Rolling ladder

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arnegrant
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Rolling ladder

Post by arnegrant »

For washing, maintaining, and replacing skylight.

Not much the tables didn't work on one way or another.
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tinspark
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Re: Rolling ladder

Post by tinspark »

WOW! Now that is a rolling ladder over a heck of an atrium!!!
Looks to be made out of aluminum. Maybe 6061 T-6?
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Re: Rolling ladder

Post by arnegrant »

Different shapes have different grades.

Mostly tempered aluminum for the rolling bit like you noted.

Structural steel for the fixed bits.

Thanks.
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Re: Rolling ladder

Post by Jason@bc »

Wow! Now that looks very professionally built, very impressive.
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Re: Rolling ladder

Post by DieselFumes »

VERY impressive! Well done, I am always blown away with what some folks are building.
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Re: Rolling ladder

Post by tnbndr »

Looks like a nice clean design and installation.
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Re: Rolling ladder

Post by beeson1987 »

Wow, great job, i would be nervous of the install over all of that glass.
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Re: Rolling ladder

Post by arnegrant »

Thank you for the kind words.

Yes, working over glass can cause expensive mishaps. $2,000 to $30,000 to replace a high rise window (hence the ladders to make it a bit easier).

We wrapped up the other side yesterday (similar ladder just couldn't get around that point with just one)
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Re: Rolling ladder

Post by arnegrant »

Here is how they roll, if you're interested

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Re: Rolling ladder

Post by Joe Jones »

arnegrant wrote: Sat Jun 03, 2023 5:38 pm For washing, maintaining, and replacing skylight.

Not much the tables didn't work on one way or another.
Sheesh! What did that project cost?!? :Wow I GUESS it works, but it is massively overbuilt for its intended purpose. :roll: With just a little bit of rethinking and good old fashioned redneck engineering, the entire thing could have been serviced with only one top-to-bottom device that could easily clean and replace every glass pane along the entire length, using about 1/4 of the metal built into that contraption. I guess when money is no object ...

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Re: Rolling ladder

Post by arnegrant »

Hmm, well that's an opinion I guess.

You should check out the issues that occur when people don't follow building codes, not being a dick or anything but the standards are in place for a reason.

Cheers.
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Re: Rolling ladder

Post by Joe Jones »

arnegrant wrote: Sat Jul 15, 2023 10:33 am Hmm, well that's an opinion I guess.

You should check out the issues that occur when people don't follow building codes, not being a dick or anything but the standards are in place for a reason.

Cheers.
I know about building codes. I am picturing something closer to the cnc table you used to make this device. Picture a top and bottom horizontal roller track that is strong but minimally obvious, with a steel tube "gantry" that floats over the window panes on the same angle, and spans the length from top to bottom. It would use a service "CAR" that can move up and down the gantry, and across the grid of window panes in the same way a cnc plasma table moves a torch over the material. The car could hold two (?) adults, tools, and all of that. It could have a glass pane placement device beneath the car at the proper angle, that hovers the replacement glass pane over the frame until it is aligned with the rectangular frame that it would then be lowered into. Maybe a vacuum suction cup setup?

There is nothing wrong with the device you built. I just think it is a lot of heavy metal and it has a "clunky" feel that doesn't seem necessary for the task at hand, which is for one or two men to wash and/or replace glass panes on an angled frame.

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Re: Rolling ladder

Post by Joe Jones »

I am curious to see how one would replace a broken glass pane from this device. Is there an apparatus to lift the pane over the safety rails at the proper angle, and lower it into the frame? I cannot imagine that those panes are light. Do the workers lean over to clean the frame and then seal it with whatever is used to prevent rain water from seeping through? I guess I am asking, since this device is built for the purpose of cleaning and replacing broken glass panes, HOW is that accomplished? I'd like to see a video of the process!

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Re: Rolling ladder

Post by cutnweld »

I sure like the design. Trying to get by with 1/4 the metal and breaking stuff ain't worth it in my mind. Cheaping out is expensive. Good job!
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Re: Rolling ladder

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cutnweld wrote: Sat Jul 15, 2023 11:23 am I sure like the design. Trying to get by with 1/4 the metal and breaking stuff ain't worth it in my mind. Cheaping out is expensive. Good job!
The strength of a structure is not in the bulk of the material. It is in the engineering behind the design.

