Ghetto-Portable stair lift

[Andy]

Been a while since I made a "build thread", so here I go...

I found the need to get down about 5 steps into a basement. I was thinking of going super-ghetto with a sheet of plywood and brute force, but that was really sketchy after measuring and visualizing how that would work out. While doing this, a buddy of mine went looking on Facebook for used stairlifts after I lamented that Craigslist seemed to only have stairlifts made of gold, or more reasonable sellers seeming to like forgetting putting contact info into their ad. Anyway, after he threw out a low-ball offer to one Facebook seller he found, I jumped on that one it seemed so good to me.

Got my hands on a 10 month old, allegedly used one or twice before the previous owner died, Bruno lift. I think $300 was a pretty good deal, the batteries should be good for a couple years more I think before added expense of needing to replace those. It definitely works, last night we ran the chair off the tracks for easier handling.

The current plan is to mount the chairlift track onto some 4X6 I already have on hand, throw that track onto the offending staircase, and plop the chair onto the track for some brilliant portable lift engineering. Of course since the track I believe is too long for the span I'm traversing...and I'm not cutting it down, things should look like a villain's lair in a 1960's Batman episode.

Anyway...on to the photos of this 'project'...

I done gone fetched it:

[Andy]

It sure is pretty much 'as new'. I even downloaded the Bruno installation manual for 'enlightened' installation technique! 911 on speed dial just in case:

[nick]

Been a while since I made a "build thread", so here I go...

I found the need to get down about 5 steps into a basement. I was thinking of going super-ghetto with a sheet of plywood and brute force, but that was really sketchy after measuring and visualizing how that would work out. While doing this, a buddy of mine went looking on Facebook for used stairlifts after I lamented that Craigslist seemed to only have stairlifts made of gold, or more reasonable sellers seeming to like forgetting putting contact info into their ad. Anyway, after he threw out a low-ball offer to one Facebook seller he found, I jumped on that one it seemed so good to me.

Got my hands on a 10 month old, allegedly used one or twice before the previous owner died, Bruno lift. I think $300 was a pretty good deal, the batteries should be good for a couple years more I think before added expense of needing to replace those. It definitely works, last night we ran the chair off the tracks for easier handling.

The current plan is to mount the chairlift track onto some 4X6 I already have on hand, throw that track onto the offending staircase, and plop the chair onto the track for some brilliant portable lift engineering. Of course since the track I believe is too long for the span I'm traversing...and I'm not cutting it down, things should look like a villain's lair in a 1960's Batman episode.

Anyway...on to the photos of this 'project'...

I done gone fetched it:

That buddy of yours is one amazing guy, huh?
Just saying is all! 😉☺️

I say let?s drink some 🍻 and both give that lift the true testimate of fate! LOL.....
Still can?t believe she was completely fine selling that at such a crazy low-ball offer.
Did you see the 4pm news? A little 6 year old boy is stranded in his garage from accessing the house..... LOL......
Your basement have a bedroom and bathroom by chance? I may go get him. Show him what was lost for $3. LMAO!!
Enjoy your new toy and tinkering around to access your basement in well over a decade now, almost two!

[Andy]

Haha, yeah, thanks! Sure came in handy getting that cheap lift. Cant beat that it is pretty much brand new.

This afternoon we got the track setup done. Amazing workmanship using some 4x6 (3.5x5.5 in actuality). Went to put the seat on, tried to power it down the track apparently misaligned, no workie any more. Traced to a blown fuse, of which I had no spares on hand. Know better now to remove a section of gear rack out of the track for next time, lol.


Anyway, got dark, no parts, job for my next "weekend". So hopefully a picture of today's master craftsmanship will hold things over till next week...

[nonoise]

Nice find Andy. What is your reluctance about cutting the track? I cut my bruno track. You just have to pay attention to how it was built.

[metronycguy]

nice price, I have been looking at some for my father on craiglist and had a bruno installer give a $$$$sales pitch.
how are you going to anchor that piece?

