Alloy or steel scaffold tower for DIY?

[Glenbirnie]

Hello,

Im after a scaffold tower for painting my house and other general working at height tasks some of which is high on the gable ends for example. The chimney head terminates at just over 9 metres.

Ive looked at alloy towers on a few sites and they are coming in at about £900. This seems reasonable to me but are these light weight systems any use? They say there to BS spec and super duper etc etc but Id expected to have had to pay a lot more than this.

Also alloy or steel from my DIY needs?

Thanks

 

[^woody^]

The only steel towers I tend to see are those poxy, wobbly H-frame square ones

 

[joinerjohn]

Nowt wrong with alloy towers. Fairly easy to build up. As Woody says the only steel ones are those H frame jobbies , which are very unstable, if built up to a few metres. (far less 9m )

 

[alumni]

The Alli towers are far more stable and easier to build than the crappy old steels jobbies.

 

[Terry7556]

the alloy tower is better than the steel, you can increase the smallest base dimension by the use of stabilisers and is therefore more stable. being ally its lighter but the decks are not easy to handle, especially the longer ones that are close to 3mts. i suggest your max is 2.4mts.
to build these and allow others on to use some form of training would help e.g. pasma approved , not sure how you stand insurance wise without training or experience.
other thing to worry about keeping the alloy safe from thieves as well

 

[RF Lighting]

The only tower you want to be looking at is a boss alloy tower.

They are the industry standard, they're easy to get hold of, they're strong, lightweight and safe.

If you're only using a tower now and again, you might be better off hiring a tower. It saves the initial expense, and the issues of storage.

Also as mentioned, it really is worth going and doing a proper training course before you start to build and work on towers.

I'd been using and building towers for years before I went and did my PASMA card, and it was a real eye opener. I had built my towers wrong every single time until then.

You never know, It might just save your life.

 

[ladylola]

Despite having two steel towers myself I'd follow the advice and go for the ally , just make sure you store it out of sight else it will grow legs.
My steel towers are ok as I've fitted them with outriggers and generally tend to lash the internals with rope or straps but there is constant maintance to prevent rust as assembling and dis assembling always knocks thepaint up and rust can very easily set in.

 

[foxhole]

Used a cheap £150 steel galvanised tower without problem , whatever you use it requires mechanical fixing to building to be safe.

 

[joe-90]

Use the cheap steel one up to eaves height - HIRE a proper jobbie for the high stuff. How many times will you go up to the chimney? Probably never.

 

[Terry7556]

i agree with all those posts especially joes.
the only thing youll touch on that chimney is the flaunching, once in a blue moon. if the chimney stack is suspect then youll most likely need a brickie who wont do that job off an alloy tower, hell want tube and fitting scaffolding.
so youll probably only go 4.8/5 mts at most , gutter height, not that often. in reality youll stand face /chest height to gutter for painting say, so youll stand 3/3.5mts off the ground. steel tower will do if you must own one, but hire is better, you wont have to store it.

 

[Glenbirnie]

But proper builders dont use alloy. And full on steel scaffolding can go crazy heights up bridges etc

So are all here talking about 'cheap' steel towers as oppossed to 'proper' builders steel scaffold?

 

[alumni]

But proper builders dont use alloy. And full on steel scaffolding can go crazy heights up bridges etc

So are all here talking about 'cheap' steel towers as oppossed to 'proper' builders steel scaffold?

Nobody's mentioned scaffolding, only towers - as per your OP

 

[Glenbirnie]

Sorry thats my ignorance then.

Is scaffolding different from a tower. Ii though a tower was lots of scaffolding stacked rather than a long?

Whats the difference then?

 

[ladylola]

Sorry thats my ignorance then.

Is scaffolding different from a tower. Ii though a tower was lots of scaffolding stacked rather than a long?

Whats the difference then?

Scaffold towers is a term generally used to refer to a welded section scaffold in either steel or aluminium . It is normally possible to put up without tools , although a version called kwikform requires a small hammer and can be fitted with wheels to make it moveable. It generally doesn't go too high owning to its small ground footprint.
Conventinal scaffold or pole and clip is a different kettle of fish. Normally made of thick steel poles (although ally is available ) it is stronger , heavier and more adapable than a tower. It often involves a structrual engineer to design it if for example it supports a tempoary roof. It also requires a lorry to transport it because as well as being considerably heavier than a tower the poles are longer and a transit just becomes too short to put a 21 foot pole in. The extra complexity of pole and clip is also shown in that higher grade certificates are required to erect it.
Hope that clears it up?

 

[Glenbirnie]

My house is basically part two story part bungalow. I have chimneys 30 foot high on one ganble end and chimneys coming out the bungalow end about 25 foot. I have high guttering, low rafters etc etc a large mix of different heights and lengths where I have been doing work to date on ladders which is time consuming.

Would it be unrealistic for me to buy a load of pole and clip I could erect in different lengths or heights then?