[Graeme]

Our garden is on two levels, both of which are paved, with a six inch
step between the two. For various reasons, I have been using a couple
of thick planks, resting on a fence post, to move vehicles and trailers
from one level to the other, but would like to construct something a
little more easy to use, but not permanent.

Thoughts are, a wooden ramp, six feet (OK, 2 meters) wide by six feet
long. Lengths of 4 x 2 x 2m sawn corner to corner, to form long
triangles, to form the slope, with lengths of 6 x 2 x 2m to form the
ramp itself.

a) Does that sound reasonable? I realise it will be heavy when
finished, but will not be permanent, like a concrete ramp would be. Is
2 inch thick timber overkill for the ramp part? The ramp will be used
by a Morris Minor, perhaps a dozen times a year. Probably less.

b) My only power saw is an antique B&D jig saw. What do I need to cut
the triangles? A cheap and cheerful mains powered circular saw, thirty
quid from Screwfix?

Thanks!
--
Graeme

[Harry Bloomfield[_3_]]

Graeme presented the following explanation :
Our garden is on two levels, both of which are paved, with a six inch step
between the two. For various reasons, I have been using a couple of thick
planks, resting on a fence post, to move vehicles and trailers from one level
to the other, but would like to construct something a little more easy to
use, but not permanent.

Could you not just use ready made car ramps, as intended for car
serving and just drive straight off the end onto the higher ground
level?

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

[Graeme]

In message , Harry
Bloomfield writes
Graeme presented the following explanation :
Our garden is on two levels, both of which are paved, with a six inch
step between the two. For various reasons, I have been using a
couple of thick planks, resting on a fence post, to move vehicles and
trailers from one level to the other, but would like to construct
something a little more easy to use, but not permanent.

Could you not just use ready made car ramps, as intended for car
serving and just drive straight off the end onto the higher ground
level?

Thanks Harry. Yes, I have a pair of ramps (bought using Green Shield
stamps!), but they have stops at the end to prevent overrun, and are
inconvenient when vehicle and trailer are different widths. I thought
something about six feet wide would be perfect.
--
Graeme

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Harry Bloomfield
saying something like:

Graeme presented the following explanation :
Our garden is on two levels, both of which are paved, with a six inch step
between the two. For various reasons, I have been using a couple of thick
planks, resting on a fence post, to move vehicles and trailers from one level
to the other, but would like to construct something a little more easy to
use, but not permanent.

Could you not just use ready made car ramps, as intended for car
serving and just drive straight off the end onto the higher ground
level?

Six inches?

[Spamlet]

"Graeme" wrote in message
...

Our garden is on two levels, both of which are paved, with a six inch step
between the two. For various reasons, I have been using a couple of thick
planks, resting on a fence post, to move vehicles and trailers from one
level to the other, but would like to construct something a little more
easy to use, but not permanent.

Thoughts are, a wooden ramp, six feet (OK, 2 meters) wide by six feet
long. Lengths of 4 x 2 x 2m sawn corner to corner, to form long
triangles, to form the slope, with lengths of 6 x 2 x 2m to form the ramp
itself.

a) Does that sound reasonable? I realise it will be heavy when finished,
but will not be permanent, like a concrete ramp would be. Is 2 inch thick
timber overkill for the ramp part? The ramp will be used by a Morris
Minor, perhaps a dozen times a year. Probably less.

b) My only power saw is an antique B&D jig saw. What do I need to cut
the triangles? A cheap and cheerful mains powered circular saw, thirty
quid from Screwfix?

Thanks!
--
Graeme

I should have thought a couple of scaffold boards would be all you need for
a moggie. You could drill a couple of bolt holes at the lower end to drop
bolts or pegs into to hold them the right distance apart while actually in
use.

S

[The Natural Philosopher[_2_]]

Graeme wrote:
In message , Harry
Bloomfield writes
Graeme presented the following explanation :
Our garden is on two levels, both of which are paved, with a six inch
step between the two. For various reasons, I have been using a
couple of thick planks, resting on a fence post, to move vehicles
and trailers from one level to the other, but would like to
construct something a little more easy to use, but not permanent.

Could you not just use ready made car ramps, as intended for car
serving and just drive straight off the end onto the higher ground level?

Thanks Harry. Yes, I have a pair of ramps (bought using Green Shield
stamps!), but they have stops at the end to prevent overrun,

ANGLE GRINDER!!!

and are
inconvenient when vehicle and trailer are different widths. I thought
something about six feet wide would be perfect.

