Saturday, April 18

Homemade ramps and stuff

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Spent quite a lot of time yesterday placing and setting-up these ramps for my elec. chair. The ramp on the left was *originally* on the outside of the other door because there's an actual step when you walk out. That bench with the cat on it replaced a much longer sofa (hide-a-bed) that made it impossible for the chair to even get to the ramp. The kitchen is sunk-in so there's a step that the chair can't go up without a ramp even if I could get down into it. Since the bathroom door is too small for the chair anyway, I put the ramp here instead. Up the ramp and to the right is another door leading to the porch outside, that doesn't have a step, which leads down the porch to the ramp on the right. Now I need to build a ramp to go in and out of the van that's not too long, but strong enough to support a 300 pound-ISH chair with me in it. I have a plywood sheet that I'm thinking I could add 2-by-4's to the underside of to strengthen it. Not sure I have any 2-by-4's left TO use. Hmm... Ideas anyone?
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2 comments:

Lee said...

Todd is this something you are needing now or planning for the future? It is just weird to me cuz i read about the stuff you do and never (really honestly)envision you having physical challenges!

Todd said...

It's for the future for the most part. But since my dad willed the chair to me I like to ride it around. I figured I'd just make it so I could go more places inside the house, then I thought about going to check the mail in it and needed to be able to get off and back on the porch. I do have trouble if I need to walk around for long periods (more than 5 - 10 minutes) without sitting down. So I figure if we want to go to the mall, I could just take the chair 'just in case'. Clear as mud? :-)