The other day I made one more stilts

and decided to get confused on writing an article on their manufacture.

So, friends, I am ready to provide you with my article on making stilts.

To begin with, I made demonstrative pictures of what materials stilts are made of.

Beam:

Mounts:

Foam rubber:

Hard rubber (tyre):

Soft rubber:

Plywood:

Accessories:

Quantity:

Beam - 2 pcs
Mounts - 6 pcs. (3 per stilt)
Soft rubber - 4 pcs. (2 large and 2 small)
Hard rubber - 6 pcs. (3 per stilt)
Plywood - 4 pcs. (2 large and 2 small)
Foam rubber - along the length of the sling
Accessories (described in the picture)

With the materials, I think we figured out (it is worth noting that minor discrepancies in size and physical properties allowed).

So, starting to manufacture, I will list again what materials we will use and how much, describe some of their nuances and name a list of tools for work.

Stage 1: Preparation.

Materials:

For the base, we use a pine beam with a section of 40x40 cm. The length is chosen individually, but do not forget to take it with a margin for individual elements stilt.
For a protective visor, we take plywood. A thickness of 1 cm is more than enough. For one stilt, you will need two pieces with an area of ​​​​9.6x14 and 8x6 cm, two pieces of rubber with an area of ​​\u200b\u200bapproximately 10.8x12.7 and 9.5x12.7 cm. - foot, 65 cm - middle, 50 cm - top. Velcro is needed on the sling: soft part approx. 24.5 cm per mount and approximately 10 cm of solid part per mount. For each mount, 1 buckle under 5 cm storp, metal is better, it is more reliable. For the sole of the stilt, or as it is also called hooves, we take hard rubber with a tread, usually used bicycle tire, for one stilt there are 2-3 pieces of such a tire, each approximately 17 cm long. (2 pieces are usually enough, but if you don’t want to bother with adding a new tire for half a year, then you can put 3 pieces - it will take longer to wipe).
Accessories: here buy everything with a margin, especially little things. For at least one stilts: small self-tapping screws - 9 pcs. , large self-tapping screws - 4 pcs., small washers for self-tapping screws - 9 pcs., bolts 6x10 - 2 pcs., bolts 6x14 - 2 pcs., nuts M6 - 4 pcs., large washers for bolts - 8 pcs. Based on this minimum, buy a little with a margin, it won’t hurt, a lot can happen in work.
Foam rubber - they can be sheathed with a sling, it is an optional part of the stilts. The length is selected according to the length of the sling.
Well, adhesive tape, electrical tape and paint to taste.

Tools:

Sawing timber and plywood - saw;
Cutting rubber - a knife;
Drill holes in wood - drill with different drills;
Screw fittings and other small things - a screwdriver, pliers, hammer, scissors;
Roulette or ruler, pencil or permanent marker;
Paint brush;
Grind the edges of a tree - a file;
Glue rubber - glue or hot glue.

Be sure to prepare a comfortable workplace. This will affect not only the quality of work, but also your health and comfort.

Stage 2: Manufacturing.

We will make the most common version of the stilts. Attention, decide for yourself at what stage of production you will paint the wooden components of the structure, at the very beginning or at the end.

Take a bar, measure 90 centimeters from one end, make a notch, measure 45 cm from the notch (this length is individual and depends on the length of your legs, here I did it under my feet. It is important to remember that the protective plywood should be just below the cup) and again we make a notch. At the level of the second notch, we saw off the excess part of the beam, we get 135 cm. We do the same blank for the second stilts. Next, here's what we do with the remnants of the timber, we cut four pieces of 12 cm each and two of 9.5 cm each. We put those that are 12 cm each together to the first notch so that the rest of these pieces go down from the notch. We hold tightly (it’s better to ask someone else to help) and drill two holes directly through both pieces of the beam and through the main beam itself (if the length of the drill is not enough, then you can drill as far as you can, and then substitute and mark the point with a pencil or carnation and drill there hole), we take a drill under 6mm or a little more.
Next, we take that small piece of timber that is 9.5 cm long and plywood, put them together so that the bar is on the edge of the plywood (and the plywood is horizontal), we take it all together and attach it to the main timber, but already at the very top, so that it is flush with the top of the main beam, note that we attach to the side of the main beam that goes next clockwise (this is for a stilts under the right foot!), We also drill two holes through a piece of timber, plywood and the main beam . We assemble the structure using a bolt 14 cm long for an element with three beams, and 10 cm for two beams and plywood. Before inserting the bolt into the beam, we put a large washer on it, after inserting one more and then a nut.

