Does anyone know how baker’s scaffolding got its name?
Wow…that’s a really tough thing to Google. I’ve been trying for about 10 minutes.
Now I’m interested in knowing, too.
BUT…Baker’s Rack.
I’ve always kind of assumed that it was some dude named Baker who patented the design, but that’s not much of an answer. All I know for sure about it is that it gets really, really unstable the taller it gets and virtually every scaffold-related injury I’ve ever had on a job site involved a Baker’s scaffold. It has its uses and advantages, but you better be careful while using it.
Anxiously awaiting smarter people’s answers to the OP…
But … Baker’s rack.
We got into a short discussion about this at work today while using one. General consensus was either your answer or its similarities to a baker’s rack was most likely correct. I have yet to find an authoritative answer, though.
I’ve always been comfortable on Baker or Perry (another brand name of adjustable scaffold) scaffolds, and quite confident in their stability even with the walk board all the way up. 
[del]Personally[/del] I mean, I’ve been told that the ‘pucker factor’ starts to get uncomfortable when they’re stacked two high with the walk board all the way up at the top, though. :eek: <looks around furtively, for the OSHA inspector>
Hmmm… Not much of a ‘work platform’ on that brand, is there? 
Though there is quite a bit of movementwith that rack…
I’m pretty comfortable at the top of a 5’ Baker’s scaffold as well, but I’ve been as high as three lifts up (15’) before in a narrow location where a full-size scaffold wouldn’t fit and just climbing the thing almost made it topple. The pucker factor went to 11 on that one. Yikes! :eek:
Kinda hard to tell but I think this is the original patent for it. Scaffold Horse The same family has other patents for scaffold designs around that time as well. So it wouldn’t be named after the inventor.