jtaylor wrote:

I have a small (=light) car that will need a lot of work done. It would be
easier if it was off the ground by more than the height those car stands you
get at the auto stores can do.

So I'm thinking of making some stands from wood, and jacking it up in stages
onto them. Has anyone done this, and are there any pitfalls (a particularly
appropriate term) of which I should be aware?

Can you rent a bay that has a hoist? That would be the best solution by
a long shot. Know anyone that has a pit in their garage that has not
been filled in?

Wood to get higher than a normal jackstand? Two options. Build a very
solid ramp or cribbing.

We had a ramp on the farm when I was a kid. The posts that it sat on
were telephone poles sunk into the ground by a couple or five feet. The
ramps themselves were 2 x 12 and 2 x 18 rough cut lumber. It was removed
after many years use as an oil change and work platform after the posts
began to show signs of rot. Big wood is expensive, and the time and work
needed to build one are prohibitive.

Cribbing is used almost universally to lift and hold up large and heavy
things, like houses. Got a source for short ends of boards? Cross
stacked wood holds up well and is relatively stable, and a patient
person with a pile of wood blocks can accomplish a lot, but you will
have to work out how you will rest the car upon the cribbing so that it
is secure and balanced, so that it will not fall if you bump into the
car in the shop.

Myself, I have always used jackstands, with a couple large blocks of
firewood as a backup when I had to spend time beneath one of my cars. A
smooth concrete floor and a good creeper are a help.

Cheers
Trevor Jones