How to build a wheelchair ramp?

Noyade

Heading for surgery next month and need a wheelchair ramp for an indoor step that I will only need for two weeks hence I'm using scrap plywood.

I'm trying and failing to cut an acute angle where the ramp meets the floor. The plywood is 1110 mm long and 900 mm wide with the step being 160 mm in height. I am an overweight man.

This is what I've managed - but I intended to cut the black line. Overestimated the table saw's capabilities.

Thoughts?

Advice?

luckyphil

Late to the party, as usual. There's always a contributor who says "don't do that, do something else". It's me on this occasion. Have you considered renting what you need? That has the virtue of no workshop stress and a proven off the shelf solution. Not recommending, just suggesting. I've watched the struggles of a quadriplegic family member, so I sympathise with you. Hope it all goes well.

EricL

Hello @luckyphil

Thanks for adding your suggestion to the wheelchair ramp project. Let me tag @Noyade to make him aware of your recommendations. Renting is definitely a viable option, my only worry is that there are so many variables to cover with a ramp, I'm not sure if there is one that is custom fit.

Eric

EricL

Hello @Noyade

I was thinking about your ramp assembly and I believe if you add handrails that would allow you to pull yourself up the ramp. I've drawn up a diagram, have a look and tell me if it will work with your one-legged scooter.

Eric

Noyade

Morning @luckyphil

"Have you considered renting what you need?"

You mean a ramp? There are six 'mobility' stores in town. Three don't rent anything - you buy. Some sold ramps which are designed for motorised scooters but very pricey and over engineered for what I want. Nothing in the wheelchair department that has a 1:10 ratio or greater.

But the biggest problem is the space I have to fit anything - very limited - without occluding the very door I need to access and extending the ramp almost to the back door.

There is no escaping the fact I have built a small rocket-launcher.

I did see this folding ramp online.

Note the specifications. They're recommending for 152 cm a maximum height of 13cm. Using my step, which is higher, I estimate using the same gradient I need plywood somewhere around 2.2-2.4m in length.

Something like the tape measure...

Rocket launcher in the distance.

"Hope it all goes well."

Thanks Phil! 😁

Noyade

G'day Eric. @EricL

I'm getting a free trial with a knee scooter soon - I'll let you know.

luckyphil

Hi @Noyade

Oh dear☹️

Not a happy state of affairs.

The rocket launcher looks fine, but, usable only by an athlete or a powered chair.

If anything occurs, I'll speak up, but perhaps more tentatively😊

Cheers

Phil

Noyade

Afternoon Eric. @EricL

"I've drawn up a diagram, have a look and tell me if it will work with your one-legged scooter."

Thanks for that Eric. In the end the knee-scooter worked well with the ramp and I never used the wheelchair. The only catch was, that to prevent the possibility of a post-operative DVT they recommended a TED stocking on the good foot which would sometimes slip on the ramp - but solved by wearing a shoe - comical.

Overall a valuable lesson learnt on the importance of gradients when designing/building wheelchair ramps. 😁

Cheers!

EricL

Hi @Noyade

Thank you very much for the update, It's good to know the knee scooter will work with your ramp.

Get well soon.

Eric

Noyade

G'day Eric! @EricL

"Get well soon."

Thanks Eric. Appreciated.

Better progress with the moon-boot this week.

Cheers!