When the Cheapest Option in the Store is over $100...
You do it your own way (DIY). I had been wanting to create something to hold the tons of magazines I have accumulated over the years that I would like to keep (one of the VERY few things I tend to hoard). A quick search on Pinterest on DIY ladders will keep your imagination busy for quite some time. I landed on a version utilizing copper plumbing fittings to avoid drilling (mostly because I don't have the tools required).
What you will need:
- 7/8" x 48" poplar dowel (x3) | $3.78 ea
- 5/8" x 48" poplar dowel (x2) | $2.48 ea
- 3/4" x 3/4" x 1/2" plumbing copper tee (x8) | $3.38 ea
- 3/4" copper cap (x4) | $1.19 ea
- Handsaw
The cuts I made:
- The 7/8" dowel was cut into 2 pieces of 18" (for the bottom of the ladder) and 8 pieces of 12" for the rest
- The 5/8" dowel was cut into 4 equal 16" pieces
Assembly was as easy as it sounds - just insert into fitting and let stand. The more difficult part was the cutting since I used a handsaw (hello, strong arms) but if you have a table saw, that will probably be the easiest job (which should tell you how easy this project is overall).
This ladder took a mere 35 minutes and $48.10 to cut, assemble and display. One of the best ROI on DIY I have ever had! My next step is to possibly stain the ladder to match the rest of the wood tones in my living room.
A few months back, a co-worker of mine convinced me to join my company's Spartan Race team. He didn't talk it up much: he mentioned it's a long-ish run with a few fun obstacles. You know, no big deal. Something someone who runs as much as me should complete more than easily (read, you don't really need to train for it). Ha ha ha.