# Bakers scaffolding **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 21, 2011, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-scaffolding/603685 "2011-11-21T21:13:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Serpentine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b487fb/32.png) [@Serpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serpentine)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-scaffolding/603685/1 "2011-11-21T21:13:14Z")
Does anyone know how baker’s scaffolding got its name? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-scaffolding/603685/2 "2011-11-21T21:33:00Z")
Wow…that’s a really tough thing to Google. I’ve been trying for about 10 minutes. Now I’m interested in knowing, too. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-scaffolding/603685/3 "2011-11-21T21:39:01Z")
I’ll take a stab at it [Baker’s Scaffold](http://www.scaffoldingdepot.com/rollingscaffold.htm) [Bakery Rack](http://www.lcbakery.com/products/racks.htm) I see a certain similarity. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-scaffolding/603685/4 "2011-11-21T21:53:59Z")
BUT…[Baker’s Rack](http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=3744061). ---
**Author:** ![Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dread_pirate_jimbo/32/3897_2.png) [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Jimbo)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-scaffolding/603685/5 "2011-11-21T22:00:03Z")
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… ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-scaffolding/603685/6 "2011-11-21T22:12:49Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > BUT…[Baker’s Rack](http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=3744061). But … [Baker’s rack](http://static.dramastyle.com/images/casts/United_States/11980/Josephine_Baker_11980_1.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Serpentine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b487fb/32.png) [@Serpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serpentine)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-scaffolding/603685/7 "2011-11-21T22:33:38Z")
> [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](#): > > 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… 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. ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-scaffolding/603685/8 "2011-11-22T16:30:42Z")
> [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](#): > > … 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. … 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: \ ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-scaffolding/603685/9 "2011-11-22T16:35:14Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > But … [Baker’s rack](http://static.dramastyle.com/images/casts/United_States/11980/Josephine_Baker_11980_1.jpg). Hmmm… Not much of a ‘work platform’ on _ **that** _ brand, is there? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-scaffolding/603685/10 "2011-11-22T18:41:50Z")
> [@JBDivmstr](#): > > Hmmm… Not much of a ‘work platform’ on _ **that** _ brand, is there? 😛 Though there is quite a bit of [movement](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8TjBbnsoJ0)with that rack… ---
**Author:** ![Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dread_pirate_jimbo/32/3897_2.png) [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Jimbo)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-scaffolding/603685/11 "2011-11-22T18:51:06Z")
> [@JBDivmstr](#): > > 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: \ 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: ---
**Author:** ![PacifistPorcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PacifistPorcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PacifistPorcupine)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bakers-scaffolding/603685/12 "2011-11-22T19:17:52Z")
Kinda hard to tell but I think this is the original patent for it. [Scaffold Horse](http://www.google.com/patents?id=I7FuAAAAEBAJ&printsec=description&zoom=4#v=onepage&q&f=false) The same family has other patents for scaffold designs around that time as well. So it wouldn’t be named after the inventor. ETA: [Another patent by same family.](http://www.google.com/patents?id=4O1DAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&source=gbs_overview_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=baker&f=false)