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262903 | scott grandstaff <scottg@s...> | 2017‑08‑15 | Once more into the breach |
I have my old wooden ladder under my back porch. Kind of a metaphor for us old Galoots. Its made a wonderful life for me. It has helped me, and helped others which helps myself in the bargain. Its been there when the chips were down. Got this ladder used about 20 years ago. (just like the porch) Yard sale or somesuch. (porch was free) It was used, but not that much. I have 20 years of jobs associated with this ladder. It has lived a really long time in wooden ladder years. In this time, only once, in all his time, did I need to go over all the fasteners and generally do the serious ladder maintenance once over. Look at and adjust every part of it, you know. Well it was time. Summer and low humidity means it was as loose as it was going to get. Lots of screws to be drawn up. Rivets to be tightened. And the main top, the strong part all the rest of the ladder depends on? That needed more support. If you don't think these were the screwiest angles I ever had to fit, well you never built a boat. http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/house/ladder4.jpg See how tame they look attached like this? Yeah right. Such weird angles I simply had to cut n try, remark, cut n try. Then copy one to the other in mirror image. http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/house/ladder3.jpg The little paint can shelf is actually critical to the engineering, and I had to reinforce that too. http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/house/ladder5.jpg Every part is now tight as a drum again. I am pretty sure it can go another 20 years now, with utmost care. I hope we can too. So.................. porch stories? Want to hear a story? How about a story of a girl? and nothing less than the absolute perfect girl on skates for me. Perfect age, location, perfect circumstance, local leader. A radiantly darling ex cheerleader. I fell in love with her in 5 minutes, 15 years ago. Its stronger now. Not just me. The whole town, whole valley, everyone. Watching us and waiting. We are both as public as we can be. I am operating a genuine fairytale castle life over here. Complete with real magic. I am offering it to no one else. Whatever I do, in whatever way I do it, infuriates her. Like, I love Lucy infuriated. I am living in a Shakespearian play. yours Scott -- ******************************* Scott Grandstaff Box 409 Happy Camp, Ca 96039 scottg@s... http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/ http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/hpages/index.html |
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262906 | curt seeliger <seeligerc@g...> | 2017‑08‑15 | Re: Once more into the breach |
> I am operating a genuine fairytale castle life over > here. Complete with real magic. > I am offering it to no one else. Scott's got a sweetheart??!?!! Scotty and Lucy, sitting in a tree...! In to the breach, indeed. Talking it up on the old-fool list, covered with a story about a ladder. Keep at it, good man. |
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263036 | "yorkshireman@y..." <yorkshireman@y...> | 2017‑08‑21 | Re: Once more into the breach |
Well, it’s not often I can ever top one of Scott’s stories, but… He brought tears to my eyes with a description of a stepladder. > On 15 Aug 2017, at 19:18, scott grandstaff |
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263037 | Claudio DeLorenzi <claudio@d...> | 2017‑08‑21 | Re: Once more into the breach |
On Tue, Aug 15, 2017 at 2:18 PM, scott grandstaff |
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263038 | james rich <jameslrich3@g...> | 2017‑08‑21 | Re: Once more into the breach |
I still have 4,5 and 6' wood step ladders that I either bought or were givin to me at the beginning of my career. By looking at them the only way I can tell where my replacement wood begins and the original wood remains is that I always made new parts out of hardwood (usually red oak) and not the original doug fir. When I was young and invinceable I ran about 225 or 30 now that Im niether am about 275. I try to stay off these ladders anymore, though I believe they would be fine. Seems the kids nor friends want to borrow these ladders as they are pretty darn heavy. I recall yarding 40' wood extension ladders around for the Journeymen when I was a greenhorn. NOBODY griped when aluminum ladders started to show up on the jobsites. On Mon, Aug 21, 2017 at 4:01 AM, Claudio DeLorenzi |
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263039 | Ed Minch <ruby1638@a...> | 2017‑08‑21 | Re: Once more into the breach |
Perhaps 10 years ago, MLW and I were in California (we went to both north and south parts of the state but I can't recall exactly where) where we went to a car museum that had a bunch of fire fighting equipment. They had several wooden extension ladders and gave the story that in that town (San Diego??) they still use wooden ladders. They repair them themselves and the oldest ladder still in service is from 1906 (Like Washington’s hatchet, though). I think it had to do with electric wires on poles. I, too, had a 40 foot extension ladder in wood. The best part of it was that it got wider at the bottom so was very stable (if you could get it into place) Ed Minch |
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263040 | Mick Dowling <spacelysprocket@b...> | 2017‑08‑21 | Re: Once more into the breach |
There's a video about the ladder shop at the SFFD here; https://vimeo.com/13190227 Mick Dowling Melbourne Member, Hand Tool Preservation Association of Australia Inc. |
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263041 | james rich <jameslrich3@g...> | 2017‑08‑21 | Re: Once more into the breach |
I would love to have that stash of vertical grain Fir. On Mon, Aug 21, 2017 at 3:35 PM, Mick Dowling |
