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Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on December 22, 2010 at 12:30am

I saw this video over the summer. Awesome! I couldn't believe that they still use wooden ladders, and that some of them are 90 years old and still in service! I wonder what a wooden ladder weighs compared o the aluminum ladders that we use here in Chicagoland.

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Permalink Reply by Sparky3317 on December 22, 2010 at 11:29am

This is an amazing video. Glad to see someone has reposted it.

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Permalink Reply by SMOKEnPipesJim on December 22, 2010 at 2:09pm

I cannot give you specific weights Brian, but Having worked with both at some point they are noticably heavier ( I was a Kid when i mucked Wood) but then an aluminum 40' or bigger is pretty heavy too... (ever throw a 3 section 35' aluminum? ugh) the big issue is the Feel and stableness when you climb a wooden ladder, They don't flex the same as aluminum don't feel spongy when your working off them..

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Permalink Reply by SMOKEnPipesJim on December 22, 2010 at 2:22pm

Kyle firewood thats too green won't burn well, it smokes and smolders .. Lumber used in building construction is "Kiln Dryed" put basicly in an oven to "bake" the moisture out of it , some speces of trees such as Douglas FIR dry straight and strong other types such as Spruce or Hemlock tend to Dry but often Bend and warp even after they are dryed, making walls bow and loose shape.. certain species of wood such as ash lends itself to being a Straight and "small or compact grain" which leads it to be VERY strong and less likely to warp and bow as it recieves and looses Moisture. Wood from the Ash is often used as ladder rungs and Tool Handles because its grain is so small and tight, especially in the configureation of a rung or shovel handle, basicly the core of the wood.... Soft woods like Pine and Spruce, Hemlock just dont have the strength to last against the elements the way the hardwoods do, like in this application ..

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