Masonry Magazine January 2003 Page. 26
Winter
EQUIPMENT
look at each, but first let's examine a fundamental issue that cannot be overlooked-tying the scaffold to the structure.
As Breithaupt colorfully points out, "When the scaffold is enclosed with polyethylene it's not a scaffold anymore: it's a sailboat. The force the wind can exert is amazing. Enclosed frame scaffolds have been blown over even when every frame was tied in with #9 wire! Granted, it was storming and no one was on the scaffold, but this is an excellent demonstration of what can happen."
The lessons to be learned are:
* Do not work on the scaffold in windy or inclement weather; and,
* The scaffold must be tied to the structure with solid, rigid ties; the usual #9 wire is not enough.
Usually a one-time visit with a structural engineer and a phone call to the manufacturer of the scaffolding will enable you to establish the method that will work best for you regarding the horizontal and vertical frequency of the ties, and the attachment method.
Wrapping the Tower
BREITHAUPT OFFERS some tips on winter-proofing the work platform:
This is not too different than enclosing an entire run of frames. First, you erect your towers at the wall and usually add an extra extension tower to make the entire structure about six to eight feet higher than the wall. Second, and most important, tie this structure to the building as often as required. The next step is to attach a "roof" to drape the poly over. This can be done with the manufacturer's hardware but is more commonly done with tube-and-clamp-type connectors and pipe. The entire structure is tarped in, heated, and the scaffold is cranked up and down within this heated envelope.
Some manufacturers make an enclosure system that will enable you to enclose only the area where the men are working, and optionally, the wall underneath the scaffold. Advantages of this method include the reduced wind load on the structure, and the ease of installation. The towers are typically tied to the wall at the top first, and then ties are added as the work platform ascends. On open sites, with no existing structure, the tops can be guyed back in both directions with cables and held down with earth anchors.
The system starts out as a basic skeleton encircling the work area. How you finish off the enclosure can be tailored to your favorite practices. The roof can be planks or plywood; many users favor plywood if rain is expected. It can be notched around the towers, drilled and wired down to the skeleton. The poly is wrapped around the work area, and can be extended all the way up to the existing backup wall, usually through the use of a telescoping member.
You have several options about how to enclose the underside of the work platform. Some users let the poly stop at the masons feet and put the heaters on the scaffold. Others hang an optional bracket under the masons' walkway and put the heaters there. It also keeps more of the wall warmer because the poly extends down underneath this lower bracket. The rest tie the poly to the backside of the towers and let it extend all the way down to the ground. It can be unrolled as the platform ascends and the heaters are placed on the ground. This is the best procedure when the wall must be kept warm for 72 hours or more.
As Breithaupt says, enclosing your elevating scaffolding in winter is much more flexible than appears at first look. Keeping the masons working at peak speed can mean the difference between making a profit or not in the lean winter months. And in his words, "Remember, when the block stops, the money stops"
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The battery has been the winter sore spot for internal combustion engines since it replaced the crank on early cars and trucks.
Motorized climbers
MAST CLIMBING SCAFFOLDS, like mixers, often use a Honda industrial engine rated from 8-20 horsepower. This power plant, properly cared for, will function reliably in any weather or climate. However, like the engine in a car or truck, it has its weak spots-the battery and oil. Oil needs to be changed and some engines are hard to get at. Human nature being what it is, that often means the engine runs for a long time past its recommended oil change period. Worse, in cold climates, summer weight oil remains in place well into the cold weather, leading to hard start-