Orchard ladders

[rumination]

I have a friend who needs to buy an orchard ladder. He asked me if I have any recommendations, but I don't know poop about orchard ladders. Does anyone know of any suppliers or manufacturers that they would recommend/unrecommend?

 

[woodworkingboy]

Orchard people here all use the three legged ones, where the outer leg is a long pipe that pivots out attached to a chain. The big aluminum ones are surprisingly light.

 

[rumination]

Yup, that's the style I'm talking about Jay.

 

[woodworkingboy]

These gas powered mini lifts are real popular too. You can roll them along without lowering the boom.

 

[Koa Man]

I have 2 Stokes orchard ladders, 10 ft. and 16 ft. Mine has the hard surface attachment, which is basically a cable to hook on to the leg so it doesn't slide out on a hard surface. It works great and I can highly recommend Stokes brand. I got mine from Sherrill.

 

[SkwerI]

I'm thinking that shipping cost would be a big factor ordering online. If I had to get one, I'd probably look at Sherrill but I'd get it from the local Vermeer dealer. I'd have to pay sales tax, but I'd avoid the shipping charges.



edit: You beat me by one minute, Wesley.

 

[sotc]

I have a 12 and a 14 foot, don't know the brand but they are way nicer than the wooden ones my grampa had! For hard surfaces I throw a short rope between the leg and a rung, then I can adjust the leg to where I want it and tie her off

 

[stehansen]

I have a 10' one and I couldn't find a name plate on it.

 

[stehansen]

I don't think they make the wooden ones anymore. Any farm supply place would have them locally I would think.

 

[SkwerI]

Hey Steve, what is a 'farm supply place'?

 

[woodworkingboy]

I think it's mostly a bank these days, and sometimes you can even get the household goods there included.

 

[stehansen]

Like this Brian.

http://www.hughsonfarmsupply.com/
http://www.stanislausfarmsupply.com/

 

[sotc]

And this
http://www.bigroregon.com/
http://www.grangecoop.com/

 

[SkwerI]

We have Home Depot and Wal Mart here.

 

[stehansen]

Home Depot might have them but I doubt it. If you go to someplace where the orange groves are, I'll bet they have a million of them.

 

[Dave Shepard]

I've seen some from Oesco, but never used them. They are out in NeTrees direction, Conway Mass. We have Tractor Supply around here. Pretty good, as far as chain stores go.

 

[stehansen]

That was my next suggestion, tractor supply.

 

[Paul B]

I have an 8 and a 14 footer, I use a length of arbortie as a lanyard to a rung so the leg doesnt slip out. I had that happen with my 8' ladder a few years ago when working in a paved alley pruning an english laurel hedge, got real lucky and didnt get hurt. The brand I have is Allright Ladder Co. based in Vancouver. http://www.allrightladder.com/speciality_aluminun.htm

 

[Blinky]

I frikkin HATE ladders!

 

[MasterBlaster]

I like them for accessing a roof.

 

[rumination]

Thanks guys. I think I remember one of the local feed stores having some orchard ladders out front. I'll tell him to check there and compare their prices to having it shipped. It sounds like most aluminum ones will be of decent construction.

 

[Stumper]

The local True Value had 6' and 8' wooden ones a few years ago-I checked and they also had 10" wood catalogued. I have a 12" alumnium Stokes-a marvelous ladder. Stokes is a Kalifornia based company.

 

[Koa Man]

The local True Value had 6' and 8' wooden ones a few years ago-I checked and they also had 10" wood catalogued. I have a 12" alumnium Stokes-a marvelous ladder. Stokes is a Kalifornia based company.

Never saw orchid ladders that short. You need to post a picture of that 10" and 12" ladder.

 

[stehansen]

They use a lot of short ladders now. The farmers have brought the height of their trees down and increased the number of trees per acre. To eliminate so much going up and down the ladder and for lower WC rates.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Beware the gofer holes