In the above quick video Bill Anderson and I show how Roy Underhill’s famous “folding ladder” works. Roy’s design is based on a folding ladder used by Thomas Jefferson at Monticello. You can learn more about Thomas Jefferson’s folding ladder here.

Thomas-Jefferson-Folding-Ladder-Roy-Underhill-Woodwright2

Here’s the best price for the season 8 DVD of “The Woodwright’s Shop” where Roy shows how to build this ladder: here or here. You can also download the single episode here for around $5.

Thomas-Jefferson-Folding-Ladder-Roy-Underhill-Woodwright-Bill-Anderson

What amazing woodworking inventions have you discovered?

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Jason Hammond
Jason Hammond
October 1, 2014 3:06 pm

In Roy’s book “The Woodwright’s Eclectic Workshop” 1991 Chapel Hill Press, page 87 he gives exact dimentions of the ladder, rungs, grooves and all and some of its history. The only thing I could see with the ladder is its width. I’m afraid it would be to narrow for my big feet. If you made the rungs wider then they would probably be spaced too far apart to step up on the next rung. I know after seeing that episode… Read more »

Jason Hammond
Jason Hammond
Reply to  Joshua Farnsworth
October 2, 2014 8:07 pm

Wow! I’m afraid I’d be at Montecello most weekends. One of these days I’ll see Mt. Vernon, John Adams’ Peacefield, Montecello, and Hammond-Harwood House in Annapolis Md. Hammond-Harwood was built by a nephew of my 4× great grand father. Thomas Jefferson visited Hammond -Harwood and found Matthew Buckland’s design very pleasing. Matthew Buckland designed Gunston Hall, George Mason’s home who had a Jefferson folding ladder in his library as well.

Matthew Lee
October 8, 2014 11:24 am

Thanks for posting this. Very clever indeed. That design is beyond what I can do with the limited tools I have. But the picture of the one by Jefferson or his woodworker is within reach. Here: http://www.monticello.org/site/house-and-gardens/folding-ladder The design is somewhat different, it appears simpler to me at least. In plan view, the sides of the ladder are “L” shaped. And the rungs of the ladder just run between the two “L’s” which are turned opposite directions. The rungs appear… Read more »

Matthew Lee
October 8, 2014 11:31 am

p.s. Tried to send you a message through your contact form, but it wouldn’t go through, it seemed to just keep thinking…. with a few arrows going in circles indicating it was processing, but never sent the message. No big deal, just thought you’d want to know. Maybe its just my computer?

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