We collected everything, now the same thing with the left stilts, but do not confuse the sides: two beams should be with inside, and the plywood is directed in their direction, but attached from the end.

Next are the fasteners. We cut the sling along the lengths, as it was said in the first part of the story or in the picture about the materials, we sew soft and hard parts with the appropriate sizes on one side, and a buckle on the other side. Flash more reliably, it's better to use sewing machine. Made 3 mounts for one stilts and 3 for the second. We take the mount for the foot, install it on two bars, with the buckle to the main bar and Velcro down, make sure that along the main bar from the buckle to the two bars there is a small margin of the stopper, so that the buckle moves freely and so that when we put our foot on two bars she was free to put a sling through her. We fix the sling around the main beam with electrical tape in a place just below the buckle, but so that the buckle still moves freely. Next, we fix everything as it turned out with a small piece of plywood on top. We screw it to these two bars and a sling, using 4 self-tapping screws for reliability (but you can save money in extreme cases, if anything, using at least 2).

We do the same with the second stilts.

We attach the middle mount at a height of about 15 cm from the lower one (individually!). We fasten from the opposite (outer) side of the bottom strap, using three small self-tapping screws with small washers. The fastening is directed so that the buckle is in front on a small free length of the strap of a couple of centimeters, the Velcro looks away from the stilts. Everything is the same, only in a mirror image from the second stilts. Upper fastening: for it we take a sling, cut off the part with the buckle (so that the sewn part remains on the cut piece, otherwise the whole thread may unravel), we screw this part with the buckle with the same three self-tapping screws with washers to plywood with outside on the left, again, so that the buckle can move freely, we fasten the second part of the sling using the same amount of the same fittings to the back of the stilts at the same vertical level, with Velcro from the stilts .. Note that it is better to tuck in double layer sling at the place of screwing.

We do the same with the second stilts.

Sole: we take one piece of the tire, put it on the lower part of the main beam, fix it with tape, then we take the second piece and put it on the same way, only across the first one (i.e. turning it 90 degrees), we fix it all with self-tapping screws and everything is already on top with tape , and for beauty we can still wind electrical tape (the third piece of tire to taste).

We also make the sole for the second stilt.

Next, take two pieces of soft rubber. We compose them with the same heights to each other and set them like this: big piece on plywood from the inside, and a small one perpendicular to two bars, also from the inside. It is better to put all this a little higher, it will be more pleasant for the knee, you can navigate along the plywood, right next to the underside of the plywood, for example. And we glue all this at the first and second stilts.

Finally, having checked the reliability and accuracy of the entire structure, we paint the stilts with the paint you like or glue them, as I preferred to do, with aluminum tape.

As a result, we got such stilts =)

Thank you very much for your attention, ready to answer any questions.

Companies that are engaged in the production of "small-scale mechanization" of internal finishing works, have been offering an alternative to conventional building scaffolds or ladders for quite some time now. These are building stilts, reminiscent of the well-known devices of circus performers. In this article we will try to understand their practical value.

Design

Outwardly, such stilts at first glance resemble elements of some kind of exoskeleton: articulated rotating (though only in one plane) feet, adjustable in length of the “leg”, equipped with fastened devices, clamps for fixing the worker’s legs. All these parts are functionally interconnected in order to ensure the integrity of the building stilts during movement.

The most convenient building stilts for use include the following nodes:

1. Adjustable in length (sometimes in width) feet.
2. Soles with linings made of friction material with sufficient wear resistance, and some manufacturers also include a replaceable pair of such linings in the kit.
3. The stop rotation unit, which, in turn, consists of a pin, two bearing sockets and return springs, which ensure the safety of using stilts in case of accidental pressing of the foot working on the supporting surface.
4. Aluminum rods, the height of which can be adjusted using an eccentric clamping mechanism. In more expensive models construction stilts, the mechanism can be controlled remotely using rack and pinion.
5. Footboards with a corrugated surface, which are attached to the upper end of the rods, and serve as a support for the feet of the worker.
6. Running rails that connect the rods with the sockets for attaching the equipment in question to the lower leg. Reiki have the ability to discretely change their height according to the height of a person (3 ... 6 positions).
7. Fastening straps around the worker's leg. They must be made from elastic rubber-fabric compositions that are tested for five times the breaking stress (whether it is or not, one can only hope).

In the production of these products, its manufacturers are guided by conflicting requirements. On the one hand, the weight of the stilts should be kept to a minimum in order to make them lighter. practical use. On the other hand, some structural elements - springs, rack and pinion mechanism - must be made of steel for the purpose of reliability.

