RE: homemade stands
I built one over the summer. Typical 12 foot ladder with a seat. Weighed 3 tons and will eventually rot away. But, I hada lot ofextra lumber and time so it was an evening project. We used wood stands exclusively for 20+ years w/o problems, but switched over to metal ladders and lock ons a few years ago. Much lighter and safer, plus they are so much easier to move if needed.