Inspectorjoe

Same here. I carry a model 17 and model 22, and only take the 26 when I need it. To see if I'm going to need it, I check out the the aerial views the night before at bing.com/maps. I see from the demonstration that it is possible to extend the top section when it's upright - sort of. I guess it would work if you had wheels on it (I don't), had a smooth wall you could lean it against to roll along while you pushed it up (which would be rare) and didn't have a soffit at the top of the wall.

Bruce & Mike: You can't extend the model 26 that way. The bottom latches are 6' above the ground. You can reach them, but there's no way you could push the rest of the ladder up and latch it while keeping it balanced. No way. I couldn't find a video on the LG site or their YouTube channel demonstrating how to extend a model 26.

What can I say, Chad? I'm guilty of enjoying perverse pleasures. Til now, it's been a well kept secret, but sometimes when my wife isn't around, I go out in the garage and for no obvious reason, take the deadfront off my breaker panel. It's an older ITE Pushmatic panel. The cover is a piece of heavy steel. It just feels sooo good in my hands. Say, I don't think I ever videotaped myself doing it ...........

Candidate? There's no such designation any more. Now, Associate is the entry level classification. What an improvement! I don't know what logo an Associate would use.

As a break from doing reports, I shot some video of me setting up the big LG in my backyard. Flickr must have a time limit on videos, because it stops at 1:30. You can see it's kind of cumbersome to use. Keep in mind, at 6' 0" and 265 lbs, I'm not a small guy. I can't imagine somebody much shorter and lighter using it alone. http://www.flickr.com/photos/inspectorjoe/5912603534 The LG manual say to lube the moving parts with light machine oil, specifically mentioning WD-40. That's what I use, about twice a year and it seems to work great.

Hmm, what comes to mind when I see that? It sure seems like we're chasing Nick's tail (yet again). Click to Enlarge 12.3 KB

Rob: I have the big Little Giant and hate it. I'm about to relegate it to just hedge trimming duty and get a 28' extension ladder. It's heavy, but that I can deal with. The main problem is that you have to extend it on the ground, then stand it up. To do this, you need to plant the feet against the foundation of the house, steps or something else solid, then walk it up. Sometimes with trees and wires overhead, you can't place the ladder where you want it and sometimes can't use it at all. Then, moving it when it's extended is scary. Don't even try it if there's any appreciable wind. Again, overhead obstructions often block your path, so you then have to take it down, move it, then stand it up again. On a hot, humid day, that saps your energy pretty quick. Ironically, this past Saturday I was going to shoot a video of me extending the big one when I finished the inspection. The roof on that vacant house was steeper than I will walk, so I looked at it from the four sides. Obstructions made me take it the ladder down every time I moved it. That helped contribute to my exhaustion by the end of the inspection so I decided to go right home and jump in the pool instead of shooting a stupid video.

Thanks for the link Marc. I absolutely have to learn to type. I'm extremely fast with two fingers, but unfortunately, being extremely fast with two fingers doesn't cut it. I try to get my reports emailed by the end of the day after the inspection. The past few days though, I'm so busy and backed up on reports, that it's been taking three days to get them out. This has been quite an erratic year. So far, I've done more inspections the first 10 days in June than I did in the months of March and April combined. Now, after 10 days of being booked beyond my ability to handle it, my schedule is completely empty. Strange!

Thanks, Bill & Mike.

I have that installation guide on my hard drive, but the info I need isn't in it. I didn't see anything at masonryveneer.org, or at caststone.org, for that matter.

This 7 year old house has fairly deep cracks in several cast stone window sills. I'm guessing the cracks will progress over time. I don't know if a suitable repair is possible, or if this would require replacement. I can't find any authoritative info online. Does anybody have any experience with this? Click to Enlarge 46.92 KB

I think a judicious vehicle choice might have more of of an impact than the precarious placement of a ladder. Click to Enlarge 44.1 KB

I stand corrected.

Not a whole lot. The other day I watched an episode of myth busters where they tried to reproduce a movie segment where a surfboard on top of a ford explorer breaks loose during a 40mph head-on and goes through another vehicles windshield and decapitates the driver. It wouldn't work. The surfboard kept flying off the roof and landing directly in front of the vehicle instead of flying through the air as they'd expected. The ladder wouldn't have to fly through the air. In a panic stop, the nose of the vehicle will be down to begin with. With the ladder already near the front bumper, it would only take a few feet of movement before it's into the cabin of a high vehicle.

I don't see that in the picture. Click to Enlarge 26.16 KB Yes, I've seen it - and I thought to myself, there's a tragedy waiting to happen.

Driving with 2/3 of an extension ladder unsupported at the front is unsafe, regardless of what vehicle is under it. What would happen to that ladder in a head-on crash?

Jeez Bill, that can't be safe. It looks like nearly 2/3 of the ladder is unsupported at the front. What would happen to that ladder in a head-on crash?

Bill: How do you carry a 28' (let alone a 32') ladder on your HHV? Doesn't the hatch door hit it when opened? What kind of rack do you have? Do you have a picture?

Little Giants are not cumbersome to use and really aren't that heavy (well, except for the big one, on both counts). You just need to get some practice using them for a while. You will eventually pinch your fingers really bad, but the good news is, you'll only do it once. Below is a video I made a few years back and never used. I don't specifically remember why I made it, but I'm guessing that it was to respond to posts in a message board about Little Giant's being difficult to use. I'm not too smooth here, because it's about 10 degrees and windy, plus I'm wearing gloves. Flicker must have a 90 second video limit - the last few seconds are cut off. http://www.flickr.com/photos/inspectorjoe/5792248726/

I've seen keyed window locks often enough that I added boilerplate to my report program to cover it. One or more windows have a lock that requires a key or special tool to open it. This is a safety hazard because it may impede emergency egress. These types of locks should be replaced with ones that are readily opened.

Bill: Did they ever come up with a permanent fix for the Old Dutch Church? I first saw that temporary brace in 2004. I went back in 2006 to see what permanent solution they came up with, only to find that not a thing had changed. Maybe it's still that way. I've got to think the people whose ancestors are buried in the graves that are anchoring the buttress beams aren't too happy about it. Click to Enlarge 62.73 KB

Bill, what are the missing elements that prevent it from being considered a pediment?

Actually, it's a false front pediment. Richard was right, too. Two heads are better than one!

It's a pediment.

Did you climb a tree or utility pole to take the second picture?