I’d like to make a staircase for my workshop that is supported by a hing on one end and lifted on the oposite end with an electric winch motor. The idea is to be able to lift the staircase flush with the ceiling when not in use, which will save shop space. Has anyone out there done anything like this? Does anyone have any information on how I can make a hinge for the top of the staircase? I’m thinking of using some sort of metal pipe for the hing. Any ideas would be very much appreciated.
Thanks,
Joe
Replies
JF,
Would a pull down attic stair set up work in your situation? It's not motorized, but it does have a spring assisted lift and is already hinged.
View Image
Frankfive,Great idea, but I need a full sized staircase.Joe
Joe,
Ordinary home door hinges or gate hinges should work fine, I don't think you need to invent a new type of hinge. I would add a safety latch of some sort, to hold the stair in the raised position, as a back up to the hoist to prevent the stair from dropping if the hoist or cable were to fail.
John White
Shop Manager for FWW Magazine, 1998-2007
JohnWW,Thanks for your ideas. Joe
Joe,
Some thoughts:
What is above your woodshop necessitating the stairs? How often will they be used? How wide do they need to be? Will they need handrail(s)?
I know, lots of questions but what I'm alluding to is why not make them permanent? And use the space under them jidiciously? I've seen risers is stairs integrated into drawers to house things under the stairs, shelves, etc.
Also, woodworkers in small woodshops seem to always be looking for ways to maximize space. I can easily see myself grabbing that real estate, when the stairs are up, only to find muself moving stuff when they need to be lowered.
Regards,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Hey KiddervilleAcres,I remember you from the woodstove pros and cons debate this past winter! Wasn't that fun?! :) Have you heard from any of those ole boys? Hope they didn't burn their shops down.My staircase will be in an approximate 4' opening. They will be used occasionally. I have a storage, attic space above my shop. The problem is that the staircase will be on the back wall of my shop where two windows are located. So a permanent staircase would block the windows.You are right about probably getting stuck moving things before the stairs could be used. That would be annoying. Most of the machinery I would have stored in that area would be on wheels though, so it will be able to be moved easily.Joe
Edited 7/31/2009 3:06 pm ET by JF4
Hey Joe,
Cough, sneeze, spit. Ah that's better - dang sawdust. So, how're ye doin!?
If your ceiling isn't too high and all you're putting up there are Christmas decorations, light stuff, etc. why not just use a stepladder? Make a trap door in the ceiling. Get's you up up & down, move the stepladder up against the wall and viola!
That was one of the best debates I've had the opportunity to be part of. I use a trailer furnace and it's a world of difference. This fall the Dust Collector is going downstairs below the woodshop and the island workcenter will be ducted down to it. More room in the woodshop!
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Bob,Yeah, I could use a ladder or small folding attic ladder, but I'm storing some big clunky stuff upstairs and it would be a lot more convenient to have a full set of stairs. That way I won't need to carry stuff with one arm and climb with the other. It's almost 11' to the upstairs floor, so it's a climb when carrying heavy things.Plus the remote control, full size staircase would be cool! What a way to impress the ladies in ye workshop!Your idea of storing the dust collector downstair, below your work area sounds good. More room and less noise.Happy woodworking! And remember, there's nothing more important than to where ye saftey glasses in ye workshop!Joe
I don't know if such a get-up would be legal. 999 out of 1000 times no one would ever know, but if the proverbial hits the fan, the insurance company may not be too happy. Lets see... small town, everyone knows everyone, furnace man comes in and has to remove your hot water heater and the stairs aren't solid.... and he says something to his friend the building inspector.....&&&.
I'd hate to have to moove a tablesaw or some other heavy piece of equipment up a 'strange' set of stairs that are not FIRMLY anchored.....
SawdustSteve..... Downstate NY
Sir..
My first thought was a spiral stair case that you would crank.. Clockwise and Counter-clockwise to lift and raise. Need a tall roof though!
I needed access to a loft over our garage so I built a conventional staircase out of "2 x" material; no handrail. (I wanted something sturdy under me as I carried heavy items.)
Rest assured - it will be HEAVY. I had a fancy pulley system and a 100# counterweight.
It will be HEAVY. Am I repeating myself?
After several wavering trips carrying a load, I decided I needed a handrail and moved the stair to a permanent location and added a handrail.
Frosty
"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922
Jfrostjr,Thanks for the info/advice. I know I was also thinking about how heavy this project would be when finished. I don't think a winch motor would have a problem lifting the heavy load, however I am concerned about having the proper hing in order to make sure the stairs are secure. What type of hing did you come up with? Any ideas you have would be very much appreciated. I'll also have to do some rethinking on the permanent staircase idea.
Edited 8/4/2009 4:12 pm ET by JF4
Just check the hardware department for barn-door hinges. They have a real long 'tongue' and then a cross piece on the other side of the hinge. I think they will use #12 screws. Actually the hinge doesn't have all that much strain on it due to the wedging action of the stair which you can block at the bottom so that it doesn't slide out..Frosty"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922
Jfrostjr,Thanks for the advise. The barn door hinges are a great idea. Joe
Ok, ok, ok... I'll confess to having entertained the same idea for a staircase.... <blush>
I was thinking about using a garage door opener to raise and lower it. The weight would be similar and would be counterbalanced by tension springs. It also has all those good safety features: sensors and auto-reverse. The two sets of rollers would be mounted at the top and bottom of the stringers. The tracks would be two separate sections: one vertical set, 8' long and mounted on posts for the bottom of the stringer to drop straight down; one horizontal set to allow the top of the stringer to move forward as the bottom drops.
You probably wouldn't want the posts in your shop, but I thought the GDO approach might give you some ideas (e.g., the tensioning springs to help with the weight).
/dev
Here is a photo of my stairs. A daughter-in-law suggested that they could be 'bent' around a 30* corner. Great idea (not a great d-in-l, she walked out on my son). I stole the space out of my garage. You may have access to your loft by cutting through from the garage.Frosty"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922
Jfrostjr,Thanks for the picture. Nice stairs.Do you know of any websites that specialize in barn door hinges?Joe
I would try a good hardware store or a big-box store. They should be easy to find
Frosty"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922
might be late jumping in here but, a customer of mine had a shop with second and third floor. They devised a cable and pulley system with counter weights that you could lift and retract the stairs with two fingers.
I loved your post! A shop without dust?
WmGalloway,Thanks for the info and the pictures. Looks like a neat idea!Joe
Cool set-up. Those weights look a lot like tractor weights I use to see as a kid on the farm.I was married by a judge - I should have asked for a jury.George Burns
I have a loft above my garage that I use for storage of jigs and patterns. I constructed a conventional, strong staircase out of 2x material - it was heavy!!! I used a counterweight to make lifting it easier. It was a pain!
My d-in-l suggested wrapping the stair around a corner (Can you do this to avoid the windows?) I followed her suggestion and have never regretted having a permanent, heavy-duty staircase.
Do you need a 'lightly used' counterweight? You pay the freight.
Frosty
“If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert,
in 5 years there’d be a shortage of sand.”
Milton Friedman
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled