The three stairlift choices for an L-shaped (fan or switchback) curved staircase installation.

1 month ago
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**Confucius said: “To know the right path and not walk it, is to remain lost. To walk it with wisdom, is to arrive in safety.”**

And so we come to the crossroads of mobility, where the elderly, the disabled, and their families must choose: how to ascend and descend the stairs with dignity, without sacrificing safety, savings, or sanity.

There are **three paths** before you for an **L-shaped (fan or switchback) staircase**—each with its own cost, consequence, and character.

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**Path One: The DIY Acorn 180 from Parts**
A journey of patience, precision, and peril.
You acquire a used **Acorn 180 curved stairlift**—sold in pieces, “as-is,” with no guarantee of compatibility. The rail sections, hand controls, and charger must be sourced separately. Then begins the **months-long struggle** to align the geometry of the curve, to match radius, pitch, and landing transitions—all without factory support, calibrated tools, or structural validation.

The rail must bend not just to the staircase, but to the laws of physics. A misaligned joint invites derailment. A weak weld risks collapse. And because Acorn’s off-the-shelf parts rarely fit. You are not assembling a stairlift—you are **engineering a prototype**.

And when it finally moves… will it hold? Will it last? Will it protect?

Confucius warned: *“The cautious seldom err.”* But caution is no match for incomplete schematics and untested welds.

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**Path Two: The Reclaimed Bruno® Straight Rail – Guided by Wisdom**
A smarter way. A safer way. A path **forged by necessity and perfected by experience**.

You find a **free or low-cost Bruno® straight stairlift**—discarded not for failure, but because installers lacked the knowledge to adapt it to an L-shaped staircase. These units are often **fully functional**, built with robust metal rails, grounded components, and proven reliability.

But here is the truth few will tell: **a straight rail can be engineered to navigate a curve**—not by bending the rail, but by using **dual straight sections with a mid-landing transfer platform**, precisely aligned to the staircase geometry.

And **Rob's Worldwide Stairlift Repairs** is the **only team in the world** to have successfully completed this adaptation—repeatedly, safely, and in full compliance with structural and electrical standards.

Through **live video chat**, our technicians guide you step-by-step:
- How to measure your staircase with laser precision
- Where to mount the first rail, then the second
- How to level the transfer landing for seamless transfer
- How to test load distribution, air gaps, and electrical integrity

No guesswork. No corners. Just **proven methodology**, born from hundreds of real-world repairs.

You save **over $10,000 CAD** compared to a new curved model.
You gain a **durable, serviceable, grounded system**—not a fragile, proprietary curve.
And you do it **with expert oversight**, not isolation.

This is not DIY. This is **DIY with mentorship**—the Confucian ideal of learning under a master.

As the sage taught: *“When you see a wise man, think of emulating him.”*
We are not salesmen. We are engineers of access. And we show you how.

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**Path Three: Buy New – Acorn or Bruno® Curved Stairlift (~$12,000 CAD)**
The conventional choice. The costly one.
A **custom-curved rail**, designed in a factory, shipped months later, installed by a dealer who may or may not follow the manual to the letter.

It works—until it doesn’t.
Curved rails are **expensive to repair**, difficult to retrofit, and often use **2-prong, ungrounded plugs**—a known risk in homes with medical devices.

And when failure occurs—motor burnout, rail separation, EMI interference—the fix can cost thousands more.
Worse, if the installation skips torque specs or air-gap tests (as we’ve seen), the foundation is weak from day one.

You pay a premium for convenience, but gain **less long-term reliability** than a properly engineered straight-rail solution.

Confucius asked: *“Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar?”*
But he also said: *“He who acts without reflection will soon repent.”*
Ask: are you buying safety—or just a brand name?

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**So which path do you choose?**

The **first**—a gamble of time and uncertainty.
The **second**—a triumph of ingenuity, economy, and guided wisdom.
The **third**—a transaction, often necessary, but rarely optimized.

At **Rob's Worldwide Stairlift Repairs**, we do not sell stairlifts.
We restore independence—through knowledge, precision, and service.

If you have a **used Bruno® straight rail** gathering dust…
If you’re facing a **$12K quote** with no better option…
If you want to **build it right, not just buy it fast**…

Then walk the second path.

**Text Rob's Worldwide Stairlift Repairs at (604) 512-9567 – Vancouver**
Available for **video consultations across Canada and the U.S.**
We help you turn “impossible” into “installed.”

As Confucius said: *“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”*
Let us help you carry the first one.

Your staircase is not a barrier.
It is a challenge—meant to be overcome.
With wisdom. With courage. With truth.
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