How to Make a Homemade Medical Stretcher
Medical stretchers or litters are useful ways to transport patients from an accident scene to an ambulance or from one medical triage site to the next. They are made for two or four bearers to use and roll up around the handles for easy storage. A normal sewing machine can handle making a stretcher and because it is simply two casings, it is an easy project.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Sewing machine
- Heavy cotton duck material
- Bonded polyester thread
- Walking foot
- Heavy-duty machine needle
- Dressmaker's chalk
- Iron
- Regular and fine sandpaper
- Two finished wooden poles, 2-inch diameter by 9 foot long
- Four 2-inch wide finial knob ends
- Acrylic finish
- Disposable foam paintbrush
- Hook-and-loop fastener - optional
Instructions
-
-
1
Go to the lumber store and have them cut the two poles to measure. Sand the ends of the poles with medium sandpaper. Use fine grain sandpaper to smooth the length of the poles, the ball finials, and the ends of the poles.
-
2
Use the foam paintbrush to apply acrylic finish to all of the wooden pieces. Dry the first coat thoroughly and then apply a second coat and set aside to dry.
-
-
3
Cut a section of the duck material 4 feet by 6 ½ feet. You can use heavy-duty canvas, but it may be difficult to sew unless you use an industrial machine.
-
4
Use the tape measure and the dressmaker's chalk to mark a line approximately 2 1/2 inches from the edges on the backside of the material. Use an iron to turn under a ¼-inch hem on all sides. Zigzag a seam on the top and bottom ends first. The side hems will be sewed shut when you sew the casing.
-
5
Check to make sure that the material will wrap around the poles with a little ease before sewing the seams down and creating a tube. Use a walking foot and heavy bonded polyester thread for an easier job.
-
6
Insert the poles through the tubes and screw the finials onto the ends of the poles.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
You can use long strips of hook-and-hoop fastener to attach the material to itself and form the tubes through which the poles will pass. This may be a better solution if your sewing machine doesn't like to work on heavier material.
Regular sewing feet do not work well when sewing heavy material. Use a walking foot to move the top and bottom layers along at the same time.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit pompiers 2 image by Nathalie P from Fotolia.com
