Folding work table and truck bed extender...

[Keith William Knull]

This project was made from a single 24' extension ladder that was damaged on a construction site and abandoned. It was seconds away from being binned when I salvaged it.
Basically, I cut the ladder into sections and created a set of folding tables with each hinge point having a locking pin for the flat extended position and a 90 degree table leg position.
They also fold Into a compact stowing position.
The top face is 1/2" pressure treated plywood which is screwed onto the outside edges of the ladder with self tapping screws.








When it came time to throw them into the back of my truck, an idea struck me... why carry them in the back of the truck where they would take up cargo space when they can mount as SIDES to increase overall cargo capacity?!
So, I cut wooden stakes that fit snugly into the bedside extender slots of my truck and bolted the platforms to them vertically using wing nuts for easy and fast installation/removal.
To my surprise, the legs above the tailgate closed perfectly as double doors with no trimming needed.



They also make good light-duty ramps for pushing a loaded wheelbarrow into the bed. I would not trust them for anything heavier though such as bike or quad.