Work Desk… on a Stepladder

Is it necessary to prove that working on a stepladder becomes much more convenient if the necessary tools are always at hand? For example, on a shelf fitted onto the upper bow of the stepladder. Its design is simple: only six parts, not counting washers and rivets — a tray, two clamps, two hooks, and a rod.

I formed the tray from a metal sheet on a special plywood form measuring 262x237x25 mm. I rounded all corners and edges to a radius of 10 mm (accuracy was checked with a plywood template 4 mm thick). I finished the form surface with a file and sandpaper. In addition, during forming I also used a backing pad — a plywood sheet measuring 245x220x15 mm.

Now about the forming itself. On a blank measuring 305x280x1.5 mm, stepping back 20 mm from the edges, I marked with a scribe the lines along which the form was set; with a radius of 15 mm I marked the tray corners, cut them off, and dulled the sharp edges.

Then I clamped the aluminum sheet between the form and the backing pad in clamps and carefully bent the edges with a mallet. After thorough forming I filed the edges of the resulting tray and drilled four holes Ø 4.2 mm in them; I removed the burrs with a drill of a larger diameter.

Next I cut blanks measuring 110×100 mm from a steel sheet 1.4 mm thick, and from them — the clamps: right and left. I also dulled the sharp edges with a file and drilled holes Ø 4.2 and 6.2 mm. Then, in a vise on a rod Ø 27 mm, I bent the clamps: the right one as shown in the drawing, and the left one as a mirror image. Likewise, in the vise, I bent the tabs.

I riveted the clamps to the tray as a hinged joint, using annealed rivets with semicircular heads and six washers — plain bearings (the rivets and washers are steel).

In addition, I connected the clamps with a steel rod Ø 6 and 235 mm long. I tinned both of its ends and soldered them into the holes in the lugs (also previously tinned).

The slip-on hooks are made from one drawing: only the left hook is shown; the right one is bent in the opposite direction. The material for them is metal (a strip 16 mm wide and 2 mm thick). Steel can also be used.

I rounded the ends of the blanks to a radius of 8 mm, drilled holes Ø 4.2 mm in them, and cut slots 6 mm wide at a 45° angle to the side of the hooks.

As with the clamps, I riveted the hooks to the tray as a hinged joint, using the same rivets and washers.

To adjust the shelf, I fitted it by its clamps onto the upper bow of the stepladder, hooked the hooks onto the rod, and slightly bent them — the shelf took a horizontal position. Then I thoroughly washed the finished product in hot soapy water, dried it, and painted it.

“M-K” 8’86, V. KHRYPOV