req advice: buying a scaffold tower

[tg]

I need to do some high up work at the back of my house and I'm looking to buy a

21ft scaffold tower. I'm doing the work on my own so I need something kind of light but good. I don't want to hire. I don't need castors or moveability as the work is all in one spot and there's a good anchor point at the top of the house to fix the tower to. Problem is I don't know what towers are junk or what's a rip-off so I'd appreciate some experienced advice if there's any in here. I was looking at maybe buying this: Ebay Item number: 260059155701 don't whether this is a good buy or something to avoid. I'm not made of money so I can't afford the £1000+ aluminium jobs. Thanks for any advice. (ps: ladders cut my nerves to shreds ha ha)

[dom]

I suspect those cheap steel towers will soon require bullying to get them to go together and come apart - lets face it there's a reason why the professionals shell out a lot more on the SGB/Boss ally towers. I also doubt it will have the rigidity of an ally tower, which has a well designed clamping system for the horizontal and diagonal braces.

If ladders make you nervous - I think you'd be far better off with hiring an aluminium tower - all the hire shops do them (and relatively cheaply) as do many builders merchants (and they all undercut HSS Hire).

[Cicero]

=============================== Steel towers are quite satisfactory for most DIY work provided that they're treated properly but they can be difficult to dismantle. I find a good rubber hammer is the best 'persuader'.

It's also worth pointing out that this isn't a particularly cheap steel tower as it will cost at least £315-00 when a set of boards and the delivery cost are added. Any of the other extras (stabilisers etc.) will obviously add to the cost. There are several other manufacturers in the same area who sell reasonable quality towers for far less than this. I have two similar towers which have worked well for me for the last 8/9 years and which cost me about £80-00 each plus boards at about £35-00.

If you're unhappy with ladders erecting and dismantling a tower can also be quite an experience and you'll still need a ladder for access to the tower.

Cic.

[Andrew Gabriel]

a 21ft scaffold tower. I'm doing the work on my own

castors or moveability as the work is all in one

to. Problem is I don't know what towers are junk or

here. I was looking at maybe buying this:

I know you said you don't want to hire, but you could get scaffolding professionally erected for less than the cost of that tower, and it will be a lot more stable and easy to use. Also, you won't have to store it all afterwards. Don't overlook that option.

[Ron Lowe]

I don't whether this is a good buy or something to avoid. I'm not made of

I bought a cheapie tower from here:

is rather cheap n cheerfull compared to a nice aluminium one, but it's

1000% better than wobbling about up a ladder if you need to be able to use your hands.

I have used it for example for: clearing the gutterings; trying to open a siezed floodlights to change the lamp; mounting my weather station above roof level; drilling through the wall with a hilti drill at a substantial height.

All of these require a reasonable amount of manual dexterity, often with both hands, often requiring a reasonable amount of force. It would not have been possible ( safely! ) on a ladder.

If I were using it every day, I'd want something better. Nice ones will clip together and are more rigid. But for occasional domestic use like I need, this grade of tower is perfect. Once you bolt everything together, and deploy the outrigger poles, it is surprisingly rigid.

If you own a property with high places which require occasional access, then I'd certainly get something like this.

[gort]

The one I hired had a ladder builtin to one side.

Dave

[tg]

I'd certainly get something like this.

thanks for your feedback Ron, the tower you mention looks like it might be suitable (also for my wallet). I would have to go for the 24ft model, or maybe evern the 30ft one. Cheers.

[tg]

a 21ft scaffold tower. I'm doing the work on my

need castors or moveability as the work is all in one

to. Problem is I don't know what towers are junk

here. I was looking at maybe buying this:

thanks for your response but the high access I need would be repetitive, say every six months or so. Hiring every time I need to go up would not be financially viable, so I have to make a one-time purchase.

[Steve Walker]

If you're up there regularly, why not resin-bolt a couple of heavy eyes into the wall? You could then lash the top of an ordinary ladder to them, and clip yourself on with a waistbelt/harness. You'd have both hands free, and be able to lean back etc. Might be a lot quicker than building and dismantling tower frames all the time?

[Steve]

Very good advice.

If it is just one place you need to visit regularly... Buy a three section heavy ladder quite a bit longer (fully extended) than you need but obviously shorter than you need to reach when retracted ;-) . If a heavy ladder like this is adequately supported, as Steve suggests and, ideally, prevented from sliding away from the wall at the bottom, it is a solid working platform. Having rung overlaps and a heavy solid (mainly retracted) ladder makes ladder work much easier and safer.

Steve