Want to make sliding ladder for library shelving

[trumpetmonkey]

Anyone made this kind of rolling ladder before?
I was surprised to find Hafele and other big suppliers don't stock the ironmongery to make one of those rolling ladders.

I found exactly what I want here: http://www.rollinglibraryladderkits.com/ but it's only in america!

Closest I could find is here: http://www.ladderstore.com/special-acce ... dders.html but more industrial than the domestic project I've been asked to do, and it is not demountable - ladder has to stay at an angle.

Or they do a tube system, and shafting hooks on the end of the ladder, so it can slide along - if a little less smoothly - and be unhooked. http://www.ladderstore.com/ladders/shelf-ladders.html

Anyone know any better options in the uk, like the american one above?

 

[goldeneyedmonkey]

those shafting hooks sound painful

 

[DTR]

Please let us know how you get on. Grace is insisting that I make a ladder for the so-far nonexistent bookcase...

 

[trumpetmonkey]

Please let us know how you get on. Grace is insisting that I make a ladder for the so-far nonexistent bookcase...

I am thinking to get the ladders themselves made to order by ladderstore.com, seems worthwhile, fairly good price.

 

[jasonB]

I did look into it a while ago for a job I did with 14ft high bookshelves. In the end the client decided against it as the ladders tend to stick out into the room a lot and take up valuable space particularly as they would have been needed for two walls.

As it is they seldom need to get to the top shelf stuff - mostly paperbacks that have been read anyway so if they want access they just bring in steps or a ladder from the garage.

J

 

[AndyT]

One alternative is the library chair which can flip over to make a set of steps. I have a design for this in a reprint of Peter Hasluck's Handyman's Book. I could scan the pages if anyone wants.

I thought I'd seen this book on-line but couldn't find it. I did find a reference from the Old-House Journal on Google which shows what I mean, alongside the rolling ladder option:

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=... chair steps wood&pg=PA94#v=onepage&q&f=false