A lot of the projects I take on are because someone wants something specific but can’t find it anywhere. It may be something they have seen in a magazine or on Pinterest, or something that they want that will match something they already have. That was the case with the folding ladder tray.

A friend of my wife runs a rustic wedding rental business and is always keeping her eye out for items that people would want to rent. She found a ladder tray similar to this one a few years back at a store. It was very popular, so she wanted another one but couldn’t find it in the store anymore.

She loaned me the one she had and I built this one for her our of clear pine.

The only difference between this one and the one she already had is that the bottom of the trays were curved on the original, and the top crossbar had a slight arch to it. I kept them both straight to make it a little easier and it turned out great.

She stained it and it can now be rented for your wedding.

What I learned

Replicating something can be hard, especially when you have to give back the original.

I have replicated several items over the years, and each time it is a challenge. But it’s much easier when you can keep the original item with you during the process. Before I had made a lot of progress on this item, I had to give back the original. I took lots of pictures and measurements, but there were still a few things I had to figure out.

Tools and Techniques

• table saw
• random orbit sander
• pocket screw jig
• brad nailer