Stuart91 Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 During the summer I came across some neat scaffold jacks holding up a mobile stage. They look like the standard common or garden screw jacks, but instead of the metal foot they finish on a circular stopper, and are used in conjunction with a packer to get adequate footprint: http://i57.tinypic.com/2cwkldi.jpg They would be pretty handy for a few projects that I have in mind, the ease of storage is particularly attractive compared to regular jacks. Despite lots of googling and a few calls to our regular suppliers of all things scaff, I can't find these anywhere. I was wondering if anyone knows of a supplier? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p.k.roberts Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 Can't tell what size these are, but might be worth a bit of investigation? https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/mini-max-adj-leg-pack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart91 Posted February 6, 2015 Author Share Posted February 6, 2015 It's certainly a possibility, but I winced when I saw the price! I'm needing to buy 12 for one project and potentially many more for another, so that would be right out of the ballpark. But it's an interesting angle of investigation, I wonder if other scaffolding systems offer something similar at a more agreeable cost. Edit to add: I need my jacks to fit inside a standard 48mm pipe. It occurs to me that my photo doesn't make that explicitly clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seano Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 used in conjunction with a packer to get adequate footprint Off topic (sorry), but jeez - in your photo that looks anything but adequate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart91 Posted February 6, 2015 Author Share Posted February 6, 2015 Off topic (sorry), but jeez - in your photo that looks anything but adequate. Fair point - but I suppose the function of the packer in the photo is to get the base up to the same area as a standard scaff jack. I wouldn't, personally, have put a standard scaff jack down without a larger packer underneath but thankfully it had been dry for a few days beforehand so the ground was reasonably firm. (The red blaze gravel gets everywhere though) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indyld Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 used in conjunction with a packer to get adequate footprint Off topic (sorry), but jeez - in your photo that looks anything but adequate. I'm glad it's not just me then. The packer looks like usual ply but drilled to half thickness to receive the leg which, given the potential point load on such a small area, looks like it risks splitting the ply (unless there was a magic metal plate hidden in there somewhere). Base jacks are a storage PITA even when working with stillage/pallet quantities. However, not sure I'd trade a decent metal pad on top of on a good ply spreader on most surfaces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart91 Posted February 6, 2015 Author Share Posted February 6, 2015 From memory, it's two pieces of ply fixed together, with the top piece drilled out to accept the foot. I don't think there's a metal piece in there but can't be sure. It's maybe 18mm ply which seems a bit on the light side for the circumstances, I'd definitely go for something sturdier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.elsbury Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 You say you want base-less ones for ease of storage... but you're going to have to deal with the width of the handle anyway, so why would a baseplate be an issue? :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_s Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 You say you want base-less ones for ease of storage... but you're going to have to deal with the width of the handle anyway, so why would a baseplate be an issue? :) Without the baseplate they'll lie flat in storage, taking up a hell of a lot less space than if they have a big square of metal attached to the bottom? Seems pretty obvious really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerry davies Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 One of the reasons they have those awkward plates fixed on the bottom is to ensure that baseplates are always used. It saves God the bother of creating a better idiot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.elsbury Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 You say you want base-less ones for ease of storage... but you're going to have to deal with the width of the handle anyway, so why would a baseplate be an issue? :) Without the baseplate they'll lie flat in storage, taking up a hell of a lot less space than if they have a big square of metal attached to the bottom? Seems pretty obvious really.Of course :) thank you captain obvious ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seano Posted February 6, 2015 Share Posted February 6, 2015 Google-fu turns this up.. http://scpburton.co.uk/public/images/Aluminium-Jacks.jpg(Clicky image) Aluminium though, so expensive probably, maybe as pricey as the Machine Mart option above. And not really intended for what you want. I see here though (clicky) that the same company manufacture jacks to order. No doubt they're not the only ones. Might be economical for the bigger job to spec your own. One of the reasons they have those awkward plates fixed on the bottom is to ensure that baseplates are always used. It saves God the bother of creating a better idiot. That said, Kerry is not wrong about this. Are you sure you really need to ditch the base pad? They really don't stack all that badly. With apologies if the following constitutes egg-sucking lessons - the trick is to alternate layers with the pads to East and West with layers with the pads to North and South. If you don't want the bottom layer hanging over the side of the pallet or stillage you can use a couple of noggins of wood to start your stack off. <further googling for pics> Thusly: http://image.made-in-china.com/43f34j00TZRQSmblbGkM/Cuplock-Scaffolding-Jack-and-Base-Plate.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madorangepanda Posted February 7, 2015 Share Posted February 7, 2015 The aluminium jacks linked to are made from aluminium scaffold tube that is turned down so that it fits inside 2" 16 Gauge aluminium tube, as used on most aluminium scaffold towers. Getting a batch made that fit inside 48.3mm scaffold tube is possible, but pricey. If you search for "Swivel scaffold base jacks" you'll find several options that allow the base to be removed and re-attached. These will probably do what you're after, the best types have a base with a spigot on it that gets inserted inside of the jack portion, but can be banged out when not needed. Do be careful of some jacks like this however, as they can have nothing to stop the spinner/adjuster just turning off the bottom of the jack, pushing the base off and leading to all sorts of nasty injuries when things collapse. The fixed jacks don't have this problem and the good swivel ones have the screw thread flattened or filled with weld at the base to stop this. But as others have said, learning to stack them so that they don't take up so much space will probably be cheaper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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