"... trying to make a pdf of ..." I always do using a zoo-in gesture on the Print preview (works with anything you can print):
1. open the article you want the PDF from, can be either the regular view or, in most cases even better, the reader view
2. choose to print it
3. on the print preview, do the 'zoom in gesture', same as you would when zooming in on a picture, place two fingers close to each other on the preview, and then spread them apart -> this now shows you a PDF preview
4 tap share icon and save the PDF where you like.