Scaffolding 101

Do you ever get that feeling that nothing appears to be happening, but checks are still being written, trips to the hardware become a regular pastime and frequent delivering are arriving in large boxes at odd times during the day? I believe I’m experiencing a small money pit phenomena, something on the scale of a micro black hole. Time, energy and money go in, but with no progress to show for it. But I suspect this will change when everything is in place and set up.

A common problem with house restoration is getting your hands to where the work is. Since I’m starting on the exterior siding this year, it will require a minimum elevation gain of about 25’, performing detailed wood working. The front porch protrudes from the house by 5’ and extends 20’ along the front axis, which would require a system to support a 20’ span. After researching numerous scaffolding systems, I found that very few of them do. They are (listed in order of price):

• Do it yourself (wood, wires, etc.) - This might work, but would require numerous brancings along the span
• Two ladders with plank holder - Wouldn't support the span, unless a mid-join ladder was used.
• Traditional Frame (3' x 6' x 4') - Depending upon the source, it might span, but would require heavy anchoring
• Pump Jack - Would support the span, providing one uses four braces
• Commercial Grade trusses and poles - Would support the spam, but at an exorbitant cost.

With traditional frame (used) was as expensive as the pump jack system, I decided on the later. There are quite a few makers to choose from, ranging from Alum-a-pole, Werner, Qual-Craft, Falcon, (the majority being interchangeable with each other) but I chose Qual-Craft. Not because it was better than the others, but because it was 47% off on Amazon (of all places to buy) with free shipping. I was notified this morning it just shipped. (The local Seattle merchants would only sell at MRP.)

My hope is after getting this scaffolding setup, order knives for the exterior crown molding and running over to Bainbridge for the 1" x 6" cedar stock, it will finally appear something is happening.













Footnote: The only reason I bought was due to the $180 a week rental fee, and with a price tag of $879.99, it was a no bainer. Though I see Amazon has now raised the price to $1179.99, only after two weeks. I think someone initially mispriced this item...

Photos!

There is a link to my pre-move in photos in the first post, but it hidden in a bunch of text and not easily found. So, I'll repost the link here:

Click here to see the pre-move in photos.

Boron The 5th element in the Periodic Table, was discovered by Joseph-Louis Gay-Lussac and Louis-Jaques Thénard, French chemists, and independently by Sir Humphry Davy, an English chemist, in 1808.

Among its many uses, the most common is of a low toxicity pesticide that penetrates and protect all types of wood, including plywood and composites, from infestations of wood boring insects such as termites, Powder post beetles, carpenter ants and decaying fungi. My specific problem is dry rot fungus, contained in some of the sub flooring and foundation sills in the basement.
After doing some research, I found the best solution was a topical application of a borate/Boron solution directly onto the infested wood itself. This method is used in many historical house restorations throughout the U.S. and outlined at the U.S. Dept of the Interior historical house restoration guides. This will kill off any current infestations and future ones for many years.

But the problem was finding a supplier. No one sells it anymore (if they ever did), from the huge box stores, down to the to the corner hardware stores. They either never heard of it, or didn’t know where to get it. I finally found a source at a company call Quality Borate, that sells a product called BoraSol™ WP (Na2B8O13). A molecule consisting of 8 boron and 13 oxygen atoms, has a high boron content, aong with all that oxygen, must be a good oxidizing agent as well.

They usually sell in large quantities (inquiring if I wanted just one ton or two), but graciously agreed to send me a sample of 25 pounds (see photo), which should adequately treat all the exposed wood in the basement. (This should finish off just one of a hundred different projects that need attention - and no, I don't feel overwelmed yet.)

Smoke and Fire!

A friend of mine had a fire at his place, after Air Comfort Solutions, an HVAC company incorrectly hooked up the electrical service. And now they are trying to get out of paying for what is due. My friend has put up a site, with photos here:

http://www.acfromhell.com/

Beware of Air Comfort Solutions and their contractors.