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#1
posted to rec.boats.building
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plastic barrels and floating docks
I am going to build some floating docks but before I re-invent the
wheel I would like to get some opinions. They will be 16' long by 3' wide and at either end I would put a plastic barrel under it, inside the frame. The frame would be 2X8 rough sawn Juniper and the decking would be 1 1/4" X 3 . First of all would this be stable or want to roll, should I put a 3rd barrel in the center? If the barrels were in a framework but free moving could they act as rollers to help when pulling the docks out of the water. The beach is very gradual. I am doing this on the cheap so I am not buying any floating dock hardware, brackets, plastic floats etc...Any other ideas would be appreciated. Thanks |
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#2
posted to rec.boats.building
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plastic barrels and floating docks
On Apr 19, 10:48 am, mark wrote:
I am going to build some floating docks but before I re-invent the wheel I would like to get some opinions. They will be 16' long by 3' wide and at either end I would put a plastic barrel under it, inside the frame. The frame would be 2X8 rough sawn Juniper and the decking would be 1 1/4" X 3 . First of all would this be stable or want to roll, should I put a 3rd barrel in the center? If the barrels were in a framework but free moving could they act as rollers to help when pulling the docks out of the water. The beach is very gradual. I am doing this on the cheap so I am not buying any floating dock hardware, brackets, plastic floats etc...Any other ideas would be appreciated. Thanks In my opinion and experience, they will be unstable and want to roll. They will almost certainly be more stable upside down than rightside up. Most floating docks have one or more finger docks, which are the narrow parts. If they're connected to each other perpendicularily, this'll keep them from rolling. Putting a third barrel in the center is only useful if you don't have enough floatation. It won't make it any more stable. Probably the opposite. You don't have to buy "floating dock hardware" to connect them together. Just get your local metal shop to weld up some heavy hinges (2 per junction) with a removable axis pin. Get everything hot dip galvanized. -Maxime Camirand |
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#3
posted to rec.boats.building
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plastic barrels and floating docks
I do not know your location and what waves and tides actions you have.
If you are inland and you are looking to build floating docks on the cheap to last for a year or so with ease of handling your approach could serve you on a short term basis. About using used plastic barrels, check where they coming from and what were they containing. I had to give up the idea of using plastic barrels because they had been used for the transport of toxic chemical. With today's environnemental bylaws it would be safer to check with the proper authorities. The following suggestions are subject to you area and waterway regulations. In some location the design will have to be much stronger to meet the marine environnement of were you are building the floats. As for the construction of the 3' X 16' floating docks 2" X 8" rough sawn juniper is on the light side. What I used was 3" thick by 10" wide. This size is not easy to get by, but if you have access to a local (or portable) lumber mill it is no problem. As for the decking 1/4" X 3" is light I used 2" thick by 6" wide. You said you doing this on the cheap. I suggest that you use steel corner plate bolted through the cross member and the side stringer. Nailing could do for a short term but I do not recommend it. ups.com... I am going to build some floating docks but before I re-invent the wheel I would like to get some opinions. They will be 16' long by 3' wide and at either end I would put a plastic barrel under it, inside the frame. The frame would be 2X8 rough sawn Juniper and the decking would be 1 1/4" X 3 . First of all would this be stable or want to roll, should I put a 3rd barrel in the center? If the barrels were in a framework but free moving could they act as rollers to help when pulling the docks out of the water. The beach is very gradual. I am doing this on the cheap so I am not buying any floating dock hardware, brackets, plastic floats etc...Any other ideas would be appreciated. Thanks |
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#4
posted to rec.boats.building
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plastic barrels and floating docks
On Apr 19, 1:07 pm, wrote:
I do not know your location and what waves and tides actions you have. If you are inland and you are looking to build floating docks on the cheap to last for a year or so with ease of handling your approach could serve you on a short term basis. About using used plastic barrels, check where they coming from and what were they containing. I had to give up the idea of using plastic barrels because they had been used for the transport of toxic chemical. With today's environnemental bylaws it would be safer to check with the proper authorities. The following suggestions are subject to you area and waterway regulations. In some location the design will have to be much stronger to meet the marine environnement of were you are building the floats. As for the construction of the 3' X 16' floating docks 2" X 8" rough sawn juniper is on the light side. What I used was 3" thick by 10" wide. This size is not easy to get by, but if you have access to a local (or portable) lumber mill it is no problem. As for the decking 1/4" X 3" is light I used 2" thick by 6" wide. You said you doing this on the cheap. I suggest that you use steel corner plate bolted through the cross member and the side stringer. Nailing could do for a short term but I do not recommend it. ups.com... I am going to build some floating docks but before I re-invent the