Raising an extension ladder
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civilian
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JethroB
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Some of these photos bring Wyle E. Coyote to mind. 
MoKelly
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Some of these photos bring Wyle E. Coyote to mind.
Ha. Brings back memories. I always sort of felt sorry for the coyote. The roadrunner had little personality.
Given my current age and situation, I’m at the point where I won’t go up on anything where if I fall I will get seriously injured.
Whoever invented those light bulb poles to change the lights is a genius!
MoKelly
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We had a roof ladder at work, long time back when in my 20's and quite a bit lighter.
From parking lot to roof, over two stories, ladder was maybe 40-50 foot fiberglass.
We used to part climb, part crawl as the ladder flexed many feet.
Probably installed stairs. Had lots of equipment up there, used to only send us younger/lighter people up to fix/replace.
I think the ladder was maybe at 30 degree angle, so you weren't exactly climbing to get up it
From parking lot to roof, over two stories, ladder was maybe 40-50 foot fiberglass.
We used to part climb, part crawl as the ladder flexed many feet.
Probably installed stairs. Had lots of equipment up there, used to only send us younger/lighter people up to fix/replace.
I think the ladder was maybe at 30 degree angle, so you weren't exactly climbing to get up it
ning
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I've done something like this where it's inconvenient to use a ladder (we've got a spot under a high deck where there's lights on the underside and nowhere to lean an extension ladder on, and I don't have a tall A-frame ladder) - I have a long wooden dowel, and I made a cushion on the end of it with some inside-out duct tape - basically loop the tape sticky side out, stuck that on the end, and then more going from the side of the dowel up over it and to the other side, and finally some duct tape in the proper direction to hold the mess on the dowel. This then was raised up to the light bulb (an R40 in this case), and it had plenty of grip to unscrew the light and hold it so I could retrieve it; then I stuck a new one on the duct tape and reversed the process to replace the bulb.
I've been known to get on roofs if I have to, but I'll do anything I can to avoid a really tall ladder unless I can't find another way. Once to patch a steep roof, I anchored a climbing rope to the bottom of a tree on the other side of the house, threw the rope over, and used prusik knots to make sure if I slid I wouldn't fall.
Above all, if you choose to do something funky with a tall ladder, make sure you've got a friend there watching over you - and do it on a day your wife isn't there!
two_bit_score
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Just a few years ago I had no hesitation getting on any roof I have and some are pretty steep. Now, I'm more hesitant. Age I guess does that.
JethroB
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And mend slower. If at all.
Deere Dude
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I need to extend as far as possible a 28' extension ladder onto a 10/12 pitch roof to change a HPS bulb every 3 years. So much for their 8 year warranty,
I run a heavy rope over the top of the roof and hook the ladder to a garden tractor on the other side to pull the ladder up all the way. The bottom of the ladder is inside a extended tractor bucket near the roofs edge to hold it steady. With the rope holding the ladder just in case the tractor moves I feel fairly comfortable to reach the peak while climbing on the laying down ladder.
I don't like it but you do what you can to get the job done. I thought about just putting in a light I can reach with an 8' step ladder and forgetting the high one.
I run a heavy rope over the top of the roof and hook the ladder to a garden tractor on the other side to pull the ladder up all the way. The bottom of the ladder is inside a extended tractor bucket near the roofs edge to hold it steady. With the rope holding the ladder just in case the tractor moves I feel fairly comfortable to reach the peak while climbing on the laying down ladder.
I don't like it but you do what you can to get the job done. I thought about just putting in a light I can reach with an 8' step ladder and forgetting the high one.
