Spencer
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STAIRS FOR CARPORT ATTIC--IDEAS
- Thread starter KRECKER
- Start date
- Views: 11634
Slamfire
Veteran Member
I think you Dad's solution is an excellent one. I would like to see a little more than a piano hinge holding the top in place though. But that' just me.
Junkman
Super Member
Spence,
Thanks for the pictures.
Now for some questions, so that I can figure out exactly what how he put it together.
The picture looking up the stairs show that the counterweight is sitting on the attic floor and not attached to the stairs.
Does he have to remove the counterweight from the stairs when he gets to the top and then put it back on when he goes back down?
The picture showing the counterweight attached to the stairs laying flat. Is the how the stairs look when in the up position?
How does he raise the stairs when he is finished with them?
The answers to these questions might be obviously by the photos, but sometimes I just can see things. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Don
Thanks for the pictures.
Now for some questions, so that I can figure out exactly what how he put it together.
The picture looking up the stairs show that the counterweight is sitting on the attic floor and not attached to the stairs.
Does he have to remove the counterweight from the stairs when he gets to the top and then put it back on when he goes back down?
The picture showing the counterweight attached to the stairs laying flat. Is the how the stairs look when in the up position?
How does he raise the stairs when he is finished with them?
The answers to these questions might be obviously by the photos, but sometimes I just can see things. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Don
Spencer
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</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I think you Dad's solution is an excellent one. I would like to see a little more than a piano hinge holding the top in place though. But that' just me. )</font>
Slamfire, I was just guessing that he used a large piano hinge. I am not sure and it is hard to tell in the photos. I haven't been down to Illinois to visit him since he built this last year so I haven't seen it in person.
Slamfire, I was just guessing that he used a large piano hinge. I am not sure and it is hard to tell in the photos. I haven't been down to Illinois to visit him since he built this last year so I haven't seen it in person.
Spencer
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2002
- Messages
- 1,267
- Location
- Western Michigan
- Tractor
- NH TC33D w/R4 Tires, Rear Remote, Hydraulic Toplink, 2 Auxiliary Work Lights, 7308 Loader w/Kasco Uni-Hitch (Quick Tach)
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The picture looking up the stairs show that the counterweight is sitting on the attic floor and not attached to the stairs.
Does he have to remove the counterweight from the stairs when he gets to the top and then put it back on when he goes back down? )</font>
My Dad emailed me these pictures while he was in the process of building the stairs. The photo looking up to the top of the stairs was taken before he completed the counterweight system. He just had the Rubbermaid container sitting off to the right in the photo.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The picture showing the counterweight attached to the stairs laying flat. Is the how the stairs look when in the up position? )</font>
Yes that is how it looks when the stairs are in the up position. that Rubbermaid container filled with sand does not have to be removed or replaced.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( How does he raise the stairs when he is finished with them? )</font>
I'm not sure but I assume he uses a pole with a loop on the end of it to catch some sort of hook on the stair just like the commercially available fold up ladder systems you can buy.
Does he have to remove the counterweight from the stairs when he gets to the top and then put it back on when he goes back down? )</font>
My Dad emailed me these pictures while he was in the process of building the stairs. The photo looking up to the top of the stairs was taken before he completed the counterweight system. He just had the Rubbermaid container sitting off to the right in the photo.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The picture showing the counterweight attached to the stairs laying flat. Is the how the stairs look when in the up position? )</font>
Yes that is how it looks when the stairs are in the up position. that Rubbermaid container filled with sand does not have to be removed or replaced.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( How does he raise the stairs when he is finished with them? )</font>
I'm not sure but I assume he uses a pole with a loop on the end of it to catch some sort of hook on the stair just like the commercially available fold up ladder systems you can buy.
rlk
Gold Member
Don, ask the people who are designing your trusses about cutting one for the stairway. Many times, they can or will engineer a solution for you while the trusses are being built. If they are already built, they could tell you whether it is o.k. to cut one or not.
Another option is to have an engineer design an opening for you. Quite often I see trusses that have been cut to accomodate stairways and chimneys. When they are cut, there are a lot of reinforcing added to the cut truss, as well as the ones on each side. As long as the company that made the trusses or a structural engineer designs the solution, you should not have a problem.
Bob
Another option is to have an engineer design an opening for you. Quite often I see trusses that have been cut to accomodate stairways and chimneys. When they are cut, there are a lot of reinforcing added to the cut truss, as well as the ones on each side. As long as the company that made the trusses or a structural engineer designs the solution, you should not have a problem.
Bob
wroughtn_harv
Super Member
A great idea is to find a forklift mast. They can be had with some searching for a hundred to three hundred dollars. Then a twelve volt hydraulic pump and a little creativity and you have an elevator.
I have one customer who has such a system in his garage. This has allowed him to convert a hollow unused space over the garage into a wonderful wood working shop. The mast is against the back wall so it really isn't a problem in the garage.
Another friend is taking that concept to it's extreme. I built him a twelve hundred square foot attic in his six thousand square foot shop. He found a two post hydraulic lift.
We're plumbing the forklift mast (elevator) to run off the hydraulic pump that operates the two post. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I have one customer who has such a system in his garage. This has allowed him to convert a hollow unused space over the garage into a wonderful wood working shop. The mast is against the back wall so it really isn't a problem in the garage.
Another friend is taking that concept to it's extreme. I built him a twelve hundred square foot attic in his six thousand square foot shop. He found a two post hydraulic lift.
We're plumbing the forklift mast (elevator) to run off the hydraulic pump that operates the two post. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Great idea, Harv. I have an old (~1948) Hyster that hasn't run in a few years since the brakes went out. The old Wisconsin air-cooled V6 never ran right - couldn't get it to idle down. Never had time to mess with it. I've been debating whether to fool with it or dismantle it.
