Fix a ladder, then build a copy of it

[bandit571]

Grandson dropped off this thing a while back...

   
Wanting to know IF Grandpa Steve could fix it up?

   
"Maybe"  

   
He never said who used the back brace as a step....Particle board?

It also snapped off some of the back leg....so..

I had just laid in a supply of Ash 1 x 6 x 6' planks...9 boards for $20....

   
Figured I could use the front plank for parts...once I got below this mess..

   
And use the rest for parts..like to replace the broken of part of the leg..and BOTH back braces...

   
Can't use this ....Leg blank?

   
This is the left over from the new leg blank....I used the particle board piece as a way to set the rip fence,,,

   
Needed 2...cut to length at an angle....that I needed to figure out..

   
I also wanted to rebate the ends...
To make things a bit more sturdy....

Stay tuned...

[bandit571]

As once the leg is fixed...I can glue and screw the braces in place..

   

Fixing the broken off leg.....I cut away the worst of the break, back to "good" wood....then cut a half lap joint...

   
Had to match the existing size of the remaining leg..widths and thickness...hand saw to make the cuts...WIDE chisel to remove the waste...

   
Dry fit..to then match the other leg...including the foot details..


Just glue and clamps...let it sit a day...while I got the back braces milled...then those were drilled for screws...counter-sunk, too   Then the glue was added...
Let that sit a day...and since this was painted, decided a good Primer coat to the entire ladder would be nice..

   
Then Grandson can go and paint it up to what ever HIS Boss decides...

   

But....I also want to use this as a pattern, and build a copy (minus the paint job) for me...

Hardware has been bought....one plank was cross cut up...

   
2 steps..Top Step, and a blank for one side's 2 legs...

   
Which means I needed a second plank hauled to the shop..

   
For the other 2 legs, and the 2 back braces....

BTW...I did a test of the step ladder once the primer was dry....I put my full 230+ pounds on it..by stepping onto the lower 2 steps....not a sound was heard...nothing broke...also, I NEVER stand on the top step, of ANY ladder I use...

So..spend a day to get all the parts cut to size...and another to add the metal parts....might be fun to do?

Stay tuned

[stav]

Looks like that would be a handy little step stool.

[DCarr10760]

Great Job!

My Grandkids keep me busy building and fixing things!  It's work I truly enjoy.  Cheers!

DC

[bandit571]

2nd plank has been cut up...

   
These are the parts for the legs....2 front legs, 2 back legs, and the 2 stretchers......all ripped and cross cut to size....they have also been thinned down to 3/4" thickness..

   
Skimmed off the thickness of the blade, from both faces...

steps have been rough cut for width and length..

   
Then the lower 2 were slimmed down to 3/4" thick...top step was left at 7/8" thick...and merely planed smooth...

   


Shopping trip, today...after going to the ENT Doc....better hardware has been bought....need to start the Joinery, next...
Was a busy day..

   
Of making a LOT of sawdust...

Stay tuned...

[bandit571]

Find the angle to gut the front legs to...

   
Tops, bottoms and the dados to hold the steps...

   
Mitresaw to cut the walls, then a chisel to chop the waste out..

   
Then clean up with a router...

   
And do a try fit, too...

   
Back leg needed round a bit...test fit with the bracket..

   

Still have to work on connecting the front legs and the steps....then connecting the back legs, their braces, and the pivot stuff...before too much assembly work can be done...

Stay tuned..

BTW: the angle of the No. 358 saw?

   
"8", as in the cuts for an 8 sided box....about 22-1/2"...I think.    There IS a Detent there, too

[bandit571]

Update:   steps...

   
Need to have a beveled end, to match the splay of the legs...and the front corners need clipped at an angle, too...

   
They also get a groove to house the all-thread brace rod..

   
There is to be a recess to house the fender washers ....

   
Top and bottom of the fixed legs need a bevel milled, to match the splay...brackets to hold the legs to the top step...

   
Get 5 screws and a pivot bolt..

   
Pivot is a 2 piece assembly, that screws together...aka "sex bolt" as we always called them...Idea is to drill the top of the moving leg for the "female" part...add the "male" part through the bracket...Need to get a bit of thread locker. 

   
It's getting the right profile to the top of the leg, and drilling the hole...trial & error...

Cut the all thread to rough length....found out today, that I need to slide a step in place, then drive the rod through...

   
As the legs will NOT splay THAT far apart.   Means I need to recess  for the fender washers, before any assembly could be done...

There will be a metal locking bar...

   
That I need to adjust to fit, drill a pivot hole at each end...and figure out where to install it....these(2) are what  will lock the front and back legs into the "open" setting...then they will fold up when not needed....

There was a bit of assembly going on, today...and a LOT of cussing.    3 out of the 4 lock nuts went on, no issues......No.4?   Just had to be "difficult"  and wound up getting replaced..

   
I also had to notch the back of the steps....to allow the back legs to fully close up...

It is getting there...Stay tuned..

[MauleSkinner]

Nice.

On the ladder repair, what was your thought process to repair the broken leg rather than replace the whole leg? Even though a glue joint is supposed to be stronger than the wood, it seems like the end grain parts of the joint might reduce the overall strength. Of course, it’s not engineered to extremely close tolerances to start with.


Not criticism, but I’d like to hear your thoughts.

[bandit571]

One word....Rivets.   Repair was made using rivets....was easier to just add on to the broken leg...then to replace 2 rivets....one at the top of the leg...and one in the folding brace.

[MauleSkinner]

Ah, ok. That makes sense!