Mini-Mobile Scaffolding for Sign Painters
Thanks to the recommendation of Sean Starr, owner of Starr Studios in Calvert, Texas, I bit the bullet on probably one of the best early purchases a new(ish) signwriter can make in their hopefully long career by investing in light, mobile, AND SAFE, vertical access for bigger and medium jobs.
Patey Signs is now the proud owner of a SafeSmart Mini-Mobile Scaffold, and we couldn’t be happier.
First off….
Let’s get the elephant out of the room: these things ain’t cheap. But neither are hospital bills, ya dig?
These thing especially aren’t cheap when being compared to a couple of ladders, jacks, and a plank. But again, neither are hospital bills, ya dig?
Unfortunately I feel like some of the sign community, a minority for sure but some nonetheless, still have a pension for frowning at safety equipment as “lame” or unnecessary. Sort of like when helmets first came around in pro sports. Which makes me feel like I need to throw it out there a third time for those in the back: safety equipment isn’t cheap, but neither are hospital bills (or funerals), ya dig?!
As for the great debate pertaining to renting equipment (like a towable boom) vs investing in equipment, we can get to that in a different post. Suffice it to say it makes more sense to buy if you can, in my opinion.
The Scaffolding - What’s To Like?
A lot actually:
It’s lightweight. Compared to the steel Baker style scaffolds that are so common in these parts its half the weight.
It’s very fast to setup. Not quite as fast as SafeSmart’s videos portray but it’s definitely fast.
The HATCH! The access hatch is such a nice feature.
Aluminum doesn’t rust.
Guardrails.
Setup is very intuitive.
A wide working platform.
Opportunities to add-on and expand (I’m eyeing you, connection bridge) are excellent.
SafeSmart’s customer service is OUTSTANDING. It’s on a level I’ve never experienced before. They went above and beyond the call of duty to make sure I got what I needed, that it arrived on time, and most importantly they checked with me later to make sure it did the job required. 8/5 stars.
What’s NOT to like.
Honestly just one thing: the freight.
Even though the scaffolding itself is light compared to its competitors, it’s still has some weight to it and doesn’t fold up neatly in a brown box with a smile on it, so the shipping to get it to you is going to hurt.
Trust me though… the feeling of safety when you’re 12’ off the ground, standing on a 28” x 67” platform, knowing you’re supported by 4 pillars with safety braces and guardrails, compared to swinging on a toothpick hangin’ from ladders leaned up against a wall….that feeling is priceless.