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Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici |
Looking to build one similar to the one listed below. However, with outdoor durability and also dog claws going across this I'm not convinced that Douglas Fir or Cedar are good material choices. I'm wondering about ordering solid birch and building myself, but I'm not sure about birch, as I haven't worked with it. I have moderate woodworking skills. Making a symmetric arch for the sides that looks great would be the other challenge that I could use advice on.  _________________________ NRA Endowment Member _________________________ "Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." -- C.S. Lewis | ||
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| As Extraordinary as Everyone Else  |
I don’t know where you live but I would recommend pressure treated yellow pine if you can get it. It’s very common on the east coast. As far as building the radiused stringers start with a piece of 2x12 by what ever length you need. Lay it on the ground. From the center of the length run a perpendicular line out several feet (maybe 10 to 20 depending on the length). Using a non-flexible string, a nail secured into the ground or whatever the perpendicular line is marked on and a pencil draw an arc starting at the top of the board in the center and sloping down towards the end. By moving the string further away from the board you will decrease the arc and lengthen the usable board. Once you find a radius that works shorten the string by about 6 inches or more to trace the bottom of the curve... Then use this board as a template for the rest. There are other ways but this may be the easiest.. ------------------ Eddie Our Founding Fathers were men who understood that the right thing is not necessarily the written thing. -kkina | |||
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| Three Generations of Service  |
Not sure on the hardness of Doug Fir, but white cedar would certainly be too soft for those circumstances. Still, you want something with good moisture resistance. Might consider Hemlock if it's available. The arch on the rails would be mostly a problem of layout. My first approach would be making a "compass" out of a piece of 1x2 long enough to scribe an arc of a circle that matches the curve you want in the rails. Fix one end to a point and drill a hole for a pencil in the other end. Depending on the length of the bridge, you'll need a pretty large area to do the layout. EDIT: smlsig and I are on the same wavelength... I seem to recall a calculator for laying out large arcs, let me see if I can find it again. Be careful when following the masses. Sometimes the M is silent. | |||
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| Three Generations of Service |
Here's another approach: Laying out large arcs Be careful when following the masses. Sometimes the M is silent. | |||
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| Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici |
Thanks everyone! _________________________ NRA Endowment Member _________________________ "Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." -- C.S. Lewis | |||
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