[StBernard] ladder seat

Westley Annis westley at da-parish.com
Fri Feb 9 21:14:13 EST 2007


* one 6' x 1' board 3/4" or 1" thick
* one 2-1/2' wooden dowel about 1-1/2 inches in diameter
* several 2-1/2" deck screws
* two large eye hooks
* one snap clip
* two to four 2-1/2' bolts with wing nuts and washers (to attach the
seat to the ladder)
* ladder (we used a 6 foot wooden ladder)

<http://www.momsminivan.com/extras/paradeladderseat.gif>

The board I used was rounded on one edge which made it nice so that it was
comfortable for the kids when their legs hung over the edge or they rested
their arms on the top. I cut the board into 4 pieces -- two 2-foot
sections (for the back and the seat) and two 1-foot sections (for the
sides). I pre-drilled holes and screwed the back and seat together at right
angles. Then I screwed the sides on. Next, I bored a 1-3/4" hole into each
side about 3 inches from the top and sides to accomodate the dowel which
acts as a safety bar so the kids don't fall out if they lean forward. (I
borrowed the hole-boring tool from a neighbor. It's a small item that
attaches to a regular drill).

<http://www.momsminivan.com/extras/paradeladder-clip.jpg> I attached one
eyehook to one side of the wooden dowel near the end, and one right to the
side of the box. This acts as a removable safety bar. When the safety bar is
in place, I use a snap clip to hold the eyehooks together, and keep the bar
locked. This prevents the children from accidentally moving the bar out of
place while they are seated. Then I did an optional step and rounded the
corners on the front of the sides with the jig saw to make it easier to pull
with the wheels and to get rid of the hard corner so the kids don't bump it
when getting in and out of it.

Next, I drilled two holes into the seat area and right through the top of
the ladder, to accommodate the 2-1/2" bolts. Using the wing nuts, this is
how we attach the box to the top of the ladder. The wing nuts make it easy
to remove the seat from the ladder so you can use the ladder for other
things during the off season. Be sure to position the seat carefully so
that it will be well balanced in all directions.

That's it! We painted and decorated ours with Mardi Gras streamers for extra
fun. I'm sure there are many other variations, but this was our result. We
have already used it at a Mardi Gras parade, and it was lots of fun.

Remember that ladders are required to be as many feet back from the curb as
the height of the ladder to prevent falling ladders from throwing occupants
into the path of an oncoming float. The ladder is a great way for the
parent to see the parade too by just standing a couple of steps up on the
back. You'll need to be there to help small children catch their throws
anyway. Also remember that a parent should always stay with the ladder when
children are seated in it. Do not leave them unattended, even for a second!



<http://www.momsminivan.com/extras/paradeladder-pic3.jpg> Other
customizations people often add to their Mardi Gras seats:

* Cushion or carpeting for seat comfort
* Wheels attached to the top of the back -- this makes it easy to pull
the whole ladder with the box already attached. If you have to walk a long
way to the Mardi Gras parade! You can also strap your cooler onto the ladder
while you're pulling it. We recently added wheels to our ladderseat and it
makes it so much easier to pull the whole ladder with the seat already
attached.
* Cup holders
* Big net to catch Mardi Gras beads
* Instead of a dowel, some people use a small board on a hinge for the
safety bar.
* Small hooks to hang beads or snacks or other things.
* Safety strap from the bar going between the child's legs, to the
bottom of the seat. This helps prevent a small child from slipping under the
bar.
* Seat belts




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