Father's day coming up ... ladder
 

forgot all about it, it's next sunday


Dad needs a new ladder and was thinking about getting one of those multiple purpose ones.

They bend and form a platform ladder,step etc

little giant ladder etc


anyone have experience with those?

No, but I think I'd love to have one.

Little giants the shit! Im an apprentice electrician when on service calls we use one beAts cArrying 3 ladders. My dads got one at his place and loves it.

I have one and it is very handy. Can do awkward angles which proves very useful at times. Would like to get a longer one of the same style someday. Very sturdy ladder. Got mine at menards for around 100. Would recommend.

My mother-in-law bought me a Little Giant when I started my painting business. At first I thought she wasted her money on some gimmicky piece of crap, turned out to be one of my most indispensable pieces of equipment. It was especially handy when working in stairways.

ya those things are real handy. bet your dad likes

The good ones are nice, but they are very heavy.

I've got one very similar to this one (I think mine's 11ft):

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Werner-13...3#.UbPKrPlORsk

It's great as an all around ladder to have in the house because it can be used for so many different purposes. As jspchief mentioned, though, it's a little on the heavy side.

:hmmm:

he might not use it much if it's too heavy to lug around

Just buy him the $200 ultralight at Costco. I almost popped on the 22' one today. They're spectacular. Can't possibly be beaten and they're worth the extra money over the knockoffs. I've nearly killed myself and one of my guys on a knockoff. Finally decided it was too dangerous and sent it to the scrapyard.

They make a "Megalite" version that only weighs 30lbs..

Probably the most dangerous thing in my house. Inherited from Gramps, the company went out of business due to personal injury suits following joint failure. Only use it in positions where the joint is in compression [ie, not prone to failure as it is fulled extended in the compressed position]. 90% of time fully extended to get on roof for gutter maintenance. If used as a scaffold, always use with hardwood platform traversing the flat portion so no pressure on center joint.

Yeah, to be clear the ones I've used are the 1A duty rating type that you'll find on construction sites. They are surprisingly heavy for an aluminum ladder.

For around the house, I'd probably choose a lightweight aluminum extension ladder, an 8' fiberglass step ladder, and a 4' fiberglass or wood step ladder. Takes up more space, but much more likely to conveniently have the right ladder for the job.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQkklBj1omg

You have to sign in to watch this, but it is a touch discomforting if you are going to be 12 feet above the ground.

Yeah, that is the drawback, mine is pretty damn heavy. But heavy=safe & sturdy. I'm pretty sure I've heard that the newer generation of them are lighter.

Umm...I don't think you're talking about the same thing.

It's not a Baby Giant, but it's the same 4 section 3 double joint configuration, just a different manufacturer and older design.

Mine only has one "hinge" point at the middle. Other than that both ends telescope out to increase length. I do not have a double or triple hinge ladder.

http://www.menards.com/main/store/20...KMT22_step.jpg

Mine looks like the one in Hamas' video, only it doesn't even flare at the ends.

And FTR, I wasn't commenting on what someone might buy today. You can't even find mine anywhere anymore, outside my basement.

too heavy

That's the way mine works as well.

You're talking about one of these, and yes, they are an unsafe, worthless POS.

http://www.zedkayltd.com/images/Hand...ltipurpose.jpg
Not the same thing as a Little Giant at all.

right now he's using a 30 year old ladder that is missing one foot because he hit it with the lawn mower.

rather not have him crack his skull cleaning the gutters because he's 'stacking pieces of wood' under a missing ladder foot to keep it level.:doh!:

lg is a great ladder, but it's a finger-pinching sonofabitch.
sec

If he can do what he needs to do with an extension ladder then as others have mentioned that may be the way to go. The Little Giant is versatile but I don't really like using it fully extended to climb up on a roof. It works the best as an adjustable stepladder.

As far as extension ladders go, Louisville and Werner are the brands you want to look for.

I have this exact ladder (17') and love it. Bought it at ACE on Black Friday about five years ago. I think it was $75.

I could have taken that very picture. POS, sure, but free and I'm fully informed on it's precariousness. I triple check those joints and tread like a squirrel traversing the tree over the pit bull kennel run. Even if I had a traditional extension ladder, I'd have to buy a shed to go with it as the entrances are too tight and the basement too small to accommodate one.

The load limit is put on there for a reason...

I have one and they are the shit. Kind of heavy, but worth it because it's useful for a bunch of projects. Painting/working in a stairway makes the job easy with these ladders. You can also find the knockoff brand and save some money and they are just as good.

LMAO So I guess I'm not the only one doing that. I keep meaning to replace it.

you remember those cartoons where some animal start stacking crazy crap in the middle of a room to get really high in the air

huge washing machine on top of a tiny chair etc ....


that's what it reminds me of each time i see it LMAO


each time he uses the ladder it turns into a game of tetris

Heh. I'm within the load limit and the kid I sent up on it was about 160 when the rungs popped off. Single weld, no redundant failsafe. Horrible design. No more knockoff Little Giant ladders for me. It's not worth saving $200. I'd rather spend the extra money and keep everybody safe.

I haven't climbed a ladder in 20 years, (my teens). I've seen and heard of too many accidents to think I would ever find it necessary to climb a ladder ever again.
I'd rather pay 5 bucks to any dummy who'd be willing to take the risk.
Fortunately, I can reach anything I might need to other than my eaves.
Unless your trying to kill your Dad, don't buy him a ladder for Fathers Day.

Why do old guys, (me included), love getting on their roofs?
My Dad is 87 and still gets on the roof to clean the gutters. I am always telling him call me and I will come right over. My Mom will call in a panic telling me...Your Dad is getting ready to get on the roof again!
Two years ago he fell off the roof. He told me the initial fall didn't hurt so bad, but he said the bounce was very painful

yep

Amazon has the Little Giant Classic 22ft, 300lb limit for $219 today in the Gold Box

I'd think twice.

I have a little giant and don't mind it. That said, the thing is heavy. More often than not, I'd just as soon have a light little single-tasker.

If you only have space for a single ladder, I suppose it's not a bad ladder to have, but it really can be a sumbitch moving the thing around and positioning it.

FWIW, the ladder I linked about has a listed shipping weight from Amazon of 55 pounds. A Luoisville 22ft aluminum extension ladder with only a 225lb capacity weighs 40 pounds. A Werner fiberglas extension ladder with a 300lb rating is actually 59lbs.
They are heavier, but compared to the max capability, not unreasonably so.

I have the same one its great. It's not that heavy

My wife signed me up for a church event and the next one is Sunday Wtf? Not perfect. All I want to do is watch golf. I guess I'll play Saturday but what church schedules these things for Father's Day? What man wants to get dragged in there?

Awesome. Sent this link to my secretary. Told her to order two of them. Thanks for the link...

She didn't do it. Thought she could do it Thursday. She's cut off tonight.

I say you make her work it out in services rendered.