Roof space crawling boards

[ians]

Anyone have a working interlocking system for crawling boards.

I have pieces of meranti with handles which we use to slide around in the ceiling space... however with installing cctv ...network and alarm wires ...its becoming a bit of a waste of time trying to slide with boards.

I want to find a way to clip boards together to make a walk way for the length of the roof space and adjustable crossbeams to get to those really tight spaces... without falling through the ceiling...which can be removed when the project is complete.

It would be a simple task if there were no ceilings installed or pipes on top of the beams.

It is also not a big deal in new houses... where the beams are strong with no wood rot.

Working in older houses ...there are a few challenged ... that old dust will turn a strong healthy team into a bunch sick coughing weenies within a day or 2 ... the older roof spaces have bigger open spaces ...however the spacing is wider and weaker...add 50 degree + temperatures ...pink aerolite...rotten beams and old dust you in for a really crap day at work.

We have big fans lights and need to come up with a better crawling board system to make the day a little more pleasant.

[Justloadit]

Just had a thought while reading your post. Maybe I am smoking something

Create a dual rail system, rods which can be screwed to make a long length, easier to bring into the roof.
Then have a board with grooved wheels to move over the rails. Upon job completion, simply unscrew and pack away.
Could make life a little easier.

[ians]

Just had a thought while reading your post. Maybe I am smoking something

Create a dual rail system, rods which can be screwed to make a long length, easier to bring into the roof.
Then have a board with grooved wheels to move over the rails. Upon job completion, simply unscrew and pack away.
Could make life a little easier.

I am thinking of cutting up a 21 mm plywood board into strips... 1.2 m long and or 2.4 m long x 250/300 mm wide and adding pieces of 25 mm x 25 mm square ally tubing and doing something like i did with one of the kickboats i built ...were it clips into place ...your body weight holds it in place.

you just lift the board and it will release ...but if you walk or slide along it ... your body weight holds it in place... the only catch (why i decided to go with 21 instead of 19 shutter board) ... in the old houses the rafter spacing is wide some as wide as 800 mm ...add 100 kg plus to the middle of the 19 mm and it bends like fok (good excuse to get back on the weight watching)

or go down to 12 mm and use full lengths of 25 x 25 mm square tubing as supports like like you suggest with the screw together.

if people want to make regs ...they should include crawling boards in ceiling spaces to prevent people falling through the roof ... people always talk about safety but nobody makes laws about workers who have to work in 50 + temp in the ceiling space or risking injury falling thorough the ceiling board... i suppose worker are not that important...they come at dime a dozen.

I have seen a few hectic falls... i sent a youngster to the van to get something he was brand new at ceiling work ...got back into the roof stood on the ceiling board as i waved him goodbye... poor lad landed half on a table ...did some damage ... another incident a guy got hooked up to the power... the assistant working with him tried to pull him off the cable... fortunately for both of them the assistant as the assistant got hooked up he fell through the ceiling and landed on the on the stove ...saved both their ...so you think working in the ceiling is kids stuff think again... if saw some of the huge rats ...bats etc have encountered you will know why most people dont even like looking into the roof space... i cant tell you how many rats i have pulled off down lighters they run around under the thermal insulation (it seems to encourage them) eat the short piece of wire going to the fitting and get hooked up... all you see is the rats tail ... i thought one was a snake the tail was so long...you pull on it and the half decade body breaks in half and then you get the smell and have to scrape up the goooooeee stuff.

So for those thinking why crawling boards ...i am sure others can share so stories.

I am not even going to start with the C%^ts who mount geyser facing the out towards the tiles in low spaces....you have to crawl into the lowest part of the roof to get the element out...now if i see this ... I call a plumber...i dont even waste my time.