Rolling Stairway Stable & Safe
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Bill Hettler wanted something safer than a step ladder when pruning tree branches or working on his sheds, so he made a 2-wheeled staircase complete with a working platform and aluminum safety railing. He pulls the staircase behind his Cub Cadet garden tractor.
“I only use it a few times a year, but it really comes in handy,” says Hettler. “It’s a lot more stable than a step ladder and built heavier than the rolling step ladders found at big box stores. Growing up I learned to build things from my father, who always found ways to make something work easier and better. He liked to say, ‘The lazy man is the inventor.’”
The 2-ft. square platform is 4 1/2 ft. off the ground. “That’s a little shorter than a 6-ft. step ladder. However, the staircase’s 6-in. wheels are solid steel and don’t flex like rubber tires would,” says Hettler. “Also, the wheels and axle are much wider than the ladder. As a result, the staircase doesn’t move at all when I’m standing on the platform and using my gas-powered pole pruner. I can reach almost 20 ft. high.”
The stairway’s frame is made from 2-in., 1/4 in. thick angle iron. The 2-ft. wide steps are made from composite wood, with the bottom step welded to the tongue. The tongue is a piece of pipe that’s welded to a square metal axle. Hettler already had the axle as well as the steel wheels, which came from his days doing construction work. He cut the axle down to the right length.
He made the railing by cutting up an 8-ft. long aluminum railing, cutting it up into sections and using metal braces and 1/4-in. carriage bolts to connect the sections together.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Bill Hettler, 5816 Davis Mill Pond Rd., Federalsburg, Md. 21632 (ph 410 754-0005).
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Rolling Stairway Stable & Safe FARM HOME Miscellaneous Bill Hettler wanted something safer than a step ladder when pruning tree branches or working on his sheds so he made a 2-wheeled staircase complete with a working platform and aluminum safety railing He pulls the staircase behind his Cub Cadet garden tractor “I only use it a few times a year but it really comes in handy ” says Hettler “It’s a lot more stable than a step ladder and built heavier than the rolling step ladders found at big box stores Growing up I learned to build things from my father who always found ways to make something work easier and better He liked to say ‘The lazy man is the inventor ’” The 2-ft square platform is 4 1/2 ft off the ground “That’s a little shorter than a 6-ft step ladder However the staircase’s 6-in wheels are solid steel and don’t flex like rubber tires would ” says Hettler “Also the wheels and axle are much wider than the ladder As a result the staircase doesn’t move at all when I’m standing on the platform and using my gas-powered pole pruner I can reach almost 20 ft high ” The stairway’s frame is made from 2-in 1/4 in thick angle iron The 2-ft wide steps are made from composite wood with the bottom step welded to the tongue The tongue is a piece of pipe that’s welded to a square metal axle Hettler already had the axle as well as the steel wheels which came from his days doing construction work He cut the axle down to the right length He made the railing by cutting up an 8-ft long aluminum railing cutting it up into sections and using metal braces and 1/4-in carriage bolts to connect the sections together Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Bill Hettler 5816 Davis Mill Pond Rd Federalsburg Md 21632 ph 410 754-0005
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