Sectional Ladders

Do the sectional ladders bow and then break or just flex a bit?

I still have some wood sectionals I acquired back in the early 1980’s. They don’t get used on jobs. Mainly I keep them around to remind the young window cleaners I was movin’ and climbin’ ladders when they were in diapers.

I have had sectionals come apart because of the flex when stacked too tall (6-6 1/2 set). I also have “dents” in every one of my sectionals where the two sections come together from the flex pinch

Your post has taken me by surprise. I have never heard this before. Do the sections come apart while the window cleaner is up near the top of the ladder causing the most flex? Could you elaborate?

Yes

Even with pins correctly inserted?

Actually, I could see that happening…

What happened to the climber?

If the guy’s throwing up 6½ pieces, $10 bucks says he wasn’t thinking about the pins…

Mike…

45’ of sectional means 8 / 6’ sections and a 5’base thats 9 sections Mike I can’t see anyone using that many nor setting them up in the proper way. They would arch so much with that many that on the final 2 sections they will be straight up an down which would be a danger to an extreme extent.

Going to that extent one is going beyond the true design for the ladders, never seen that done nor would I ever think of doing that many !

Sure you can use 5 1/2 sections and still be within a calculated risk, which would work without to much non-safety…Still 4 section is the standard set by the builders ! Really though Mike an extension ladder at 24 ’ to 28’ is much easier to work with when your going higher then 21 feet ! Sectional are far more versatile then extension up to 21’/24’ and below.

The extension over 24 up to 28 ’ is far more versatile then a sectional after 21’ to 24’.

I’ve been a window cleaner for 31 years, every year for 31 years and I’ve used both kinds of ladder to there full extent and from full experience I know the gist of what I’m saying !

Dange

I guess the locking pins were not in use when that happened.

Could you please tell us the story that goes with the incident?

Dange,
I’d have to agree
with you 100%.

I like the sectional up to four and one half sections, 24ft. I retired my sixth piece because set ups and take downs were to much work for me to enjoy. I work alone. Awkward and heavy. If I can’t reach a window with the 24ft sectional I turn the job down or use my WFP.

The company that goes up 45ft with their sectionals does mostly commercial buildings and they made their claim in a video on YouTube. I believe it’s true.

I bet that’s why they have roller tops for sectionals. You can roll the ladder point up the mullions on commercial buildings. Did you know that roller tops have been discontinued? My guess is it’s because there is no need for a roller top if you’re only going up 21ft. It would come in handy over 24ft. though.

Fortunately, when the ladders separated (below the middle), the upper piece went straight into the ground. I had the base piece too far from the wall and it came apart while I was climbing. There were no locking pins on the ladder, someone had removed them, if they even had them to begin with. Safety rules were more lax 30 years ago

Thanks for answering my question. I couldn’t figure out how that could happen, but I should have known.

The only time I use the locking pins for my sectional is when I place the ladder on a really steep pitched roof to reach a dormer window. In that cenerio the base is far away from the wall and my gut told me that could happen.

PS
I also use my sectional standoff in this cenerio.

WhenI first started cleaning windows I fit them in my chevy lumina

Power of suggestion- I had a dream last night, that my sections separated… :smiley:

J-ster…

Walk with a wary foot…Knock on wood !

Dange

So true, J. I know what you mean. I had the “falling off of a roof dream” after reading all the talk about Korker’s a couple weeks ago.

I have German Sectional ladders they are real sturdy and every window cleaner in Germany has them on there car or van roof strong as hell but after joining 5 sections ( legally ( insurance ) you are only allowed 4 ?) you have to make sure the angle is not to acute… i have used 6-7-8 but the majority of the ladder was resting on the frame work of a glass front that was built into the side of the house or very large conservatories where the slope and structure of the object which was being cleaned was long and ideal for leaning a ladder up on it or against it… really sectionals are a must if your doing a lot of residential and also commercial…this is why they are the norm here where i live…i think flexibility is the key word

It’s funny… 99% of the worlds population wouldn’t quite get that statement.
But I had an instant smirk, immediately followed by an affirmative nod.

[INDENT]“Peers.”[/INDENT]

When I first started cleaning windows I fit them inside my 1972 Volkswagen Super Beetle. I had to take the passenger side seat back off to do it. It was more fun to strap them to the aftermarket roll bar of my 1953 M38A1 though. Those were the days…

This would be a really tricky set of windows to reach without a sectional.