Going Up ?

[Bib Overalls]

The first ladder I made for access to my shop's storage loft was simple and I stored it on a shop wall when it was not in use. As I remodeled and positioned my machines and shelving I ran out of wall and the ladder took up residency in one of my best work areas. In this location it became quite an annoyance. I finally reached a point where I had to do something. My solution was to cut the ladder into two equal length sections and weld on handrails to stiffen it up.

Loft Ladder 01 by Formerly JimboT, on Flickr

The top fitted into fabricated hinges on the loft's face.

Loft Ladder 02 by Formerly JimboT, on Flickr

Fabricated hinges were added where the two sections of ladder meet. One hinge pin is a 3/8" eye bolt. A 3/16" cable was attached to the ladder at the eye.

Loft Ladder 03 by Formerly JimboT, on Flickr

The cable runs up to a pulley.

Loft Ladder 04 by Formerly JimboT, on Flickr

And then over to a second pulley at the back wall.

Loft Ladder 05 by Formerly JimboT, on Flickr

and down through this hole.

Loft Ladder 06 by Formerly JimboT, on Flickr

Where it attaches to a counter weight. This picture was taken with the ladder in the storage position.

Loft Ladder 07 by Formerly JimboT, on Flickr

This picture was taken with the ladder extended. The counter weight has since been enclosed with a section of 4" PVC sewer pipe.

Loft Ladder 08 by Formerly JimboT, on Flickr

Pulling the ladder down and running it up is a simple one hand operation.

Loft Ladder 09 by Formerly JimboT, on Flickr

Ladder in the storage position. All I need now is a short pull rope and some red paint..

Loft Ladder 10 by Formerly JimboT, on Flickr

That's all folks.

 

[MushCreek]

Great idea, and really nice work! That would work in my barn, with the loft being 13'. I was going to build stairs, which would hog a lot of space, but a ladder like that, plus a small freight elevator would get the job done quicker and cheaper.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Slick idea, I like it. Whats the counter weight made of, solid steel bar or filled tubing ?

 

[jimgood]

I love that! Friggen' brilliant!

 

[MushCreek]

I can see a pull rope for pulling it down, but how do you pull it up with the weight inside a pipe? I assume you clip something to the bottom of your weight when it is down and the ladder is up. My ladder will have to be almost 14', so I need 7' of travel for the weight.

 

[Bib Overalls]

The weight is a 3.5" diameter piece of steel. I bought it from a scrap yard for a turning project and discovered it was a tool steel and way to hard for what I was going to do. Weight was just about right. I put a loop on the bottom in case I needed to add more weight but it was not necessary.

To raise the ladder I lift the lower section straight up. The counterweight makes this a one hand operation. When the top section passes horizontal the counterweight takes over.