Thread: How not to make a ladder

Originally Posted by Andy Mac

Hello springwater! Not travelling but big changes. Sold up at Cabarlah, post separation stuff, so I bought an old place in town and set up a new workshop which is good fun. New job too. But have been making stuff, and had a few exhibitions. Some shots if you scroll down here: http://raygunlab.com/

Working with natural forms is a challenge, especially to wrestle them into a structure like a ladder! Good luck

Woah! You've had your hands full then, good to know you're back on your feet again and producing with all that skilly cleverness you have. Thanks for the link to your work it's wonderful I didn't mind scrolling down to it past all the other good stuff there but thanks for the more direct way Cliff

Yeah natural forms are a challenge to work with as there's no flat point etc to reference off, you just have to go for it sometimes and hope like hell you get it right. With the first ladder I tried to make everything was going swimmingly well until when drilling one of the last holes the bit bound on exit and split the wood beyond repair After finding another crooked bit of wood, which is a feat in itself the second attempt just agreed that it should go together without augument, in fact I was going to put wedges in the rung ends but after a dry fit the thing just braced itself so well there was no need, it's ten years old now and the owners say its fallen a few times but it just bouncers and there's no sign of the rungs losening, fingers crossed I haven't spent all my good luck with tthat one, see ya

Forgot to mention that it'd probably be better to work with some sort of "green" wood for it's suppleness and because it'll shrink. Heat dry the rungs and let the green wood leg holes shrink around them. I of course don't practise what I preach and use salted diftwood, sun dried from the beach

..Looking good Spring..(me and ladders have this thing)..so I'm waiting to see where it goes...(up... I spose )
and some fun pieces there Andy Mac...(you need to keep us informed)

Originally Posted by underfoot

(me and ladders have this thing)

um Undy I'm trying to make the image of you in panty hose with ladders go away now You been on the New Zealy trip yet? Looked like a good way to spend some time in just another amazing view from there.

That Raygun mob's a fairly wild lot by the look of it Andy, spent way way too long last night perusing their blog to its end, felt pretty blogged out in the morning for it, worth it though

The first rough out of rungs and their positioning made me remember a couple of things discovered last time ten years ago Just because it's cut up the middle doesn't mean it'll look right once separated and don't rough out the rungs to the same diameter because what they're going into changes width and thickness

So I offset a leg a few inches, clamped them both, blue tacked the rungs on and marked out the hole positions. Why I decided to pack up because of fading light is beyond me but next all I have to do is set it all up again and drill 24 holes all at different angles and a think I've seen the fupfairy in the bushes. So it was a real day I suppose.
Attachment 207519

Rungs tapped in before leaving it to destress in the shed roof cavity for awhile.
Attachment 208118

Looking great.
I've been following along. It went together well.

Looks really good mate!

Thanks Hermit & Andy, I'm not really all that satisfied with it, should be narrower at the top and the rung spacing could be better. Should know by now not to rush things and I can't hack reworking the rungs just now. Time to rest it, other things need to be done.

Originally Posted by springwater

Thanks Hermit & Andy, I'm not really all that satisfied with it, should be narrower at the top and the rung spacing could be better. Should know by now not to rush things and I can't hack reworking the rungs just now. Time to rest it, other things need to be done.

I never really like my pieces at first when they're finished, (can still remember my mistakes), but they always look better after a rest.
This ladder will be quite a conversation piece.

Love it!

Most ladders look like that after a dozen wobbly-pops.

It's just in a raw state, it ain't finished with yet and I've seen a few punters attempt a climb without a dozen wobbly gong-pops wobbling gonging around in their wobbly bellies

just lovely Spring ...