# Problems With Ladders



## ajmengineering (Oct 19, 2010)

We are senior high school engineering students and we wanted to get people's thoughts on problems they encounter with ladders and what they would like to change. If you could take a moment and help us out by answering a few questions we would appreciate it!


1.What problems do you encounter when using ladders?





2.What improvements to a ladder would you make to solve your problem? 





Do you have any comments or anything else you could add?



Thanks in advance,
Alex


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

ajmengineering said:


> We are senior high school engineering students and we wanted to get people's thoughts on problems they encounter with ladders and what they would like to change. If you could take a moment and help us out by answering a few questions we would appreciate it!
> 
> 
> 1.Do you use ladders in your line of work?
> ...


 .................


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## electricalperson (Jan 11, 2008)

ajmengineering said:


> We are senior high school engineering students and we wanted to get people's thoughts on problems they encounter with ladders and what they would like to change. If you could take a moment and help us out by answering a few questions we would appreciate it!
> 
> 
> 1.What problems do you encounter when using ladders?
> ...



1. falling off of them, or heavy

2. making them lightweight somehow. fiberglass is lighter than wood and aluminium is lighter than fiberglass but not insulated.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

My biggest problem is everyone makes fun of my aluminum ladder I use on de-energized circuits. I'm told I should use a nice, safe steel scaffold instead. 

Anyone know where I can find an articulating fiberglass step-ladder that goes to 21'? :whistling2:


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## electricalperson (Jan 11, 2008)

last time i used an aluminum ladder it was only rated for 150 or 200 pounds. it folded in half and i fell off of it and almost went through the wall


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

I've suffered two work related injuries in the past, related to ladders. Both were related to moving the ladder around (weight). Pulled my back out real good.... twice.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

electricalperson said:


> last time i used an aluminum ladder it was only rated for 150 or 200 pounds. it folded in half and i fell off of it and almost went through the wall



Mine's rated 300 lbs, so my fat arse is safe. :laughing:

Actually, I feel better standing at 19' on this one than I do standing at 10' on my 12' fiberglass.


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## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

480sparky said:


> Mine's rated 300 lbs, so my *fat arse is safe. *:laughing:


I thought that was a nasty rumor.


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

I've also injured my back moving 12' ladders around. Here's what I would like to see in all my ladders:

Insulated
Light
Top plate has a hole for my drill and a couple of screwdrivers
Top plate has a recess for screws

Here's one that you could really differentiate your ladder from the competition with:

Make a four legged ladder that doesn't walk on you. A tripod ladder usually doesn't walk on you but the base is so wide that transport and storage is more difficult and they seem to weigh more in addition to costing more.


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## tedsauce (Jul 9, 2010)

some kind of handle or comfortable place to put your hand for carrying would be nice

Being able to push the ladder across bare cement or carpet would be nice wiithout having to collapse it or drag it and have it hop all over the place(im thinking of those stools that have the wheels on the bottom but when you stand on them the wheels retract into the bottom)

A place at the top for all my **** is probably the biggest problem the holes at the top are always oddly sized so i always find myself trying to balance or perch my tools to make sure they don't fall down(walking up and down a 10ft to get **** that falls down all day is very frustrating). Also some kind of recessed tray with a lid at the top for wire nuts and what not


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## BDB (Jul 9, 2008)

ajmengineering said:


> We are senior high school engineering students and we wanted to get people's thoughts on problems they encounter with ladders and what they would like to change. If you could take a moment and help us out by answering a few questions we would appreciate it!
> 
> 
> 1.What problems do you encounter when using ladders?
> ...


Make them where they do not walk


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## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

Magnetic metal tray on top to hold fasteners.

Lighter.

Cheaper.


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## electricalperson (Jan 11, 2008)

i really like the idea of a magnetic thing on top of the ladder to hold screws and stuff. i really dont know any other ideas other than somehow making them lighter.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

electricalperson said:


> i really like the idea of a magnetic thing on top of the ladder to hold screws and stuff.


I used a Louisville ladder with the magnet up top. When standing on the second from highest step for a while I sometimes like to put my knee up on the top of the ladder, this doesn't work too well if you have a bunch of screws sticking up on the magnet


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## CFL (Jan 28, 2009)

electricalperson said:


> i really like the idea of a magnetic thing on top of the ladder to hold screws and stuff. i really dont know any other ideas other than somehow making them lighter.


Louiseville ladders come with a magnet molded into the top.


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

A step with a deeper tread. Standing on the step for a long time hurts the ol' feet.


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## mattsilkwood (Sep 21, 2008)

nitro71 said:


> Make a four legged ladder that doesn't walk on you.


 Sometimes on a 6 or 8 footer I'll walk them.


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

They need better coatings and better sunlight resistance. An extension ladder on top of a van for several years starts splintering and eventually fiberglass eating your hands up.


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## Legion (Oct 19, 2010)

mcclary's electrical said:


> They need better coatings and better sunlight resistance. An extension ladder on top of a van for several years starts splintering and eventually fiberglass eating your hands up.


Have you ever tried having the ladders re-glazed or coated again to prevent the fiberglass splinters? It was mentioned to me as an option awhile back by a ladder vendor, I've been a bit skeptical though.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

mcclary's electrical said:


> They need better coatings and better sunlight resistance. An extension ladder on top of a van for several years starts splintering and eventually fiberglass eating your hands up.



Go to a boat store and get some marine-grade wax.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

mattsilkwood said:


> Sometimes on a 6 or 8 footer I'll walk them.


That is the fastest way to ruin a good ladder.. :no:

The whole thing becomes loose and wobbles like crazy when you stand on it.

I have 12' and 14' I carry around without the feet touching the concrete and they are still as tight as from day one.. :thumbsup:


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

That Fox News thing makes me laugh every time. :thumbsup:

It reminds me of something George Carlin would joke about. :laughing:


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## Innovative (Jan 26, 2010)

mcclary's electrical said:


> They need better coatings and better sunlight resistance. An extension ladder on top of a van for several years starts splintering and eventually fiberglass eating your hands up.


We re-spray our ladders every year or so to keep the fiberglass from becomming exposed. I got tired of having fiberglass in my arms years ago.


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

black4truck said:


> that is the fastest way to ruin a good ladder.. :no:
> 
> The whole thing becomes loose and wobbles like crazy when you stand on it.
> 
> I have 12' and 14' i carry around without the feet touching the concrete and they are still as tight as from day one.. :thumbsup:


 


welcome back


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

mcclary's electrical said:


> welcome back


I appreciate your support.. :thumbsup:


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

Black4Truck said:


> I appreciate your support.. :thumbsup:


 

We appreciate your input in the discussions:thumbsup: Wanna talk politics?:whistling2:


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

mcclary's electrical said:


> We appreciate your input in the discussions:thumbsup: Wanna talk politics?:whistling2:


I have a laundry list of topics.. :laughing:


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