On Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:04:07 -0500, Red Green
wrote:

ransley wrote in news:6447fe19-8a48-4aee-b8f1-
:

On Jun 22, 3:55*pm, puffcat wrote:
Hello everyone... I live in an older two storey home. *I want to
purchase an aluminum ladder so that I will be able to safely clean out
the rain gutters and eavestroughes. Will a 32 foot ladder be suitable
(grade 2)? Your thoughts please. Thank you for your time.

Harry

How many feet up? What do you weigh? A ladder of 32 wont do 32 it
has to be extended and set back, best is go to maybe Sherwin Williams
and talk to a pro. Rubber Bungie cords attatched to the ladder and
gutter make it safe. For some jobs just pay a cheap hacko pro. That
ladder might be to much for you to handle.

When I painted years ago as a pro I could set up and drop in full
air- to ground, a 40 ft Heavy duty ladder and catch it. now it would
blow out my back and maybe kill me.

I can still drop one.

I have a 71 year=old friend, who last year at least could still put a
24 foot fiberglass (which are much heavier than aluminum) extension
ladder on his little pickup with cap, by himself, then drag it off,
carry it into the woods a bit or to a telephone pole on the street,
erect it, go up and do the work, maybe go back down again to get
tools, put it back on the truck, and do that a couple more times and
then take it back to storage.

He's 5'7" or 5'8", not fat at all, and not very stong looking. Was a
miler in college.

He still has a job where he lifts packages of various sizes all day.
Carries a handtruck in his truck. Works maybe 40 hours a week, or
maybe less. Plus does all kinds of ladder work around his house. He
says recently that he's not as strong as he was.

His father died at 94 and his mother just shy of 100. Both active
almost until the end. His mother drove and wore 2" heels at least
until she was 95. Lived alone after her husband died until she was 96
iirc. Bedroom on second floor.

I'm blaming my situation on bad genes, compared to his.