[Andy]

Nice find Andy. What is your reluctance about cutting the track? I cut my bruno track. You just have to pay attention to how it was built.

Really lazy. It is pretty close already to what I think is a proper length. Maybe a foot long? I have to see what it looks like once we get it working again and in place in the stair area. I still have to read the manual for recommended track installing, just skimmed it so far. Will read it once I print it out and have time to study it

nice price, I have been looking at some for my father on craiglist and had a bruno installer give a $$$$sales pitch.
how are you going to anchor that piece?

No anchoring. The short piece of wood is on the first top step, the bottom longer piece goes on the landing area. Totally temporary install where it will be removed after what I need to do down there is done. I'm thinking I'm going to make a charge plug so it doesn't have to sit on the track to charge the batteries also.

I'm wondering, I think this has the stock 8 foot track, what kind of quote did you get from the sales guy? All I get is 2-5k from the internet with 'call for quote' from Bruno websites. I'm real curious what exactly this thing does cost new, without actually talking with some used car salesman type, lol

[Andy]

Lazy man works twice as hard

Got a bunch accomplished today...rigged up a charging solution that doesn't involve keeping the seat on the track (3M taps connecting the charger direct to the charge leads). And reconfigured the mechanism back to a "left" orientation for this application.

And there is were laziness comes back to haunt you. I was thinking I'd just plop the track onto the stairs and off I go, no such luck. It does work, my buddy rode it fine. But the track flexes quite a bit. And when I transferred on it, with some maybe 60 lbs on my buddy...the thing really scares me, lol. I didn't try to actually use it. The instructions do recommend more than 2 footings, seems they really do know better. And with the track so horizontal, it accentuates the twist from excessive bulk from the idiot on board.

So now I'm going to actually cut maybe 2 feet out of the track so it follows the grade of the stairs. And add a 3rd footing to the track. This should drastically reduce the sketchiness and improve the portability of the unit. Job for tomorrow, maybe. Right now I'm sick of this "easy" job, lol. Lots of cutting and measuring needed, in that order

Thrill ride:

[Andy]

Maybe I should just dive down there? Be easier and all!

[Andy]

Lots and lots of room for easy transfers. (mid-way photo to record where stuff goes just in case those 'extra parts' mysteriously appear).

[nonoise]

I'm puzzled why you don't leave the chair on the rail 24/7 and let it stay charged on it's home stations. You must be pretty strong to even consider hauling and placing the chair on the track just to go downstairs every time.

[Andy]

Tenants need to go down the hole to do laundry. I just need it to do some boiler work and checking around. Totally temporary need. I got a guy to haul it around so that isn't really too much of an issue. If it wasn't an apartment building, yeah, it would probably be a permanent install, but that stairway needs to be clear

[nonoise]

Tenants need to go down the hole to do laundry. I just need it to do some boiler work and checking around. Totally temporary need. I got a guy to haul it around so that isn't really too much of an issue. If it wasn't an apartment building, yeah, it would probably be a permanent install, but that stairway needs to be clear

Ah, that makes sense. Back when you posted your drone fly around the neighborhood video it looked like a single family house.

[Andy]

Behold, version 2 of the track setup. The thought did cross my mind to put the 4th footing on also, but only after getting the mess on the stairs. And by then I was not too enthusiastic to muck around with this even more. The transfer up top is where strength is needed, on the bottom I will have room to be more gentle so the flexing doesn't scare me. So for now I'm claiming that the more vertical angle will aid with twisting forces, and the shorter span and extra footing should really make it solid. Yeah, that's the ticket!

There is also a bonus 1x3? at the bottom to address any sliding issues, this thing is getting fancy!

Pretty sore from yesterday, so just the track was completed today. Testing for function will be next week during my next 'weekend'

[mikeinbmore]

Thoroughly entertaining thread. Thank you!