Replies

1. 
   PineIslander | Apr 23, 2003 09:58pm | #1

   Well, the first thing that comes to mind... I think I'd make a bench hook out of scrap plywood... offset 10 degrees... with a fence that extends both above and below the table surface... so that I could flip it over to cut the opposite ladder side without affecting the offset angle. This allows for only one saw setup... otherwise any potential error is doubled.

   Hmmmm... was that clear? I'm thinking about something sort of like a much larger version of a dovetail layout gauge.

   I'm a one-man shop, and time is absolutely critical to me... but I'm not the sharpest tack in the box. It took me way too long to learn that any time spent knocking out a jig is always less than the time required to recover from a mistake!! 

1. 
   dnno215 | Apr 25, 2003 09:33pm | #8

   thank you to all!

   Edited 4/25/2003 2:35:57 PM ET by dnno215

2. 
   BG | Apr 23, 2003 10:45pm | #2

   Dnno,

   I'm pretty dumb about these things but I would have used the table saw with a dado blade and the mitre.  Set the miter at ten degrees and make an initial cut on the ends.  Slide the fense to the step height and push the stock through with the Miter while the end of the board is against the fense...grab the second piece of stock and repeat.  Move fense out the distance of the second step and repeat until I reach the last step.  If my table was not long enough, I'd flip the mitre tothe other dado and the fense to the other side.

3. 
   Elcoholic | Apr 23, 2003 10:51pm | #3

   Use a board wide enough for both rails with some extra length.  Cut the angled dados then rip the rails.  Cut the ends to lenght referencing the cut off the last dado.  Should be bullet proof.

   Or do them with a router base that indexes off the end of the rail and the previous dado.

   John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking

   Life is tough.  It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne

1. 
   BenM | Apr 24, 2003 02:48pm | #4

   Your solution sounded simple so I tried it using a piece of paper. Doing it this way you get two left (or two right) legs.  It's trickier than it seems.

1. 
   PineIslander | Apr 24, 2003 08:50pm | #6

   That's funny... 'cause I did the same thing with a scrap of paper...  ooops! I wonder how many folks have fallen into that trap before?!

1. 
   toddhunter | Apr 24, 2003 11:10pm | #7

   I recently did this by by hand with a dozuki saw.  I used my bevel for a fence, and cleaned up the dados with a chisel.  Heck, it was only one ladder with 4 steps.  I spent more time trying to come up with a jig to use with my router, and it still didn't do as good a job (on the scrap).  To measure, I laid out the rails with the insides face up.  Then I marked one side and continued the marks to the next rail.  Using the bevel to get the angle right, the dado markings make a v when the rails are next to each other face up.  Of course, after cutting one side, I markded the other rail a second time.  Getting the angle right was another challenge, but really difficult.  BTW, after much debate, I also routed grooves under the steps and ran threaded rods for support.  They are connected on the outside of the rails by cap nuts countersunk.  Now I don't worry if my brother has to chase his kids up to the top bunk (at least I don't worry about the ladder).  Todd

2. 
   Elcoholic | Apr 30, 2003 10:51pm | #9

   You're right, it did sound simple when I wrote it but it didn't work.  That left/right thing has bitten me a couple of times before on chair arms.  Sheesh.John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking

   Life is tough.  It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne

1. 
   BenM | May 02, 2003 02:58pm | #10

   I've never had a problem with chair arms but if I had a nickel for every miter I cut in the wrong direction on molding...

1. 
   Elcoholic | May 02, 2003 06:14pm | #11

   I was making 4 of the arm A&C arm chairs from the Popular Mechanics book.  When I punched the mortises for the front legs in the nice 5/4 arms I forgot to flip 1/2 the stack so I made them all lefts.  Fortunately I was able to save them by making them through mortises and lengthening the tenons.John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking

   Life is tough.  It's tougher if you're stupid - John Wayne

4. 
   jjf | Apr 24, 2003 03:27pm | #5

   I would use a router and make a jig similar to one for make stairway treads.  Take a piece of 1/4" plywood and two strips of wood all the same width and a third strip.   attach two strips to one side so that the ladder side is snug between the strips. On the other side attach the third strip at the desired angle as a fence.  You can now do one ladder side.  When that is done thransfer all the positions of the strips onto the edge of the plywood and detach the strips.  Then reattach the strips to the opposite sides using the transfer marks to position them.  You are now ready to do the second side of the ladder. 

   Another option is to make two jig of reverse orientation, if you are making more than one ladder

   Jim