Hi Dive/Kevin,
Sorry for the majorly-late reply...
Dive, here's a line drawing of the swivels and catches. Not really much to them - you can see the catches more clearly in the mods posting. They were milled out of solid brass. The machinest just did a one-off, so there's not pattern or anything. I just cut off the ladder and gave it to him so he could get a good fitting.
Kevin,
The little trick I discovered with Minwax stains - (No doubt many have have better techniques but this works great for me)
I always do stain in one step (this applies to the brush-oil stains, not the gels):
1.) Sand - but not past 240 grit since it will raise the grain anyway.
2.) If it's typically a blotchy wood (soft-wood or unruly hardwood), apply a coat of Natural, or mid-toned stain.
3.) Use an inexpensive foam brush to apply and keep "feeding" areas that soak in, and continually wipe over excess areas.
4.) Do this for about 5 minutes.
5.) Move to stain of desired color and apply with foam brush (the pores are now saturated from the previous).
6.) Apply stain with foam brush continuing to "feed" any remaining thirsty areas.
7.) Wait about 10-15 minutes - feel free to test with foam brush - empty excess from the brush by squeezing it in a paper towel.
Here's the trick...
Minwax stains don't get sticky when manipulated with the foam brush - the oil just gets "heavier". You can continue to "push it around" with quick and light, back-and-forth strokes. Continually remove any "wet" stain from the foam brush with the paper towel. You can get the color perfectly even over the next 10 minutes or so. You can also do a really nice antique effect by slowy working the center oil out to the edges. As it become heavier and heavier you just brush a little more aggressively. You really can get a sprayed-on perfect finish this way in one-step - although the one step takes about a half hour of diddling around.
FWIW, to finish, I usually use a fairly heavy-weight poly (like Olde Masters). Finish-sand by hand only after at least one coat of finish - no more grain will raise at this point. Be careful not to sand into the stain. Add at least another coat and wet sand the final coat with Murphy's Oil soap and a little water, to the desired finish.
Anywho, it works pretty cool. Happy finishing!
Cheers,
~Bob
mods. I then found the day to day postings dating back to 2009. I have read every one of them. I am interested now that several years have past if you would have done anything different.