Construction stilts are delivered assembled, so they do not take up much space in the overall equipment. Before starting their use, it is only necessary to adjust the height of the rods and running rails to the specific height of the room and the anthropometric data of the worker.

Operation features

Getting used to walking on construction stilts is not easy: with a lack of experience, falls from a height are possible, which can be accompanied by serious injuries. This is due to the design of the product: the center of gravity of the stilts does not allow any significant deviation from the conditional longitudinal axis. At the same time, with an increase in the length of the sole, stability increases, therefore, to the detriment of functionality (too long soles prevent you from getting close to the wall of the room being trimmed), construction stilts with an increased sole, and not height, get an advantage.

The method of movement will also require special skill, since the sliding of the feet of stilts on the surface of the room where the tool in question is used is excluded. Therefore, it is necessary to move, alternately pushing forward (“reverse” on stilts is not recommended at all) one or the other barbell, while the movement step should not exceed half the length of the sole. Obviously, before use, you will need to perform a series of workouts, and with an assistant. And, of course, carefully study the instructions for the product.

The choice of size and subsequent adjustment of all structural elements of building stilts should be made taking into account the following factors:

1. Anthropometry of the user: the size of the foot, the height of the lower leg and its girth in the required place.
2. The height of the room in which it is necessary to carry out finishing work. The user's hand, when working at the highest point, should provide an angle between the shoulder and elbow joints of no more than 150 ... 160 °.
3. The condition of the floor, on which there should be no bumps, cracks, grooves. On the coating, of course, there should not be any fatty and oily contaminants. It is not recommended to use stilts on stepped surfaces.
4. The overalls and shoes of the worker should also take into account the specifics of using stilts: wet shoes, for example, reduce traction with the sole, and the lack of pockets or shoulder straps for a working tool or bag makes using stilts simply inconvenient, since in this case it is inconvenient to get any objects from the floor impossible.
5. The health status of the worker. In particular, with the existing vascular insufficiency of the peripheral circulatory organs, prolonged compression of the lower leg can cause a dangerous excess of blood pressure.
6. User weights.

Here, by the way, is a good video where the master shares his experience in using building stilts.

Where can they be used?

It makes sense to use construction stilts in hard-to-reach places where it is impossible to install more resistant to loads building construction– ladders/step-ladders, scaffolds, goats, etc. such places are most often:

• Corners of rooms and halls (when installing tension or suspended ceilings, in finishing, plastering and electrical work without the use of a massive tool that causes vibrations during use);
• Finishing niches, alcoves, bay windows and other perimeter elements where the use of stationary high-rise fixtures is not possible;
• Internal construction and repair work in rooms where there is furniture or other interior items that cannot be removed from the room, for example, fireplaces, wall-mounted water heaters, etc.;
• Mechanized work on painting ceilings using an airbrush (during manual painting, the absence of a working platform will cause the worker to constantly move across the floor, which is tiring).

In general, the effectiveness of building stilts increases when the complexity of the construction and repair transition at a certain high-altitude section of the room increases, and the need for tools that should be at arm's length (moreover, horizontally, not obliquely) is low. Otherwise, you will have to constantly move on stilts, and this, as noted earlier, is not always convenient.

Main technical specifications stilts are:

1. Load capacity, kg. Devices are available that allow a load of at least 110 kg.
2. Sole sizes - from 38 to 45 sizes.
3. Adjustment height of running rails, mm – 380…1000.
4. Max Height applications, m - 2.65 ... 3.71.
5. Own weight, kg - 5.8 ... 7.3.

When choosing a manufacturer of construction stilts, the intensity of the use of devices should be taken into account. For example, professionals who often use such products prefer the SkyWalker range of stilts from American company Marshalltown. This product is characterized by reliable assembly, and in the manufacture of components, high-quality aluminum and composite materials. The price of such products is 49,000 ... 54,000 rubles.

The budget niche of construction stilts is represented by products trademark Stilts (China). Their price, depending on the size, is in the range of 7000 ... 15000 rubles.

Do we do it by hand?

For low-volume high-altitude work, it may be advisable to make building stilts with your own hands. This is quite affordable for a home craftsman, and drawings of such equipment can be found on the Web. In terms of elegance, such products, of course, will yield to professional ones, but often reliability and minimization of financial costs are more important for the user.

In the very simple execution stilts can be made of dural tubes of the required length and a diameter of at least 100 mm, as well as two sets of soles made of plywood. On the side, wooden racks are attached to the pipes (you can use cuttings from shovels) with the help of which the running rails will be attached to the lower leg or to the waist of the worker. A variant of the cruciform connection of both sticks with fastening around the neck is possible.

