DIYbanter - View Single Post

In article ,
says...
I need to get "higher" than I can at the moment with my 3 part ladder.
I say higher - what I mean is more stable! I want to cut the hedge to
about 12-15 ft - and get up to do some guttering repairs etc.

Would a platform be best - or one of those ladder support things that
runs from high to ground to give you an effective free-standing unit?

Either way - it needs to be got and soon

Anyone got any words of advice?

Cheers
Dan.

We are in the throws of our annual trim of a 15'-18'high hedge.

Some years back we got a ladder stabiliser and find it excellent. When
cutting the hedge we spread the legs pretty wide. This stops the ladder
from tipping sideways, always a problem on uneven ground.

Before buying it we tried the usual solutions suggested by people who
most likely were just re-gurgitating some other sage's words of wisdom.

Tying a plank across the top of the ladder at right angles didn't work.
The top of the ladder sank too far into the (Leylandii) hedge and anyway
the whole caboodle became un-wieldy.

A regular here suggested tying the hedge trimmer to a length of
scaffolding pole. But he uses electric and a remote switch. I wouldnt
fancy controlling a petrol engined trimmer in this fashion.

I've toyed with the idea of a platform on wheels but in our situation,
where a lot of the hedge is behind beds and the ground is very uneven
couldn't envisage it working. Pity, as up and down the ladder, like the
proverbial lady of the night's underwear, gets pretty bloody tiring.

Step one is trimming up to about 6ft with standard petrol trimmers.

Step 2 uses extended pole type petrol trimmer to a height of about 10'-
12'

Step 3 is back to the standard trimmers working off the ladder to finish
the side and cut the top.

Step 4 is Radox and a hot bath to relieve shoulder and back pains

The ladder stabiliser is excellent for most uses of the ladder around
the place. It gives great confidence.

--
Paul Mc Cann