• Pole with forked end.

    From Simon Simple@nothanks@nottoday.co.uk to uk.d-i-y on Sun May 17 09:59:23 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    I have a loft ladder which is a single section. It stows and is
    deployed using a simple long hinge mechanism.

    I had thought to use some sort of remote controlled winch to deploy and
    stow it, but doing it manually isn't a problem and is certainly simpler.
    At the moment, I use a length of 2x1 with a couple of screws forming a
    V at the end to hold the lower rung. That works just fine but isn't pretty.

    The loft hatch opens using an ordinary window pole closer/opener, but
    that won't grip a rung. What I'd like is something, perhaps brass, to
    go on the other end of the pole but with some sort of forked end.

    "Rowlocks!", I hear you say, and that's a distinct possibility, but I
    can't help thinking there must be something more like the window opener,
    and anyway, I don't fancy my chances of drilling a wooden pole well
    enough to fit a rowlock.

    Anything out there?
    --
    SS



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  • From Andy Burns@usenet@andyburns.uk to uk.d-i-y on Sun May 17 10:10:46 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    Simon Simple wrote:

    I have a loft ladder which is a single section.

    The loft hatch opens using an ordinary window pole closer/opener, but
    that won't grip a rung.-a What I'd like is something, perhaps brass, to
    go on the other end of the pole but with some sort of forked end.

    Or attach a sash pull-ring under the bottom rung and use the same end of
    the pole for both ladder and hatch?

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  • From Bernard Peek@bap@shrdlu.com to uk.d-i-y on Sun May 17 10:14:58 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 2026-05-17, Simon Simple <nothanks@nottoday.co.uk> wrote:

    "Rowlocks!", I hear you say, and that's a distinct possibility, but I
    can't help thinking there must be something more like the window opener,
    and anyway, I don't fancy my chances of drilling a wooden pole well
    enough to fit a rowlock.

    Anything out there?

    I have such a device, it was originally used to lift hangers from the rails
    of a wardrobe.
    --
    Bernard Peek
    bap@shrdlu.com
    Wigan
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  • From Jeff Layman@Jeff@invalid.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Sun May 17 11:18:09 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 17/05/2026 09:59, Simon Simple wrote:
    I have a loft ladder which is a single section. It stows and is
    deployed using a simple long hinge mechanism.

    I had thought to use some sort of remote controlled winch to deploy and
    stow it, but doing it manually isn't a problem and is certainly simpler.
    At the moment, I use a length of 2x1 with a couple of screws forming a
    V at the end to hold the lower rung. That works just fine but isn't pretty.

    The loft hatch opens using an ordinary window pole closer/opener, but
    that won't grip a rung. What I'd like is something, perhaps brass, to
    go on the other end of the pole but with some sort of forked end.

    Clothes (coat) hook screwed to near end of the pole?
    --
    Jeff
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Abandoned Trolley@that.bloke@microsoft.com to uk.d-i-y on Sun May 17 12:41:28 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 17/05/2026 11:14, Bernard Peek wrote:
    On 2026-05-17, Simon Simple <nothanks@nottoday.co.uk> wrote:

    "Rowlocks!", I hear you say, and that's a distinct possibility, but I
    can't help thinking there must be something more like the window opener,
    and anyway, I don't fancy my chances of drilling a wooden pole well
    enough to fit a rowlock.

    Anything out there?

    I have such a device, it was originally used to lift hangers from the rails of a wardrobe.





    is this the bit where we find out what a "cleft stick" is ?
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  • From Simon Simple@nothanks@nottoday.co.uk to uk.d-i-y on Sun May 17 12:55:06 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 17/05/2026 11:18, Jeff Layman wrote:
    On 17/05/2026 09:59, Simon Simple wrote:
    I have a loft ladder which is a single section.-a It stows and is
    deployed using a simple long hinge mechanism.

    I had thought to use some sort of remote controlled winch to deploy and
    stow it, but doing it manually isn't a problem and is certainly simpler.
    -a-a At the moment, I use a length of 2x1 with a couple of screws forming a >> V at the end to hold the lower rung.-a That works just fine but isn't
    pretty.

    The loft hatch opens using an ordinary window pole closer/opener, but
    that won't grip a rung.-a What I'd like is something, perhaps brass, to
    go on the other end of the pole but with some sort of forked end.

    Clothes (coat) hook screwed to near end of the pole?


    Good idea, and I have one to try. Unfortunately it isn't big enough to
    go around the rung, but I might be able to find a bigger one.
    --
    SS

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  • From Simon Simple@nothanks@nottoday.co.uk to uk.d-i-y on Sun May 17 12:53:04 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 17/05/2026 10:10, Andy Burns wrote:
    Simon Simple wrote:

    I have a loft ladder which is a single section.
    The loft hatch opens using an ordinary window pole closer/opener, but
    that won't grip a rung.-a What I'd like is something, perhaps brass, to
    go on the other end of the pole but with some sort of forked end.