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263042 | Erik Levin | 2017‑08‑21 | Re: Once more into the breach |
Claudio ruminated: > >On Tue, Aug 15, 2017 at 2:18 PM, scott grandstaff wrote:>> >> I have my old wooden ladder under my back porch. >> Kind of a metaphor for us old Galoots. >> >>>That kind of ladder is what I call a "widowmaker".> and James followed with: > NOBODY griped when aluminum ladders started to show up on the jobsites. Interestingly enough, a few years ago, at one of the jobs I still hold, I was charged with the position of Safety Officer. Might still hold it. One of the tasks required by our oversight agency was a full inventory and inspection of all tools, machines, gear, and equipment falling under OSHA regs (1910, 1915, and 1926) which includes, unsurprisingly, ladders. You might note that 1915 is shipyard. This might give a cue to some where this is going. I had looked at these ladders from afar, as they were stored in a back corner of the shop/warehouse when not out on site. I had seen them on the longbed truck going out or coming in, long enough that they hung off the back while also being propped over the roof of the cab (old truck, as well as old tools, by the way). I had never looked at them closely. The ceiling of the structure was sufficiently higher than the 24 foot elevation the forklift maxed out at, and the ladders-- step ladders, a frame-- were jammed in the corner where the roof met the wall. They were big. Real big. Real, real big. And wood. And old. After I got done with the modern fibreglass ladders (step and extension), condemning a couple due to cracks and damages supports, threw the remains of one of the aluminum extensions into the scrap skip, and went over the wood extensions (all good) and smaller wood steps, I got to these big boys. Sleepy (yup, that is the only name I knew him by. He stopped showing up one day, saving the trouble of firing him) was the only helper in the shop, and we wrestled these bad boys out and managed to spread and stand them. They just cleared the roof by enough to stand them. On the ground before spreading, there were no clear indications of any issue. The only markings indicated that they were shop constructed in the 1940's (OT content). They still met all standards in the regulations for shop constructed wooden ladders. Fasteners all looked good. Every rung solid, and a few had been replaced. Spreaders --wood, by the way-- solid and properly pinned. Every fastener good. There were two. They were.... majestic. Of all the gear in the place, I think these behemoths might have been the only things that got universal respect, though there were a few that got universal fear. Even the 12 footers had some issues. These guys, nothing. Then it came time to climb. I won't sing the paper if I won't climb it. Up one step. Two. three.... All the way to the top. Solid as a rock. I climbed down and went up the second one. Same thing. Only problem I found was one of the tool trays flipped rather than bracing against the step due to the ends of bars being beaten over the years. At the time, I was near my maximum tonnage, well over 200lbs (nearly 100Kg). These were like standing on the deck of an aircraft carrier in drydock. Solid. NOTHING like a fibreglass or aluminum unit. I had no problem signing the report and tagging them in service. A couple years later, the shop moved into a new, smaller, space. I have no idea where those ladders are now. I know they moved, as they were in the yard for a while, out in the weather. I think they spent some time on their sides on the ground (bad for a wood ladder). Then... I don't know. I just don't know. I may have to ask about their fate one day. Or maybe not. *** This message was sent from a convenience email service, and the reply address(es) may not match the originating address |
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263044 | scott grandstaff <scottg@s...> | 2017‑08‑22 | Re: Once more into the breach |
Its a regional thing. My ladder is light weight, but I would put over 300 pounds on it, second step from top, easy. It might have been a little loose in the fasteners, but the wood was in no danger of failure. Its very strong. Its just doug fir, but its a pretty good grade of fir. But then, this is where it comes from. Right here. We grow it. I am surrounded with it by 500 miles. Fir is one of those woods that is wildly variable. They'll call anything fir. They will label 20 year old plantation plants (not even trees yet) doug fir, saw it up, and make things from it! There are also, ahem, other grades of the stuff. Maybe you'd be so kind as to count the lines per inch on this? heeheh http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/shop%20pix/dougfir.jpg I made this from doug fir. and, that's a 65 watt Peavey Bandit amp. http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/house/ampstand1.jpg http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/house/ampstand2.jpg http://users.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/images/house/ampstand3.jpg Its particularly fine grain and tough fir. Not all the fine grain fir is tough either, in case you don't live in a forest full of it. Some of it is quite hard and tough and you just have to get used to it I guess. I am not sure how to tell you the ways you can tell if its tough. Before you get all the way into it. Jam a thumbnail into it for sure. If you jam a thumbnail in, its not the stuff. You might dent it a little but thats it. Pay attention to the grain of course. Pay very close attention to the grain. Working it you'll know real quick. Sawing planing etc. you'll know. yours Scott -- ******************************* Scott Grandstaff Box 409 Happy Camp, Ca 96039 scottg@s... http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/ http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/hpages/index.html |
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