Orchard ladders for cleaning...

[jaysonrover 15]

Hi,

I had done a search on "orchard ladder" use and found virtually nothing. I used these ladders all the time when I owned a landscaping business about 7 years ago with great success. I bought a few conventional aluminum ladders 8",16" and 24" for my new Power Washing business as these seemed to be the industry standard to work with.

I used these ladders for the first few weeks with stabilizers and siding extensions and they worked fine. But I often would have preferred to have simply been back off the siding to get a good overall view/angle to apply my chem's or rinse.

I still had my orchard ladders but I had let a landscaping friend use them for the last few years. I called him and borrowed back (lol) these ladders and began using them again.

WOW! They work fantastic in this line of work. Sure you need to have a decent level area to put them on but I love being off the siding and having a great clear shot to wash the entire side of each home in one shot.Even being set back to apply and rinse chem's on the roof seems easier.

Just wanted to give my two cents to what I have learned. I will keep my conventional ladders as they do have their place for sure. But I have a feeling it will end up being 70/30 now with my orchard ladders from my past few weeks of residential experience. I am trying to fabricate something like rubber feet for the single arm so I can try using the ladder on cement. Another possibility is making my own concrete small forms for the feet to slide into then using a rope that ties onto one step. Then have 2 pre-drilled holes spread apart on the single adjustable pole to tie into using an eye bolt that the rope/line would tie off on. Just some ideas...

I'll keep you all posted...also thanks for all the info that is in these forums...wouldn't be nearly anywhere I am with knowledge without you all passing on your vast experience and your info on your own trial and errors. thanks again

Edited December 5, 2011 by jaysonrover

[stilloffduty 14]

How tall of a strucutre are you washing. I can't think of anything under 40' that you would need a ladder to wash. Are orchard ladders telescoping?

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Jasonrover....

SIGNATURE...you need to add one. Rules.....

Beth

[tammyholl 14]

For cleaning purpose I had a site address where they will really use full for you. Its nothing but waterdamageandmoldcleanup.com. Go through this so your problem gets rectified.

[mattleo1 14]

Orchard Ladders are the strong ladders. The wieght they can handle is really amazing. So it will be good choice if you use it.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

While you may find these ladders useful, terrain wise, you will find them unstable.

Also, you may find them a accident risk is higher when using a pressure washer because of the spikes in discharge pressure when you pull the trigger.

Liability wise, you may wanna consider eliminating them due to the tri-pod feature. These ladders were meant for a different purpose to reach into trees as may know which put the weight and stabilization into the branches as a reinforcement to minimize lateral movement.

We have come to trust ladders equipped with stand-offs and dual levelers.

Rod!~

[Douglas Hicks 128]

But orchard ladders are much easier to "walk around" than the safer 4-legged ladders. When I pick-ed fruit, I could walk around a tree, and even from tree to tree. You did not want to let the farmer see you walking the ladder.

[mattleo1 14]

But orchard ladders are much easier to "walk around" than the safer 4-legged ladders. When I pick-ed fruit, I could walk around a tree, and even from tree to tree. You did not want to let the farmer see you walking the ladder.

Couldn't agree with you more.