Fred Dibnah laddering a chimney:
11 Likes
Always amazing, Bob, how they managed to accomplish things in the old days.
10 Likes
I expected him to get to the top and Bert hull would be there.
18 Likes
Bert did come to mind as i was watching this! When it comes to ladders Bert is right up there (see what I did there?).
8 Likes
This man is a legend and is a natural on camera. I would suspect he is the last person with this skill set.
1 Like
Fred Dibnah gets all steamed up!
3 Likes
That is one amazing way to climb a chimney, but no way, not for me, today I’d fly my drone up there to inspect it and then I’d call Fred for any repairs that might be needed. 
3 Likes
Still have to put up the scaffolding.
4 Likes
Are the demonstrated techniques OSHA approved?
1 Like
He doesn’t have enough employees to fall under OSHA guidelines.
2 Likes
Very ingenious, but no thank you Robert. I would be 1/2 done with my inspection and I don’t have a beer belly😊
1 Like
Bert being Bert. @bhull1 is always willing to lend a hand!
10 Likes
9 Likes
That’s almost unbeleivabe to do that at 50+ years old. I would not have done that nor attempt at 20.
5 Likes
One of the things that became obvious to me after watching these videos was the leg strength needed to climb those ladders. That is hundreds of steps up, supporting all your body weight and whatever hardware he took with him. I’m pretty sure I never had the strength to do that. As a simple test I can remember walking up the steps of the Washington Monument (227 steps) here in Baltimore and being winded afterward (Washington Monument in DC is 896 steps (not open to the public), Statue of Liberty is 162 steps). Those ladders are a much more arduous climb!
Fred Dibnah eventually succumbed to cancer and I wonder how he was able to do the things he did despite his smoking.
4 Likes
Same here Bob. Amazing how the physical capacities vary so much amoung people. I had a carpenter 3 years older than me that is still working in foundations at times 2-3 days a week and still smoking like a pulp mill. He can still keep up with the rest of the works.
4 Likes
Wow, not for me. I have a two, two story building tomorrow and that is just about as high as I like to get. I really wish I had time to watch the other videos but inspecting keeps me too busy.
Thanks for sharing.
2 Likes
Thanks Bob.
Steeple Jack Fred Dibnah was videoed many times repair and demolishing chimneys. One of the last old time steeple jacks.
I work with a man for >< 7 years. Erected and Worked on masonry scaffolds made in the same fashion as Fred Dibnah in this video. His name was Alain Graham. He worked steeple jacking after that erecting the 138 high overpass in montreal that was replaced several years ago.
That is the way it was done back in the day.
I steeple jacked walls and 1 chimney. Yes my knees knocked until you get use to it.
Used the same method on barns to repair barn wall planks.
Thanks for the memories.