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This job is not for me.

That video hit the web a couple of years ago, and was pulled from YouTube very shortly afterward. It seems there was enough outcry about the apparent lack of safety measures that the TheOLE.org group pulled it down. (I snagged a copy for myself before they yanked it.) ;) Personally, I understand the reasoning behind free-climbing the tower. I can see how staying roped in for the entire climb could lead to fatigue, which would make the whole thing that much more unsafe.

It's a great video, though. As someone who has had a lifelong fear of heights, my palms start to sweat every time I watch it. I think the part that gets me the worst is when the two of them are standing on the little platform at the top. I get dizzy just thinking about it. The 30+ pounds of tools he takes up there with him pales in comparison to the huge brass orbs between his legs. I'll bet those guys clang when they walk. :D
 
Heh good times. I have a few memorable tower climb stories (memorable to me, and if I don't tell them every so often I'll likely forget!)

About 10 years ago (sheesh has it really been that long!!) I was working for a startup doing some pretty nifty wireless technology (the startup failed, but the technology was good). For test deployments we had a spot a good ways up a 160' tower and a few shorter towers/buildings. Now I certainly do realize that 160' isn't nearly as tall as this is but... we would routinely free climb it and then rappel down. After you get over about 30-40' it didn't seem to matter much, its just tall. Was the only job where I've ever actually been paid to rappel and write code though :D

The worst really is at the top when there is nothing above you... Nothing to get ahold of.

I was volunteered to help put the generator on top of my grandpas windmill (has to be over 20 years ago now although I can't recall exactly). This involved climbing to the top and then bolting on a crane, guiding the motor into place and then bolting it down. The tower was only about 35' high but it was on top of a 200'+ very steep hill so was basically 235' of "down". Not to bad so far.. then came the blades :eek: Hauling them up wasn't to bad, but to bolt them on I had to sit astraddle the motor and lean waaaaaay out over and down to get at them. First one was pretty good since it was blade down, second one not to bad since it went mostly blade down once I got a bolt in it.. The third one had to be started blade up (these are a good 10'+ long) which involved some amusing tie offs to the crane and holding it in place while half upside down. Was a little nerve wracking (yes I was tied on, but it still feels wrong to let go :D)

Oh yeah, if you're in this sort of a situation DO NOT drop a screwdriver, they really get up to speed on the way down. I had one just miss me; hit the ground with a nice THUNK.
 
this reminded me of the tower that collapsed in shoreview mn in 1971. 1200 and some odd feet tall, almost finished when it collapsed. the wife of one of the workers killed (6 on the tower, 1 on the ground), was a customer at my dad's store. they wound up building 2 smaller towers instead.
 
I've tried to watch it several times before. I can only get about half way through before I turn it off:eek:

I can hardly drive over some bridges. There are a few that I just can't drive over no matter what. I have had to have someone drive me over the Chesapeake Bay bridge several times. :eek:
 
Bob Gibson said:
I've tried to watch it several times before. I can only get about half way through before I turn it off:eek:

I can hardly drive over some bridges. There are a few that I just can't drive over no matter what. I have had to have someone drive me over the Chesapeake Bay bridge several times. :eek:
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I understand whay you mean. I don't have enough hands to get on a 6" ladder.
 
I decided a long time ago that the only safe way to climb a ladder was to make sure it's at the proper angle to the wall, secure it at top and bottom, and convince someone else to go up it. I prefer to stay here on terra firma.
 
I'm not even going to try to watch it. I'm another one that has a hard time dealing with a 6' ladder. :D
I don't know how tall the tower in that video is, but if you want a REAL "pucker factor", there's an episode of "World's Toughest Fixes" where Sean Riley climbs a 2,000 foot tower to replace the antenna on the top of it! It's hard for me to watch but the worst part is when they're assembling the gin pole at the top. They've got to clamp this thing to the VERY top of the tower and then crank it up ABOVE the top of the 2K foot tower. One guy has to climb to the top of each section to guided the next piece in and rig it. I can hardly watch it. I've got to sit on the couch with my back pressed tight into the back of the couch to keep from feeling like I'm falling. All in all though, it's a good episode.

There's another one where they're removing an antenna from a tall building down in Austin TX and replacing it with a flag pole. That one's pretty scary too!
 
If you were to fall off that tower, the fall wouldn't hurt you.... it's that sudden stop that's the killer. :rofl::rofl:


I wouldn't do it now and probably wouldn't have for many many years now, but back when I was about 10 or 11, my mother said she looked out the kitchen window, over the top of the barn and could see me standing in the fork of a tree top swaying back.... I think she got her first grey hair that day. :D

In the Navy, we had to climb the mast to take down the 20' whip antennae off the smokestack and clean it... up the mast, tie off, hang a monkey fist as high up on the antennae was we could, lean out to unbolt the whip and lower it to the deck to be washed.... all the soot and gunk from the stack made them less efficient... don't remember how we got them back up. 'course we usually did this in port when the water was a little calmer than at sea.
 
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