[NT[_2_]]

On Jul 16, 8:48*pm, Graeme wrote:
Our garden is on two levels, both of which are paved, with a six inch
step between the two. *For various reasons, I have been using a couple
of thick planks, resting on a fence post, to move vehicles and trailers
from one level to the other, but would like to construct something a
little more easy to use, but not permanent.

Thoughts are, a wooden ramp, six feet (OK, 2 meters) wide by six feet
long. *Lengths of 4 x 2 x 2m sawn corner to corner, to form long
triangles, to form the slope, with lengths of 6 x 2 x 2m to form the
ramp itself.

a) Does that sound reasonable? *I realise it will be heavy when
finished, but will not be permanent, like a concrete ramp would be. *Is
2 inch thick timber overkill for the ramp part? *The ramp will be used
by a Morris Minor, perhaps a dozen times a year. *Probably less.

b) *My only power saw is an antique B&D jig saw. *What do I need to cut
the triangles? A cheap and cheerful mains powered circular saw, thirty
quid from Screwfix?

Thanks!


I'm sure it'd work but it sounds overkill. A handful of bricks would
do the job, by breaking the level change into 2.5" steps. No need for
tools then. An even easier option might be 2 or 3 of 3x3 fence posts
fixed together to make a halfway up step. Or if youre running delicate
things over it, use a few 2x4s the same way to get 2" steps.

An ancient jigsaw would cut the timber, as long as the blade isnt
beyond blunt. If you mean one of those drill attachment things, it
might take a good while but it should do it. Any low end type of
jigsaw needs steering to keep it on a line, dont be tempted to run it
alongside a piece of wood, that'd break the blade.

If you get a new saw, yes, go for a handheld circular saw. The cheap
ones are perfectly usable, but they wont give as clean a cut as a good
one will. Do not buy a new jigsaw!


NT

[js.b1]

Car tyre ramps can catch you out.
They are not very wide and can easily be pushed if they are not
covered in treadplate.

Create a slope in formwork (tannalised wood set into the ground with
aluminium angle as pegs). Pour in cement or in fill with concrete
pavers or fill with concrete blocks. Ensure no load can actually
impact on the wood, its basically there to friction-pile the pavers
from wanting to move when the vehicle accelerates or brakes.

I suspect the simplest is concrete paving slabs, you could use 3x2 by
2" or much smaller (lighter!) depending on the vehicle.

[Stuart Noble]

If you get a new saw, yes, go for a handheld circular saw. The cheap
ones are perfectly usable, but they wont give as clean a cut as a good
one will.

IME the quality of cut is the same on all circular saws. I've used the
best and am currently using the worst :-) What is different is the ease
with which you can adjust depth/angle, and the general ergonomics. Not
important for occasional use.

[NT[_2_]]

On Jul 17, 10:59*am, stuart noble wrote:
If you get a new saw, yes, go for a handheld circular saw. The cheap
ones are perfectly usable, but they wont give as clean a cut as a good
one will.

IME the quality of cut is the same on all circular saws. I've used the
best and am currently using the worst :-) What is different is the ease
with which you can adjust depth/angle, and the general ergonomics. Not
important for occasional use.

Mine have vastly different cut quality. Good one cuts laminate
perfectly every time, the low end one makes a messy job every time.


NT

[Stuart Noble]

NT wrote:
On Jul 17, 10:59 am, stuart noble wrote:
If you get a new saw, yes, go for a handheld circular saw. The cheap
ones are perfectly usable, but they wont give as clean a cut as a good
one will.
IME the quality of cut is the same on all circular saws. I've used the
best and am currently using the worst :-) What is different is the ease
with which you can adjust depth/angle, and the general ergonomics. Not
important for occasional use.

Mine have vastly different cut quality. Good one cuts laminate
perfectly every time, the low end one makes a messy job every time.


NT

A good blade on a cheap saw works for me.

[Graeme]

In message
, NT
writes
On Jul 16, 8:48*pm, Graeme wrote:
Our garden is on two levels, both of which are paved, with a six inch
step between the two. *

If you get a new saw, yes, go for a handheld circular saw. The cheap
ones are perfectly usable, but they wont give as clean a cut as a good
one will. Do not buy a new jigsaw!

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. The best was an excuse to
buy a hand held circular saw :-)

Made two ramps, each about 56 inches long, by 16 inches wide. They are
not pretty, mainly because the wood is whatever odd lengths I found in
the shed, and I have not yet got used to the saw, so most lengths are a
little under or over sixteen inches. However, the ramps do the job,
which is great.

Still recovering from the amount of sawdust this new saw can generate,
even with a vacuum cleaner attached.

--
Graeme