Building the Oxctagon Pt.35 The ladder arrives [damaged!]

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After waiting an extra day, because the original ladder was bent in transit, the second one proved to be bent as well. The quality of the ladder itself was fine. It perfectly matched my needs as to its exact height to the top step and the 60cm /2' width was very generous. 

The 1m [40"] handrail extensions and the height of the handrails from the ladder side rails was also perfect to match the geometry of their installation. Some ladders go mad with handrails and raise them to ridiculous proportions above the ladder. 

The entire ladder is made of aluminium profiles, all [neatly] welded construction and with generous diameter stainless steel[?] handrails. There is nothing to rust over time. The treads are ribbed and also of generous depth at 4." It felt rock solid and very secure when set up against the shed gable end. All of my builder's ladders seem almost flimsy in comparison.

However, both handrail extensions and side rails were bent at the top tread by a fall or heavy object impact on the side rail[s]. One bent outward and the other a matching angle inwards. A deep dent/scratch at the site of the bend strongly suggests a heavy impact or fall was the most likely cause. The wrapping of welded polythene was well holed from careless storage or transit.

I have contacted the dealer, with several attached images of the damage, and await a response.

In order to fit the ladder, with minimum internal obstruction to the observatory, I had to move a joist. In steadily falling drizzle I worked my way all over the structure removing screws. Off came three of the veranda perimeter joists too. Just so that I could reach the screws in the joists hangers at each end. Finally I was able to move the joist towards the western support posts. Doing so by enough to allow the ladder handrail extensions to just reach the outside wall. A proper brace will be needed just there.

BTW: If Jumbo's technical, telephone expert, or any of Jumbo's Danish dealers are reading this: The lean angle of Jumbo warehouse ladders [Dk.lagerstige] when the treads are horizontal is 70°. Not a lot of people know this.

Saturday: Spent a while distributing gravel across the site to stop sand being carried everywhere on my footwear. The bare sand was even splashing up on the timbers when it rained. Finished just in time before a downpour. That will help to clean the gravel of any fine dust. So it will be even cleaner to walk on. It certainly looks a lot smarter and is much smoother to walk on.

Spend some time later re-fixing the veranda, perimeter joists. It is difficult to reach the outer corners where no ladder can rest. I need to move more obs. floor joists to cater for the pyramidal pier and new ladder.

I plan to have an access trapdoor which is hinged just behind the top ladder tread. The trapdoor will drop down between the extended handrails to rest on slightly extended joists between the pyramid legs. It is difficult to provide support when anything placed there obstructs my climbing the ladder. I have tried temporary battens to check headroom and there isn't a lot to spare under the pyramid. A more normal, column type pier would make an awful lot more sense. I just don't want to get involved in concrete foundations. So I will just have to put up with what I have built. I may even think of something else altogether for a new pier.

Click on any image for an enlargement.

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