Scaffold tower help

[jfsoar]

Hi,

I have inherited this scaffold tower and am not sure how it should go together safely. (Obviously will only use on firm level ground, am just testing temporarily on grass).

There are
4 short I pieces ( which I have assumed are for the feet)
4 feet,
15 I=I=I pieces,
4 short -- pieces (which I have assumed tie the feet together)
4 long ---- pieces,
A few (11 I think) scaffold boards with spacer blocks
Pics below of how I think it goes together, but there is still a lot of racking from side to side.

Any tips or safety pointers for assembling and using this tower?

Thanks in advance!

 

[flameport]

Any tips or safety pointers for assembling and using this tower?

Weigh it in for scrap.

If those pictures show all of the parts, there is no realistic way of using any of it safely.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

That looks like a copy of the old Slingsby-style type steel scaffolding tower. I don't think they've been made for well over 25 years. Horrible unstable things; I used to own one.

Frankly I wouldn't have one if it were given. They were always sketchy, but they are just so much worse than modern towers that I would never use one again

 

[jfsoar]

Thanks, I appreciate the responses. Must say I'm a bit surprised as it looks very similar to stuff on sale when I search for scaffold towers, e.g. this or this .

So that begs the question, what makes a good tower? Vertically oriented diagonal pieces? outriggers? Some form of clamps or screws rather than swaged connections?

Thanks

 

[Old Salt]

I have one similar to your second link. Used it once on a two storey semi to fix cctv system in place. They need tying off to the building to give stability. Only ever climb them from the inside. I have used it since on a bungalow to get to the height of the guttering but imho they are not serious pieces of kit if you are doing any real graft.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

So that begs the question, what makes a good tower? Vertically oriented diagonal pieces? outriggers? Some form of clamps or screws rather than swaged connections?

It starts with being strong but light and rigid but without welds that can crack or corrode easily (so aluminium instead of steel), then add adjustable feet or locking castors, stability outriggers, rest and work platforms that have trap doors which can be closed (so when set-up correctly you can't step backwards off them and injure or kill yourself by falling down inside the tower), brickboards around the work platform (so you can't accidentally kick a tool off and injure someone), access ladders built-in, the ability to handle stair wells and out of level sites (with accessories), safety rails at the legally required heights, gate components which lock together with spring buttons or clips, and finally sprung diagonal and handrail bar ends which lock on so that excessive movement doesn't result in a collapse. They can also be built much taller safely than the old Slingsby-type towers and narrow versions of the towers are available for restricted access places such as alleyways, etc. Other than that, nothing really

Well, you did ask

 

[jfsoar]

Thank you very much, @JobAndKnock. I've just ordered one of these, which looks like it will be a bit more sturdy.

It's more than I was hoping to spend, but I've got years ahead of me of paint/maintenance jobs and it only takes one mistake to ruin things.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Sorry to have been so negative, but modern towers, even the DIY models, are a far better bet than the older types. They also have a resale value if kept in reasonable nick

 

[Bosswhite]

Thank you very much, @JobAndKnock. I've just ordered one of these, which looks like it will be a bit more sturdy.

It's more than I was hoping to spend, but I've got years ahead of me of paint/maintenance jobs and it only takes one mistake to ruin things.

Where possible I suggest tieing it in about half way up . , a steel screw hook a rawl plug and a bit of line and you are safe to go .

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Where possible I suggest tieing it in about half way up . , a steel screw hook a rawl plug and a bit of line and you are safe to go .

I've used Rawleyes which have a loop instead of a bolt head a few times. At the end of a job the eye can be unscrewed and a button cap "Allen key"-type bolt substituted (and painted) if something a bit low key is required

 

[jfsoar]

Thanks, it's a timber frame house so the fewer screw holes the better. I can probably ratchet strap onto a window pillar or similar though.

 

[Tigercubrider]

To be honest, if free, I would keep it.
I have one despite having a 6 month old new aluminium one at work that I can borrow.
i recently renewed my PASMA certificate
They can be useful so long as you respect that they are questionable stability wise, you can only climb internally (as with most) they have no stabiliser arms and are bloody scarey when up them.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

They can be useful so long as you respect that they are questionable stability wise, you can only climb internally (as with most) they have no stabiliser arms and are bloody scarey when up them.

 

[opps]

I have only ever used one once. A mate purchased it on ebay for me to paint his house. the quality was awful, we had to use a lump of wood and hammer to bash it together because of weld splatter. It swayed so much that we had to secure it to the walls.

The next time, he paid for scaffolding.

 

[scbk]

I've had a steel scaffold tower for years now, made in Yorkshire (Shipley) by Quickfit scaffold towers. It's decent enough and I've bought extra bits for it over time: more frames, small frames to make a narrow tower, wheels, adjustable legs, outriggers, etc
Dead handy for certain jobs, but when I had a load of painting to do I bought an old towable cherry picker from a friend, then had to build a shed to keep that in too!