    Or attach a sash pull-ring under the bottom rung and use the same end of
    the pole for both ladder and hatch?


    Good idea, but I think a fixed ring wouldn't allow the rotation I need.
    You pull the ladder back horizontally so it's above the opening, then
    hold the weight while you lower it, rotating your tool as necessary.

    Fixed width font. Hinge at top of ladder and at bottom of board. Not
    even slightly to scale.

    __/\
    Ladder __/ \ Board
    __/ \ Board
    _/ \__ _________.__
    ====== ================Ceiling======= /==============
    /
    Stowed / Deployed
    Ladder /
    /
    / ##########################Floor############################
    --
    SS
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  • From Jeff Layman@Jeff@invalid.invalid to uk.d-i-y on Sun May 17 13:08:28 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 17/05/2026 12:55, Simon Simple wrote:
    On 17/05/2026 11:18, Jeff Layman wrote:
    On 17/05/2026 09:59, Simon Simple wrote:
    I have a loft ladder which is a single section.-a It stows and is
    deployed using a simple long hinge mechanism.

    I had thought to use some sort of remote controlled winch to deploy and
    stow it, but doing it manually isn't a problem and is certainly simpler. >>> -a-a At the moment, I use a length of 2x1 with a couple of screws forming a
    V at the end to hold the lower rung.-a That works just fine but isn't
    pretty.

    The loft hatch opens using an ordinary window pole closer/opener, but
    that won't grip a rung.-a What I'd like is something, perhaps brass, to
    go on the other end of the pole but with some sort of forked end.

    Clothes (coat) hook screwed to near end of the pole?


    Good idea, and I have one to try. Unfortunately it isn't big enough to
    go around the rung, but I might be able to find a bigger one.

    Put a small piece of wood between the pole and hook to widen the gap so
    that it will fit round the rung.
    --
    Jeff
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  • From Joe@joe@jretrading.com to uk.d-i-y on Sun May 17 13:25:35 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On Sun, 17 May 2026 12:53:04 +0100
    Simon Simple <nothanks@nottoday.co.uk> wrote:
    On 17/05/2026 10:10, Andy Burns wrote:
    Simon Simple wrote:

    I have a loft ladder which is a single section.
    The loft hatch opens using an ordinary window pole closer/opener,
    but that won't grip a rung.-a What I'd like is something, perhaps
    brass, to go on the other end of the pole but with some sort of
    forked end.

    Or attach a sash pull-ring under the bottom rung and use the same
    end of the pole for both ladder and hatch?


    Good idea, but I think a fixed ring wouldn't allow the rotation I
    need. You pull the ladder back horizontally so it's above the
    opening, then hold the weight while you lower it, rotating your tool
    as necessary.

    Fixed width font. Hinge at top of ladder and at bottom of board.
    Not even slightly to scale.

    __/\
    Ladder __/ \ Board
    __/ \ Board
    _/ \__ _________.__
    ====== ================Ceiling======= /==============
    /
    Stowed / Deployed
    Ladder /
    /
    / ##########################Floor############################

    My loft ladder has what looks like a bolt staple riveted to the bottom
    rung, operated by a pole with just a right-angle hook. The pole is
    variously pulled, pushed and dragged sideways in the course of moving
    the ladder up and down. The ladder moves between horizontal and nearly
    vertical and slides along a pivoting bracket at the edge of the
    opening.
    --
    Joe
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  • From John Rumm@see.my.signature@nowhere.null to uk.d-i-y on Mon May 18 23:44:20 2026
    From Newsgroup: uk.d-i-y

    On 17/05/2026 12:55, Simon Simple wrote:
    On 17/05/2026 11:18, Jeff Layman wrote:
    On 17/05/2026 09:59, Simon Simple wrote:
    I have a loft ladder which is a single section.-a It stows and is
    deployed using a simple long hinge mechanism.

    I had thought to use some sort of remote controlled winch to deploy and
    stow it, but doing it manually isn't a problem and is certainly simpler. >>> -a-a At the moment, I use a length of 2x1 with a couple of screws
    forming a
    V at the end to hold the lower rung.-a That works just fine but isn't
    pretty.

    The loft hatch opens using an ordinary window pole closer/opener, but
    that won't grip a rung.-a What I'd like is something, perhaps brass, to
    go on the other end of the pole but with some sort of forked end.

    Clothes (coat) hook screwed to near end of the pole?


    Good idea, and I have one to try.-a Unfortunately it isn't big enough to
    go around the rung, but I might be able to find a bigger one.


    Would a 3D printed "end" for the pole do the trick?
    --
    Cheers,

    John.

    /=================================================================\
    | Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk | |-----------------------------------------------------------------|
    | John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk | \=================================================================/
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