Grandson dropped this thing off...

Just a small, 2 step, stepladder....not crazy about the brown paint...besides that "issue" there is something a bit worse

Those 2 slats across the back of the legs....particle board.   And one had been used AS a step....broke the slat and a piece of the leg off....Plan is to repair the broken leg, and replace the ugly boards with new one out of Ash...

.

I happen to have 9 planks of 1 x 6 x 6' Ash...should be able to find enough in there?    Maybe NOT this section, though..

Save this for another day..but, further down this same plank..

Might find enough "parts" in there?  

Might even Build a brand NEW one, using the old one as a pattern?

Stay tuned..

Seen similar refurbished/ recycled to be used as plant stands both indoors and out.

 

Following you along.

I'm guessing the MDF parts were a replacement for an earlier failure. I vote for a new, improved duplicate. Maybe show off and make a rear stretcher that uses wedge though mortises into the sides.  Leave off the paint and hint that you stripped off the brown paint of the original to find beautiful ash hardwood underneath. 

4D

Wooden ladder?

 

that’s crazy talk. 

Roh...kay, Raggy!   Hauled the plank to the shop...and do a bit of work...got rid of the nasty section..

Yep, ugly..and already bowing up on the ends...The other section was ripped to match the particle board braces...which left a  strip..

I cut enough from this to repair the broken leg..

Had to match for length and match the foot detail...simple half lap joint..

Existing  was cut with a hand saw. and a wide chisel....new was tablesawn to match...New is a slight bit thicker, will blend that in after the glue is done..

These..

I ripped the new for width..

But needed to be cut at an angle...so...

Sargent's Patent July 22, 1873 Bevel square....later to become the Stanley No. 18? 

 

Once both are cut to match this angle...then I can start on this joint...

Then test fit..

will be getting glue and some Counter-sunk screws, later....Might even sweep the shop....later?

Was a bit busy, today?      Busy, busy, busy....

Stay tuned...

Nice lookin' leg there.

On 1/25/2023 at 9:40 PM, DAB said:

Wooden ladder?

 

that’s crazy talk. 

I had a petite student design and make a folding stepladder from wood for her class project.   I set the structural standard for it to be able to support my weight which was 240ish lbs at that time.  It took her awhile to figure out how to make it fold up but she eventually took my "think parallelogram" hint and made it work.  

As for crazy, those were my favorite students.  Those with out-of-the-box ideas and a little stubbornness who made the more interesting projects. I'm particularly fond of the rocking chair that rocked forward and back as well as side to side. A crazy ride. 

4D

15 hours ago, 4DThinker said:

Those with out-of-the-box ideas and a little stubbornness who made the more interesting projects. I'm particularly fond of the rocking chair that rocked forward and back as well as side to side. A crazy ride. 

 

Any pics of that?

36 minutes ago, Cal said:

 

Any pics of that?

I likely do, but finding it will be the challenge.  The bottom was a spherical section warped so that front to back the radius was 39" and left to right it was 50ish".   This was made before we had any CNCs. To make it I made the student a frame with curved sides that a curved router base sled over.  Calculated as he made passes down through the wood blank when he finally got to a smooth curved surface at the peak it would be the finished surface.  Between base and seat was a bend slab of clear acrylic.  He didn't start out with any arms on the chair, but evetually add them.  They also were bent 1" thick acrylic that wrapped around the back of the seat and ended as arm on both sides.  My aging memory just came up with "Derek Case" as the student's name.  If it was before photos were digital then whatever I have of his project will be on slides. 

4D 

Edited January 28, 20233 yr by 4DThinker

Battleship Gray Primer?

Fixed up..

Have tested it out...230 pounds, no issues...although..I never step on the top step, of ANY ladder, ever...

Sitting level.   Will start up the non-painted version in a little bit..have to pick up some hardware, too...

That's a winner!  Should last another generation or maybe two. Can't help but see those back stretchers being used as ladder steps so hope you've got them well secured.  When my student design her step ladder the discussions covered "Could the back side stretcher(s) be designed to actually discourage anyone from stepping on them?".  Saw tooth edges, arced tops, and a few other ideas all lost out to the more conventional straight, but her ladder was still a beautiful success as yours is. 

4D

Most of the hardware has been bought, now...

 

Should have seen the look on the gal's face.......I need a selection of face bolts...a threaded post with screw type of thingy...that we used to call a "sex bolt"...she had to go and ask a Male employee about it.....and..he knew actually what I meant, where which drawer it was in.

 

 

There are joint connector cap screws out there that are available with different finishes including black oxide, bronze, chrome (shiny), and brass plated. 

Bronze pack of 8 at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Statuary-Bronze-Connector-Bolts-8-Pack/dp/B001DT3G9O

First plank has been cut up a bit....

3 steps, counting the top one...and a blank for two of the legs...

One front leg, and one back leg...and a second plank is now in the shop...

This one is almost bark free...

Almost.    Might need to clean this off?

Maybe?

 

Not sure IF I'll open the shop, this afternoon....being it's a Monday....

Monday?  Since I retired I've lost track of the day of the week.   In any case your thread has inspire me to start sketching stepladder ideas.  Something I can cut out on my CNC and assemble with little post CNC work.  

Looking forward to your posts. Good to kick start my idea generator, 

4D

Edited January 30, 20233 yr by 4DThinker

Update time...might take a while? 

These are the parts for the legs..2 front, 2 rear, and the 2 back braces

And, these are the 3 step blanks.   Top one stays at 7/8" thick...the other parts get peeled to 3/4" thick..

Blade thickness off of each face...a few swipes of a plane to level things up...

Hardware?   Brackets to hold the legs to the top step.

Back leg needs to pivot, so..

Will use a few of these....There is a locking bracket, for when the legs are in use..

Will cut these down for length...

 

Legs needed mitered..

Angle is an "8" ( 22-1/2 degrees)

 

Top and bottom ends...then some dados..for the steps to sit in...

Mitrebox to cut the walls, chisel to hog out the waste..router to clean up..

Yep, that IS a router plane.

 

Now...ends of the legs need to be a compound miter..

Besides the 22-1/2 degree main bevel...the legs splay out a bit..

Top and bottom ends...steps also...to match the splay...

Along with the front edge detail...steps (2) get a groove to hold..

1/4" all thread rods...

I'll have to cut for length, as only a small end pokes through...

To be "captured" by these..

I might even recess the fender washers a bit...

 

Maybe tomorrow, a bit of assembly?    Still have to mill the braces for the back legs...will have to bevel the pivot ends a bit...

So these can also splay out a bit....

 

Stay tuned...

 

Looks like your steppin' it up a notch 

As Norm would say..."Time for a little assembly..."

5 screws and a Pivot Bolt ( aka sex bolt) to attach the 2 brackets to both the top step, the front leg, and the rear, swinging leg...

Recess for the fender washers was by a forstner bit...Had to install the steps first, then drive the threaded rods through...3 out of 4 lock nuts, no problems....No. 4 decided to be "difficult"Would up tossing it out, and using a "normal" nut...

 

Needed to notch the back of the steps..

A bit of chisel work...test fit..

Looks good from here...need to fit the locking brace...

Drill it...screws and washers.   then locate WHERE it will need to go....

 

Looks a bit too big and clunky....may just rip one into 2 braces...save the other for some other Project

 

Need to get the correct LokTite Thread Locker....so the pivot bolts will stay together....

 

Stay tuned..

Cool and unique project Bandit. Are you planning to cut any groves on the treads or some other means to minimize slipping?

May just add "Traction Strips" once the finish is on...kind of late to add the grooves, now.