I need to come up with some new planks and want to know what others feel about the microlam laminated types versus solid sawn lumber. Cost really isn’t the issue since I’m only buying four, maybe six at the most.
Don’t bother asking what I’ve used before for comparison since I never bothered with graded scaffold planks. It was always left over 2X’s with knots and splits.
I’m more concerned about safety, and durability. By the way, I’m not using them for plastering or masonary, just general construction- sheathing, windows, siding, etc.
Thanks!
Jim
Replies
must be osha approved.
@@ must be osha approved
We paint our rated planks on the edges and ends so you can tell at a glance that the planks in a setup are rated (showing pink) or not.
"Never met a man who couldn't teach me something."
Anon.
@@ I need to come up with some new planks and want to know what others feel about the microlam laminated types versus solid sawn lumber. Cost really isn't the issue since I'm only buying four, maybe six at the most.
Get only the OSHA rated laminated planks.
If you have crew and have them up on solid lumber scaffolding, the lawyers will eat you alive in the event of an accident. You have just made their day for a claim of gross negligence. As I recall, for GN, your insurance company does not know you. It's now your problem. Bring money.
I remember climbing up to second floor scaffolding, stepping on and knowing something was wrong. The inside board was fine, the outside board was fine. The center board was solid lumber and bending.
Stop, send down that board and have them send up the Real Thing. Insist on genuine OSHA rated scaffold planks. (What part of parapalegic don't you like?)
As Americans get heavier, solid planks become more dangerous. What used to work fine for a 120# framer is a lawsuit with a 220# framer. I've seen framers going 300# +.
Anon.
Last time I bought planks the only ones available were the laminated ones. Sometimes you can buy them thru a scaffolding company cheaper than thru a lumberyard.
Had to side a dormer we'd framed on back of a 2-story home.Had to be done from pump-jacks[32ft.top of dormer].Got to job, boss had 1 set of pipe-scaffold,1 set pump-jack[w/o extentions] and 3-4 pine boards laid out for us to use.5 minutes later we had tools packed back up,called boss about the now 'bad'news....we need the right equipment or we're going home. Next day we had pump-jack extentions and a nice 12ft aluminum walk board.
Think scary - at least you had some scaffolding. Saw an out of focus shot on another thread of some gomer-built scaffolding that wrapped round a two story. Be afraid to walk under it, let alone on it.
One of our projects, here is two stories of scaffolding, then a ladder up from the top deck. (I can never convince them to sheath and cut lookout notches on the gable trusses on the deck. They could send it up with the GradeAll. They love to raise it, then sheath it from ladders. Faster that way, eh? Safer?
This summer the siding subs down the street had that nifty system with the aluminum posts and catwalks and work bench. (Dream...)The ToolBear
"Never met a man who couldn't teach me something." Anon.
Yeah, I saw that 'rig' you're talking about,liked the one built on that truck better! Boss's idea was for the aluminum jacks sat on 2x10 on the pipe scaffold.Then us 2 [soon to be vegetables] guys would tip-toe around on the raggedy 2x planks 30ft. up. Visions of wheelchairs danced through my head.I DIDN'T DO IT...THE BUCK DOES NOT STOP HERE.
That truck rig had such a great "improv" look. Send the skinny 16 yr old up it, not the ToolBear (who does resemble a bear in some ways). Rather hard nowadays to find "solid" lumber without all those interesting knots to give the plank character.
Of course, having said that, I consider my sins (CD ROM for storage helps). One volunteer job we took the old roof sheathing (the stuff that had not rotted thru) and the old framing (the stuff that had not rotted thru) and build 2 x X tressels to walk on. Worked fine. Of course, we had seven 6" conc. walls on 5' centers to support them.
If you really have to, you can stiffen up those planks with 2x s along the edges. Then we can talk about guard rails <g>.
Boss carry good insurance? The ToolBear
"Never met a man who couldn't teach me something." Anon.
why not the safest of all....aluminum planks?
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