Restored Library Ladder

This is an old Western Electric ladder that actually had two side connected at the top to form an "A" frame type ladder that was used in the warehouse. It is 13' feet tall.

I took the ladder completely apart and cut 5' feet off. Every thing was sanded lightly with 220 grit sand paper.

The handle also had to be cut down. All the parts were cleaned up and painted with Rust-Oleum Pewter paint.

All the parts were individually finished with 3 coats of Minwax Polyurethane. After the second coat everything was lightly sanded to smooth out any bubbles and raised grain. Then the 3rd finish coat was applied.

Instead of purchasing expensive ladder hardware I made my own. I used old iron sliding door track brackets from the 1950's I had laying around. Black pipe from Lowes. I steel wheeled everything to get paint, dirt and grime off. I measured the book case to know where the brackets would need to fall then replicated on my shop wall so everything could be welded up in the right spot and nice and straight. The track is 15" long. It was painted with Rust-Oleum Pewter.

I bought an antique set of wheels on Ebay for $50 and cleaned, painted with Rust-Oleum Pewter and put new 1/4 rubber on that I bought from Graniger Industrial Supply for $10

The ladder turned out great and in the end the whole thing cost less than $200. A big cost difference from the $800 kits you can by plus it has some history.