I was Researching Wood Ladders and Found This

[Andrew Joiner]

I bought an old building 40 years ago. It came with a old 40 foot wood extension ladder. It was tough to move around and I was young and stronger then. You'd think wood ladders over 10' would be obsolete for many reasons, right?

Wrong:
http://www.southwillard.com/news/san-francisco-firefighters-cling-to-wooden-ladders/
"Longevity is another plus for wood. Although the life of an aluminum ladder is 15 to 20 years, Braun said, San Francisco’s oldest wooden ladder still in continuous service was made in 1918."

They still make and repair there own ladders. They regularly use a ladder that's 99 years old!

Very cool to see wood products appreciated like this.

[cody michael]

I have a very heavy old Wood extension ladder, the previous owner left it a my house. I use it once or twice a year

[Phil Mueller]

Very cool. I had no idea. Thanks for posting!

[Andrew Hughes]

Back in my roofing days when worked with the hot tar crews I've climbed a few wooden ladders.
And I still have nightmares :o they maybe long lasting but they move around a lot on the way up.And they are heavy I've carried a 32 ft but a 40 is a beast!
Very cool link Andrew wish I had a decent size wood ladder.
All my ladders are Aluminum.:(

[Van Huskey]

This pops up on the forum in different guises every couple of years, this one has a video from the SFFD ladder shop

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?232299-Wooden-Ladder-Shop

[Frank Pratt]

I've used step ladders all my working life. Getting rid of wood ladders & going to fiberglass was a happy day. I really hate wood ladders.

[Frederick Skelly]

Good read Andrew! Thanks!

[Jim Andrew]

I had a commercial duty wood step ladder. Didn't realize someone had cracked the leg on one side. Was using it to put siding on front of garage when that leg failed and the ladder went over on it's side, with me on it. Had my hands full and wound up cracking my elbow on the driveway. Was 6 weeks before I could use that arm. Had to finish the house left handed.

[Bill Adamsen]

I've used step ladders all my working life. Getting rid of wood ladders & going to fiberglass was a happy day. I really hate wood ladders.

Building a coffered ceiling a few weeks ago we had two 5 foot step ladders. A high-quality wooden and a Type 1AA fiberglass. The wooden one was exciting, and definitely the short straw.

[Bob Falk]

If you are interested in wood ladders, you might be interested in the role gov't scientists at the US Forest Products Lab played in solving the Lindberg kidnapping case in the 1930's. They were able to trace the ladder made by the kidnapper back to the house he lived in.

https://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/labnotes/?p=2862 (https://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/labnotes/?p=26040)

https://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/labnotes/?p=26040

[Eric Schmid]

Interesting article. I would have never thought there were craftsman still dedicated to wood ladder making. What I found most interesting is the selection and curing of lumber. I doubt these feel anything like the commercially distributed ladders we are accustomed to.

Years ago I acquired an attic ladder make from old growth fir which I installed in the ceiling of an old shop, leading to the loft. The 1x4 construction was simple, lightweight and plenty sturdy. The hardware, rollers and retainers were beautifully machined and fully functional after 100 years of light use. This was not your standard folding ladder, and actually didn't fold at all. It was pushed up along the rollers until it tilted into place on the floor above.

Recently my children took control of a loft in our new home. There are no stairs and they were literally climbing the hand rail and walls to get to the loft. I brought them to the shop and we built a ladder together, which now serves as their access to their private fort.

I doubt there will be many stories written about aluminum or fiberglass ladders, however practical they may be:)

[Ray Selinger]

Wooden ladders are still made locally. Back in the day, we used them to install cedar siding. We much preferred them over aluminum, much more ridged. I hate aluminum step ladders, the fiberglass are much better.

[Andrew Joiner]

This pops up on the forum in different guises every couple of years, this one has a video from the SFFD ladder shop

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?232299-Wooden-Ladder-Shop

Thanks Van. I should have searched first. The video is great.
Hopefully this thread will inspire optimism about woods valued properties.

[Jim Finn]

As an installer of rain gutters in Wisconsin in my younger days we used wooden extension ladders exclusively. 32' and 40' and 28'. Years later I used fiberglass ladders and they are more rigid and lighter. Aluminum ladders are not even OSHA approved. I refuse to consider them.

[Roger Feeley]

The SF company seems to concentrate on supplying ladders to fire departments. I get why FDs would want wood. If a metal structural member (steel beam or aluminum ladder) is heated, it loses integrity and just fails. Wood burns but maintains it's strength fora while. I was always told that you are safer in a building with heavy wood beams than a steel building.

For myself, I would prefer fiberglass over wood simply because I'm too lazy to move a heavy ladder. My dad had one of the very early aluminum extension ladders and I hated that thing. It got into some kind of reverberation and shook like crazy. My present extension ladder is fiberglass and it's great.