05-11-2009, 05:57 PM
FNG mentioned in the Puna house design thread that when he can't do stairs anymore he'll put in an elevator/escalator. Our house is up on stilts and we are thinking of the not-too-distant future when our knees may not be able to take the constant up & down stairs. We want to put in the simplest kind of elevator, preferably non-electric. I am thinking ratchet/pulley/block&tackle system (but I'm not mechanical). Does anyone have a design or experience with something like this? I envision a platform in a framed-in shaft (we already have this - a staircase that was taken out) that could be used not just to lift an individual person but of course for hauling up groceries etc too.