concrete walks all the way around the homes. Really easy job.

Saturday morning, wife left to run some errands, kids gone being kids. Robert on lift thinking this is really the way to do it, no interruptions, going to knock this out.

About 30 minutes in Robert has to pee. Goes to lower the lift and the main electrical buss fails. Platform is 20 feet in the air with Robert standing proud . Lift is dead as dead can be, no power, no hydraulics. Cell phone is on the kitchen counter. Nearest neighbor out of yelling distance as this is an estate property surrounded by orchards.

Something like 3 hours later after broiling in the sun someone arrives home. Great right? After some fiddling with the base control panel no go , still no juice. Now a distress call is placed to Northridge Equipment rentals for assistance. Takes them another hour to get to Roberts home. They get the platform down and everything is good. They will bring another lift the following day to replace the failed unit.

Did I neglect to mention Robert is not comfortable with heights but he had no problem taking a leak at 20 feet considering the wait.

I'm sorry, he got to pee. What was the problem????