Instead of aluminum, square bars made of dry durable wood (oak, pear, larch) can also be used. In both bars, several (up to 10 pieces, with an interval of 80 ... 100 mm) holes are drilled for bolting the steps. The footrests themselves are made from the same material. They have the form of a corner with a side fastener and a main working platform, the dimensions of which should correspond to the convenient location of the user's foot. Support pads with anti-slip rubber pads are attached to the lower ends of the racks (nailed, screwed, or glued).

All contact surfaces must be carefully ground to eliminate burrs and cracks. Anti-putrefaction impregnation with creosote will not be superfluous, which will help maintain the performance of self-made construction stilts.

Comparative ease of manufacture and a minimum of expensive components - undoubted advantages such products before expensive equipment, especially if it will be used only periodically.

Almost every person who has visited the circus at least once had the opportunity to see how the artists move on stilts, which are several times higher than human height. Foreign builders liked this idea of ​​moving, and for quite a long time this equipment has been successfully used for repair and finishing work on a hill.

Considering the fact that building stilts have “reached” our consumer, it is advisable to review this equipment and figure out how to make building stilts with your own hands.

What can building stilts be used for?

Construction stilts are a specialized tool, due to which the user can perform work at height, without additional devices, be it goats, scaffolding or stairs. Moreover, unlike acrobatic ones, stilts for construction have smaller dimensions, are equipped with height adjustment and are distinguished by a stable design. These innovations were introduced by tool manufacturers with the aim that almost everyone (even without special training) could use this equipment without restrictions.

Using building stilts, you can move along the entire room at the required height. It is this circumstance that makes it possible to carry out many construction operations without the use of labor-intensive devices. Works such as plastering and puttying the ceiling, PVC installation panels, installation stretch ceilings etc. can be produced using building stilts.

Pros and cons of stilted construction

If we talk about the merits of using a stilt for holding construction works, you should pay attention to the following ones:

• The high speed of work is due to the fact that there is no need to use additional equipment for working at height (ladders, ladders, scaffolding), which must be constantly rearranged from one place to another.
• Comfortable conditions for working on a hill are due to the fact that at any time, the performer will be able to move to the place he needs.
• The possibility of adjusting the height will allow using building stilts with equal success in various premises and for people of different heights.

The limitations when using building stilts include their high cost and the need for additional training before use. After all, even if basic safety requirements are observed, it is easy to fall off stilts and even get injured. In addition, in order to move along the premises with the help of building stilts, it is necessary to have a flat base (floor), which is not always feasible in a building being repaired.

What to look for

If you are thinking about buying construction stilts, you should consider the following factors.

First, it concerns the brand. Indeed, given the fact that this construction device is not represented on our market in a wide segment, it is rather difficult to find high-quality stilts. The most popular means of moving American or European production.

Secondly, you should take into account the height of the equipment and the maximum allowable weight of the user (usually does not exceed 100 kg). Moreover, in addition to the listed characteristics, it is desirable to use stilts with the possibility of height adjustment.

How to make building stilts with your own hands

At present, many types of stilts are known: manual, jumping, spring, barrel, etc. Whereas for construction work it is justified to use manual option, which is interconnected bars and steps. And although moving on such stilts is quite problematic, they are still sufficiently stable for various construction works.

In order to make building stilts with your own hands, you should prepare the following components:

• Wooden bars with a section of 50x50mm and a length of up to 2500mm. It is advisable to use hardwood.
• Pieces of boards or plywood. For the formation of supports.
• Sheet rubber.
• Fastening materials (bolts, screws, etc.).

The work algorithm assumes the following:

First, wooden components are prepared for later use. Why, with the help of a planer, sharp edges and notches are removed from the bars. In addition, areas that will be used by the user for holding should be treated with sandpaper and additional impregnation. The resulting bars will act as stilts racks.

Next, on the end of each rack, using self-tapping screws, boards (or pieces of plywood) should be fixed perpendicularly, which will act as paws. To ensure that the paws do not slip, it is recommended to additionally equip them with a rubber backing. The rubber is cut to the shape of the paw and glued to it with glue.

The final step at self-manufacturing construction stilts is the manufacture and installation of steps (on which the user's feet will be located during the operation of the equipment). For these purposes, you must first prepare the holes with which you can screw the footrests to the uprights.

The spacing of such holes is usually taken at 100 mm, and it is done in such a way that it is possible to rearrange the steps from 10 to 70 cm from the floor level. In view of what 7 holes are made.

The footrests themselves are usually made of wooden beam, the size of which is equal to the size of the foot. And for the possibility of fixing, appropriate holes should also be drilled in the footrests.

