I need to own enough staging for small jobs. Renting it here is a total PITA… they are always out of what I need and charge too much when they have it.
Anyway, a rental place on the mainland has used 5×5 ladder frames for $53 each, X-braces for 7′ spacing $15 each, screw-jack levelers for $21 each, and other misc. parts. My plan is to get 10 frames so I can go 4 sections wide (28′) and two sections high, with 10 levelers on the ground. Total a little over $1K.
Everything I’ve looked at online costs more than that (although it’s new) and the shipping is way expensive. I’d like to have Bil-Jax stuff but honestly I don’t need it that often and basic staging is good enough.
Then we got planks. Seems like what I can afford is the OSHA stamped LVL planks. That’ll be another several hundred bucks.
Who’s got there own staging and how did you get it?
Replies
My co-worker just got a bunch of 10' sections Braces and walk boards ( alum) from a rentel yard. A bit of a heavier set up, but man they come in handy for straddling hot tubs and such.
Just planting the seed.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
tagline comments are temporarily suspended due to Percostte
I was thinking of getting a few 10' braces and a few 6'4" frames just for variety.
Main problem with this stuff, aside from cost, is storing it somewhere. I guess it leans against the shop or I rent it out.
Grant often rents our stuff when we have the down time, other wise it lives on a trailer in his back 40.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
tagline comments are temporarily suspended due to Percostte
Yeah, the back 40. What I got here is the front .25 and the rear .50 and ain't nowhere good to lean frames, but they'll have to anyway.
> used 5x5 ladder frames for $53 each, ....
I'll be buying some, too.
United Rentals here has Bil-Jax 5x5's with 36" lock spacing for $58 new, and with 27 3/4" lock spacing for $61 new. Of course it's not like something with a motor or moving parts to wear, and there's not much you can't tell about their condition just by looking and handling.
Perhaps those numbers will be helpful when you go to talk price with them.....
-- J.S.
David,
The 5' frames are a good choice.
I like to have some 3' and 4' ones as well to make the top platform just the right height in certain situations.The alum 7' decks that snap onto the staging makes a wonderful platform for the working area.
It all costs money though.I've been buying some every year for a long while now-some new ,some at auction.
Side arm and end arm brackets also come in handy lots of times-for situations where you can't get close enough for the proper set up.
Walter
You might check on Ebay - Its been a little while since I saw it, but there was a company selling scaffolding there at pretty good prices. Seems like they were in St. Louis.
Mike
Check out falcon scaffold ot of Albeta Canada tney have some good stuff an good prices direct. I just ordered another couple of frames and braces http://www.falconscaffold. to go with my collection.
IF IT WAS EASY, EVERYONE COULD DO IT!
That's a hot tip. They're cheaper than the local prices for used stuff. I'll call Monday and get a freight quote.
I talked to Falcon this morning and am going to place and order tomorrow AM. Their prices on the gear itself are really good, and they are reasonable on the shipping too. Only downside is that I have to p/u in Seattle. Thanks for the lead.
I bought mine this morning. BilJax has a local dealer, so I got set up to go 28" by 6' by four high. That'll reach anywhere on the house, and for a little over $1600 new.
-- J.S.
I ordered from Falcon, (14) 5x5 frames, (22) 7' x-braces, (10) screw jack legs, (9) 7' x 19" decks... about $1500 + $200 freight. Their prices are screamin' good: the frames are about $45, the planks about $65, etc. It's enough to stage one side of the building we're doing right at one time. The nearby rental yards seem to sell for new prices even if the stuff is used.
Do you ever scan the tool listing on http://www.craigslist.org? They list Seattle and Spokane, maybe a few other WA and OR cities. A month or so ago, there was a big commercial construction project that was winding down here in NH and the GC was apparently cleaning out the trailers. Among other things (generators, hand tools, etc.) they had a few hundred sections of pipe staging they were trying to unload. Frames were about $30 each, braces were $5, levelers were $10. If you're not familiar with craigslist.org, it's a free place to list just about anything anyone is looking to sell (or barter or buy). It's not an auction website, just free classified ads.
I found that you can get 'hooked' on craigslist almost as easily as BT.
When we lived in the SF Bay Area, craigslist was a staple of everyday life--we even sold our house there thru craigslist, in addition to making hundreds of other connections of all types. Here it's practically unused.
wheew! Got to be careful not to mispell that and .com it! craiglist . com is a DIFFERENT site!
jt8
"The difference between greatness and mediocrity is often how an individual views a mistake..."-- Nelson Boswell
Oh jeez, now we all gotta go look.
I am not so sure how different it is.We are talking about ERECTING things.
Unhuh... and I see there was an hour and 40 mins between when you said "I gotto go look" and you actually came back here. Unhuh... ;)
jt8
"The difference between greatness and mediocrity is often how an individual views a mistake..."-- Nelson Boswell
Must be a good site!
I checked CraigsList here in LA for scaffold. The ads are all want to buy, so it looks like demand is higher than supply at the moment.
I'm thinking of 6'-6" rather than 5' to make it possible to stand up straight on the lower levels.
-- J.S.
John, The trick is to get hang on side brackets and set the scaffold away from the structure so the mason's thru the roofers can use the same setup.Why is it every time I need to get somewhere, I get waylaid by jackassery?
http://grantlogan.net/
Check the classifieds if you don't need it today. There's always somebody going out of business selling their scaffold.
Those prices sound OK, but you can get better from an individual.
Always make sure the bottoms aren't plugged. I've had some freeze and burst the tubes when the water can't get out the bottom.
One more thing, I hate the type scaffold with one intermediate step (instead of two). I always dump my tool belt climbing them. Stick with Biljax if possible.
http://grantlogan.net/
Try: http://www.gostepup.com/index.asp
Frames (5x5) are about $40 new. Shipping reasonable. Quality excellent.
I love mine.