Making a Ladder

Making a Ladder

Most boys like to make a ladder at some time or other in their careers, and you may be contemplating the construction of one, at the moment. There is nothing difficult about putting a ladder together, if you do not mind it being a triffle heavy.

You will want two pieces of wood, square in section, with two inch sides. The length will depend on the maximum depend on the maximum height you wish to climb. Eight feet ought to be about the most. More than this will put a great strain on the wood, and specially chosen materials will be needed. See that your strips are free from flaws and smooth them property with glass-paper.

To make the treads, cut strips of wood, each eight inches long. Make them from material, two inches wide and one inch thick.

The next thing is to arrange the two long strips flat on the floor and parallel with each other. Let their outside edges be exactly eight inches apart. Put a mark on the two strips at every ninth inch of the run and, at these points, make a space two inches wide and one inch deep. Cut down the sides of this space with a saw and knock out the unwanted wood with a chisel and mallet. Into these spaces, the treads will fit and there they should be fixed by two long screws at each end.

When this is done, it is not a bad idea to round the two upper edges of each tread by means of a spoke-shave. This will give your feet a more convenient purchase.

The job is now finished, but you may like to make yours an extra special ladder. You know that most ladders have a particularly unpleasant habit of slipping when stood on any smooth surface. To overcome this, get a piece of old motor-tyre, cut off two sections and fix to the feet of the ladder, as shown in the illustration.