First Christmas gift for the grand kids is done.....

[Bill Huber]

Starting to make some things for Christmas for the grand kids, this was the first one to be completed.

It was an easy one and requires no batteriesl, it is the old Jacob's Ladder.

They are easy to make out of just about any scrap you have and a little ribbon. This one is walnut and cherry that was cut and sanded to about 3/16" thick then some ribbon and a little glue and you have it. I know you can buy them for about $2 each but this one is hand made and looks better anyway.

So dig out some of the scrap you have and make a few. I am going to make some more to give to the church to put in boxes for kids at Christmas.

274934 274935

[Joe Hillmann]

A few years ago I made some for my kids but one one side I put there first names and on the other I put our last name, with one letter on each block. Putting the names on was very confusing with trying to get the letters in the right order and side but they turned out quite nice and since non of them had ever seen on before they thought they were pretty neat.

[Pat Barry]

What do they do with it Bill? Seriously, I thought a Jacobs ladder made sparks and I don't think you want the grandkids doing that

[Bill Huber]

A few years ago I made some for my kids but one one side I put there first names and on the other I put our last name, with one letter on each block. Putting the names on was very confusing with trying to get the letters in the right order and side but they turned out quite nice and since non of them had ever seen on before they thought they were pretty neat.

That was a cool idea, I should have done that, just may have to make them another one and put this one in the church box.

[Bill Huber]

What do they do with it Bill? Seriously, I thought a Jacobs ladder made sparks and I don't think you want the grandkids doing that

This is the toy, it just flips the blocks over and down, here is a You Tube on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiIpUUsIsVE

[Rich Engelhardt]

Don't you always wonder who dreamed up stuff like this in the first place?
I remember my brother buying one of those on the boardwalk in Atlantic City back in the 1950's.
You put pennies on one side and quarters on the other side.
When you flipped it, it looked like you made the pennies turn into quarters.

I was such a stupid kid, I thought he could take a bunch of my pennies and turn them into quarters and we'd be millionaires!
LOL!
Boy was I a stupid kid!
(My wife still thinks I'm stupid some times ;))

[Stephen Cherry]

Nice Photography to go with it! Looks great.

[Pat Barry]

That is mind boggling!

[Joe Hillmann]

Don't you always wonder who dreamed up stuff like this in the first place?
I remember my brother buying one of those on the boardwalk in Atlantic City back in the 1950's.
You put pennies on one side and quarters on the other side.
When you flipped it, it looked like you made the pennies turn into quarters.

I was such a stupid kid, I thought he could take a bunch of my pennies and turn them into quarters and we'd be millionaires!
LOL!
Boy was I a stupid kid!
(My wife still thinks I'm stupid some times ;))

I doubt it was ever deemed up. My guess would be that it was an accidental discovery made many many times as an off shoot of weaving items other than fabric.

[Michael Dunn]

This is the toy, it just flips the blocks over and down, here is a You Tube on it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiIpUUsIsVE

That is VERY cool! My kids would LOVE that... (For about 3 weeks). I'd like to make some. Is there magnets involved? Do you have plans?

[Bill Huber]

That is VERY cool! My kids would LOVE that... (For about 3 weeks). I'd like to make some. Is there magnets involved? Do you have plans?

I have no plans but you can find them on the net, there is really noting to it. Mine are 2" x 2 1/4" x 3/16", then the ribbon is placed on one of the parts and then the other part is glued to it. The gluing part is what takes the time, glue it, clamp it and wait for 30 mim. then do the next one. I just did the gluing while I was working on some other projects so it was not that bad.

Putting in the ribbon is easy once you know how.

Here are some plans that I found on the net, it is the best one I found for installing the ribbon.
http://a-modicum-of-ingenuity.blogspot.com/2012/07/tutorial-jacobs-ladder-toy.html

[Gus Dundon]

This is such an interesting project. Astounded. Thanks for sharing the link.

[Jim Eller]

Great idea Bill. I had forgot about these things.

.............................but, at 70, I've forgotten a lot of other stuff too. Some was important.............I think.

[Jim Eller]

Bill,

I put a prototype together quickly with tacks but it does not "flow" downward easily. I pulled the ribbons real tight. Could that be the issue?

Also, when I do the glue together version like the one you did, is there any reason why one could not use a pin nailer instead of waiting for the glue to dry?

JimE

[Bill Huber]

Bill,

I put a prototype together quickly with tacks but it does not "flow" downward easily. I pulled the ribbons real tight. Could that be the issue?

Also, when I do the glue together version like the one you did, is there any reason why one could not use a pin nailer instead of waiting for the glue to dry?

JimE

I think you want the ribbons tight but not real tight, I just pull them until they are straight and that is about it.

Using a pin nailer, I guess it all depends on how the ribbon is fastened to the wood, when I started I was using super glue and an activator but I was having a problem with my fingers sticking to the ribbon. I then went to glue tape and that worked really well and I didn't stick my fingers to the ribbon and could also reposition them if needed.

Then I glue the two parts together and use a Quick-Clamp to hold them.

I found this one and he uses just blocks of wood and small tacks, I just like the look of the 2 parts.
http://www.sermons4kids.com/instructions-ladder-toy.htm

I think maybe they would flip better with the ribbon going all the way to the outside but again I like the look of mine.

[Dave Zellers]

Things I've read (because of this thread- thanks!) say that the operation might be tight at first and the fix is to use it a lot and loosen it up. Maybe stretch it a bit if you can.

I have a 3 year old grandson. This is a must do for Christmas!

[Jim Eller]

Bill,

It looks like you have rounded each piece. Is that correct? Maybe that is the issue with the smoothness. I left sqaure edges on the prototype.

And each half is 3/16" thick?

JimE

[Bill Huber]

Bill,

It looks like you have rounded each piece. Is that correct? Maybe that is the issue with the smoothness. I left sqaure edges on the prototype.

And each half is 3/16" thick?

JimE

I don't know, I just did an 1/8" round over so there would be no sharp edges.

How long are they, just looking at it I would think maybe they should be a little longer so the weight my pull them down better.
Mine will stop some times and if you push on the one it stops on, and it really takes very little it will go on.