In the future, using bolts and nuts, the steps are fixed at the required height, and at this the manufacturing process of the stilts is considered complete.

Of course, the resulting construction stilts are primitive and cannot be used in professional activities, while for home use they are quite acceptable.

Video review of homemade construction stilts:

If you liked the material, I will be grateful if you recommend it to friends or leave a useful comment.

Walkers help babies learn to walk and give mom a few free minutes to do household chores. Young parents carefully choose goods in stores, study the rating of popular brands and look at the price-quality ratio. It is not necessary to spend the family budget on expensive goods, because you can do do-it-yourself walkers for children taking into account the individual weight and height of the child.

How to make your own walker?

Materials:

• a sheet of polycarbonate or plastic;
• a pair of metal arcs (you can take reinforced ones);
• 6 small wheels for furniture;
• fabric in any shade you like;
• foam rubber.

The design consists of two parts: upper and lower frames, which are fastened together with metal arcs. First you need to measure the dimensions of each of the frames, starting with the bottom.

Step 1

Often, the width of the frame is 6-7 cm, and the diameter of the bottom is 65-75 centimeters. You can change the last indicator, depending on the width of the doorways. Use a construction knife to cut the frame of the required size and solder the sharp cuts. Then it's time to mark the mounting points for the wheels, drill holes for the fasteners and install the mechanism.

Step 2

Now to cut upper frame. Its diameter may be slightly smaller than the bottom, but it should be optimal so that the baby fits comfortably inside. It is recommended to cover the surface with a fabric of bright colors, having previously glued the base with foam rubber.

Step 3

The height of the structure is determined by the height of the child, or rather the length of his legs + 4-6 cm. How to assemble a walker? After taking measurements, the metal arcs are cut, in accordance with required size and are fixed at the base of each of the frames, crossing each other.

How to make a walker with your own hands? We sew a seat

The main part of the structure is ready, it remains to cut out, sew and attach the seat. You will need:

• the cloth;
• scissors;
• synthetic winterizer;
• sewing machine.

The picture shows a pattern with which you can sew universal seat for walkers. The back width depends on the diameter of your top perfume.

After creating the drawing, you need to transfer the drawing to the fabric and cut out 2 identical parts. The same should be done with a padding polyester and put it between textile blanks. Sew details.

Secure the seat carefully with liquid nails check for strength. Decorate the body of the walker bright accessories, applications and other creative finds. The gadget is ready to use!

Reference! A simple and affordable analogue previous version can become an ordinary wheelchair for toys.

By balancing the wheelchair with books, blocks or other goods, you will be able to turn it into a safe walker.

It would be a logical continuation to work out the issue of making mini-stilts that would be made from common man real giant.

Step 1: Sketch and Materials

First, let's take measurements. We measure the length/width of the foot, as well as the height from the foot to the bottom of the knee joint. We will carefully work out the design of the stilts to make sure that they are strong and stable.

Materials:

• boards;
• Old tire;
• 10 cm (4 in.) plastic sleeve;
• 10 cm (4 inch) plastic plug;
• Nuts/bolts/washers;
• Short and long screws;
• 5 cm nylon strap and 2 buckles;
• 2 leather straps;
• Metal fastening strip/corners;
• Foam material (EVA).

Tools:

• Drill / screwdriver;
• Building hair dryer;
• Hacksaw;
• Desktop circular;
• hot glue gun;

Step 2: Cut out the footrests

We cut the boards into blanks of a given length. Let's stand on them, circle the feet and cut a groove for the support mounts.

We cut the ends of the "shoe sole" at an angle, after which we round the edges with a file.

Step 3: Cut the tire

We go to the nearest tire fitting and beg for a “bald” tire.

Cutting tires is quite a hassle. All due to the fact that they are reinforced with a metal layer. At any affordable way, with any tool we cut out two strips of the desired length. We fasten them on the "soles" with short self-tapping screws.

After everything is fixed, cut off the excess.

Step 4: Attaching the Rails

Let's spread the boards into slats, cut them into blanks of the desired length, and then assemble the shoes together with their help. The slats should be flush with the edges of the stilts.

Step 5: Adding Metal Supports

Initially, a fastening strip was used as a support. But since it did not inspire confidence, the design was too shaky, replaced it with a more durable metal corner.

Cut the plastic sleeve in half. Heat the plastic with a hair dryer and form the staples in the shape of the leg.

Once the desired shape is achieved, we drill holes in the plastic and fasten them to the corner with nuts and bolts. Make sure the brace is positioned directly below the knee. They will make walking on stilts more stable.

Step 6: Mounting Straps