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Re: Rolling ladder

Post by cutnweld »

:Yay That's correct. As a repair man I run across many things that are built to be light and strong. They all last awhile. But if you want it to last well then you need to add material. Flexing, corrosion, you name it. I have repaired an awful lot of log trailers that were designed to be light and strong. They work for awhile yes. They are cheaper to buy yes. They start cracking and wont stop yes. You wont catch me up several stories washing windows from a tin foil popcan ladder :HaHa
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Re: Rolling ladder

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No one said anything about tin foil.

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Re: Rolling ladder

Post by cutnweld »

:HaHa Never know with rednecks. Have heard mention of popcans in other threads
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Re: Rolling ladder

Post by tinspark »

Joe Jones wrote: Sat Jul 15, 2023 12:03 pm No one said anything about tin foil.

Joe
I think Cutnweld was referring to "popcans" as being made from thin "aluminum", which is the same material of the OP's sliding ladder.
At least that is what my take is on his "popcan" comment.
He mentioned nothing about tinfoil hats, which is kinda funny too :HaHa :HaHa
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Re: Rolling ladder

Post by cutnweld »

Ya. Figure of speech mostly. We use those terms a lot around here when some lightly built broken thing comes in here needing fixed. I am not against changing things if needed. But these ladders look to me like an excellent piece of fabrication. Simple and serviceable and strong. It looks to me like these must be around 30 ft high? In a commercial setting you don't want to skimp, like using 1/4 the material. Then it will break and arnegrant will be sliding down 3 stories of windows in his boots, dropping tools and scratching all the panes. Oops there went his material cost savings... :Sad
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Re: Rolling ladder

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cutnweld wrote: Tue Jul 18, 2023 6:41 pm Ya. Figure of speech mostly. We use those terms a lot around here when some lightly built broken thing comes in here needing fixed. I am not against changing things if needed. But these ladders look to me like an excellent piece of fabrication. Simple and serviceable and strong. It looks to me like these must be around 30 ft high? In a commercial setting you don't want to skimp, like using 1/4 the material. Then it will break and arnegrant will be sliding down 3 stories of windows in his boots, dropping tools and scratching all the panes. Oops there went his material cost savings... :Sad
The design of the ladder is not conducive to either cleaning or replacing the window panes. However, it does provide a very sturdy means for traversing the slope of glass panels.

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Re: Rolling ladder

Post by arnegrant »

Ha! That's a pretty big statement.

It is a nice piece of equipment for washing and changing panes of glass, just need to know how to use it (helps to know how to wash hi rise windows and change out glazing too)

Design is a compromise. It is always a challenge to keep things light but not have fatigue issues with aluminum equipment.

Keep the shiny side up.
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Re: Rolling ladder

Post by arnegrant »

cutnweld wrote: Tue Jul 18, 2023 6:41 pm must be around 30 ft high?

About 50' high and a little longer horizontal run, stair stringer length is around 70'.
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Re: Rolling ladder

Post by arnegrant »

cutnweld wrote: Sat Jul 15, 2023 11:40 am... repaired an awful lot of log trailers that were designed to be light and strong. They work for awhile yes. They are cheaper to buy yes. They start cracking and wont stop....
I asked to buy an all aluminum trailer once and the salesmen wouldn't quote me one because I run steel (just doesn't hold up).

I ended up with an aluminum over steel frame, it's a good compromise for my use.

Pulling heavy rigs when your unloaded is always a pain but you got to pay to play as they say.
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Re: Rolling ladder

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arnegrant wrote: Tue Jul 18, 2023 10:49 pm
I asked to buy an all aluminum trailer once and the salesmen wouldn't quote me one because I run steel (just doesn't hold up).
The reason aluminum structures like this do not hold up, is because they are not designed by engineers. The steel vs. aluminum argument falls flat when you look at the world's commercial airliner fleet. Those jumbo jets are ALL made out of aluminum, including the frames.

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