Mom's Ramp

Our weather, starting yesterday and going through the weekend to Monday, is going to be very nice with temperatures in the 70's ºF, and that's real good for us in October.  Because of that, it's an ideal weekend to get all the yard work done that we can before winter.  I'll still have leaves to deal with and then cleaning the gutters, but pots, plants, gardens, the water hose and compost all were tended to today before the snow and freeze comes to stay and temperatures make outside work more a bit more miserable.  I planned ahead this week and took Friday off work to take advantage of the weather and to see my wonderful and only sister.  I'd been planning to go down to my Mom's new place again this weekend but my sister was going to be there Thursday, overnight until about midday Friday, so a good excuse to go down to Mom's a day early to see her and still have two days to do everything stated above and a whole lot more here at our place.  My delivery had to be ready to go.

It took a couple hours of work in the garage every day starting early last weekend and after work every day this week (at my pace, I enjoy the process), but the ramp for my Mom's step down into the garage finally got finished on Thursday evening and loaded into the car for the next morning's road trip.  I think it turned out well, or as well as it could with this wooden design of mine.  The rails are good for helping balance, but I stressed they are not monkey bars.  I told her if for any reason she  decides she doesn't like it then I'll get her the one I found on Amazin made out of aluminum, but I think she knows I like these kinds of projects and it's more personal if I made it.  But this is really just me and my worrying, I know it will work very well for normal use and she seemed very pleased with it.

It was very nice to see my sister and meet her new boyfriend.  I say new because this was the first time I met him but they've been seeing each other for over a year now and things seem to be getting pretty serious.  He's a very nice fellow and I liked him a lot, so I hope it works out for her - and them.  I especially appreciated how nice and helpful he is with our mother, and I don't say that lightly.  Anyway, between us all we got Mom's list of chores knocked out pretty easily and we were able to go out to lunch before a few last touches, then we all went on our way and left Mom to maybe have a nap or enjoy regular tv again finally after the move, or whatever the hell she wants to do.  As I left I noticed her neighbor, who seemed to be cleaning out his very full garage, was closely watching our activity.  I'll have to ask Mom if there was a conversation after we left.  Or maybe I'm just being protective and nosy.  But I may still ask!

It's also a much easier drive now for me now, though a bit longer for my sister who is coming from Illinois.  The worst part of my drive is the Beltline right here in Madison, especially on weekdays, since we live on the opposite side of town than where I have to leave town.  I might have to figure out some different way to get out of town without going on that crowded, dangerous highway, but it will be back roads and take longer, for sure.  In my older age and now working from home for quite some time, I just hate too much driving and traffic, and now, especially, driving in traffic.  (Cue the old Mr. Magoo intro,..) "Traffic" in this contexts means busy, crowded, bumper to bumper sometimes, across 2 to 4 lanes of hell.  All depending on your tolerance, of course.

If you're interested, pictures of the whole build process are after the break.  Commentary added in the  captions for context and explanations.  For much of the build the garage door is shut because of the cold, though it was always daylight when I worked on it.  I have a small heater in the garage that helped some, but I'm glad it wasn't colder or later in the year.  Also thank you to my lovely wife who helped me with all this whenever I needed her without complaint.

I took measurements on my last visit, and we decided about 5 feet for the basic length down, so I started with cutting a 2x6 to about 5 foot corner to corner.  There was no degrees of angles calculated here.

I thought the sheet of plywood I've had in the garage was 3/4" but it was 1/2".  Not ideal, but lighter and would be strong enough.  Here it is cut to width but extra length, with the base starting to get framed.

The upside down base, framed, as I contemplate the diminishing angle.

I cut the length of it first with a couple different hand saws due to the sharp angle, then a bunch of rasping and sanding with the lowest grit I had.

This was tough, trying to get a sharp angle on 1/2 inch plywood, but was important because I did not want it to be a trip hazard at the bottom of the ramp.

  Eventually I deemed it the best I could do and moved on.

Here, I already have determined where to attach the base, but beforehand I wanted to do the slightly angled cutouts for the posts.  I wanted to make the outside clean - no bolts or wood sticking out.

The bottom of the ramp, attached to the base and with the post spaces cut out.  The posts you see here are just mock-ups, those are 8' 2x4's just leaning there.  Our waste bins have been my best work benches ever!

Posts cut to length, holes drilled and inset, and bolts going in.

The first look at what it will become.  I don't have good pictures of it, but I got metal brackets to accept the bottom of the lowest posts to secure them.  The nearest two posts on each side are bolted to the frame.  Mom wanted the rounded handrails instead of a 2x4 handrail, so I had extra plywood and made the top strips here.  It will add structure plus the handrail brackets needed more wood depth for the screw length.  (I would find out later the screws that came with the handrail brackets were as good as if made of plastic, they stripped so easily.  I used 1 5/8" screws that I already had, thankfully.)

With the halfway rail installed and looking at what to do with the handrail.  The midrail is for structure, but also safety, as is insetting the posts for more foot coverage outside.  I'd never done this before, but I was hoping I was doing it right.

After messaging with Mom and checking what I had, I lowered that top strip a couple inches on each side.  A good call and I'm glad I sent her preview pics.  Yes, the pic above before the midrail may be a bit of an optical illusion in height, but 37 inches would have been the lowest possible height, and we got that down to a more easy 35.5-36.  Then I removed the sides and trimmed top of the posts before adding the handrails here.  

Fully built but for the skid strips, unassembled for transport.

It never occurred to me to make sure it would fit in the car, but it did, and incredibly just about perfectly.  I had to move my drivers seat up about an inch, is all.  No matter, if not perfectly then diagonally on its side, but this was way better.

Fully assembled, but no pictures of adding the skid strips. I cut them to rough length and marked out the positioning the day before.  I didn't add them beforehand because I thought it was better to put stickers on in better temperatures, as we wonderfully had yesterday when I got to her place.  Plus, Mom's new garage has a built in heater.

This is it.  Mom gave it a try walking, pulling her little cart, and with her walker for when she will need it.  She gave it her overwhelming approval.

I love you, Mom!