wheel I would like to get some opinions. They will be 16' long by 3' wide and at either end I would put a plastic barrel under it, inside the frame. The frame would be 2X8 rough sawn Juniper and the decking would be 1 1/4" X 3 . First of all would this be stable or want to roll, should I put a 3rd barrel in the center? If the barrels were in a framework but free moving could they act as rollers to help when pulling the docks out of the water. The beach is very gradual. I am doing this on the cheap so I am not buying any floating dock hardware, brackets, plastic floats etc...Any other ideas would be appreciated. Thanks- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Small world I see you are from NB I am on PEI. It is in a sheltered cove about 4' deep. The barrels are clean. The decking is is 1-1/4" X 3" not 1/4" X 3. As for the corners I would put 4X4 post vertically on the inside and through bolt the 2x8's with Galv. carriage bolts. What about the amount of floatation. The barrels will support around 600lbs each if totally submerged, any idea how heavy the dock would be? |
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#5
posted to rec.boats.building
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plastic barrels and floating docks
"mark" wrote in message ups.com... On Apr 19, 1:07 pm, wrote: I do not know your location and what waves and tides actions you have. If you are inland and you are looking to build floating docks on the cheap to last for a year or so with ease of handling your approach could serve you on a short term basis. About using used plastic barrels, check where they coming from and what were they containing. I had to give up the idea of using plastic barrels because they had been used for the transport of toxic chemical. With today's environnemental bylaws it would be safer to check with the proper authorities. The following suggestions are subject to you area and waterway regulations. In some location the design will have to be much stronger to meet the marine environnement of were you are building the floats. As for the construction of the 3' X 16' floating docks 2" X 8" rough sawn juniper is on the light side. What I used was 3" thick by 10" wide. This size is not easy to get by, but if you have access to a local (or portable) lumber mill it is no problem. As for the decking 1/4" X 3" is light I used 2" thick by 6" wide. You said you doing this on the cheap. I suggest that you use steel corner plate bolted through the cross member and the side stringer. Nailing could do for a short term but I do not recommend it. ups.com... I am going to build some floating docks but before I re-invent the wheel I would like to get some opinions. They will be 16' long by 3' wide and at either end I would put a plastic barrel under it, inside the frame. The frame would be 2X8 rough sawn Juniper and the decking would be 1 1/4" X 3 . First of all would this be stable or want to roll, should I put a 3rd barrel in the center? If the barrels were in a framework but free moving could they act as rollers to help when pulling the docks out of the water. The beach is very gradual. I am doing this on the cheap so I am not buying any floating dock hardware, brackets, plastic floats etc...Any other ideas would be appreciated. Thanks- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Small world I see you are from NB I am on PEI. It is in a sheltered cove about 4' deep. The barrels are clean. The decking is is 1-1/4" X 3" not 1/4" X 3. As for the corners I would put 4X4 post vertically on the inside and through bolt the 2x8's with Galv. carriage bolts. What about the amount of floatation. The barrels will support around 600lbs each if totally submerged, any idea how heavy the dock would be? 1-1/4" thick for decking is too light. I used min of 2" thick for decking. 4"X4" vertical corner post on the inside and through bolt the 2x8's with Galv. carriage bolts. is not the very best. With sea motions and tidal actions carriage bolts do tend to gouge the wood under the shoulder head and slack off the corner joints. Are you going to connect more than one 16 feet long float or you are only building one? If you are going to connect several 16' X 3' float together you need strong connection capable to resist the strongest prevailing wind. If you have only one light float not properly attached and anchored every time the prevailing wind pipes up in your small cove you will have to pull your float off the water. Then when the wind calms down you will have to push back the float in the water. On Grand Lake, NB. cottagers have done that for years. As for how heavy the floating dock would be I'll have to get back to my notes and validate the weight for different type of timber like juniper and hemlock. |
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#6
posted to rec.boats.building
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plastic barrels and floating docks
wrote in message ... "mark" wrote in message ups.com... On Apr 19, 1:07 pm, wrote: I do not know your location and what waves and tides actions you have. If you are inland and you are looking to build floating docks on the cheap to last for a year or so with ease of handling your approach could serve you on a short term basis. About using used plastic barrels, check where they coming from and what were they containing. I had to give up the idea of using plastic barrels because they had been used for the transport of toxic chemical. With today's environnemental bylaws it would be safer to check with the proper authorities. The following suggestions are subject to you area and waterway regulations. In some location the design will have to be much stronger to meet the marine environnement of were you are building the floats. As for the construction of the 3' X 16' floating docks 2" X 8" rough sawn juniper is on the light side. What I used was 3" thick by 10" wide. This size is not easy to get by, but if you have access to a local (or portable) lumber mill it is no problem. As for the decking 1/4" X 3" is light I used 2" thick by 6" wide. You said you doing this on the cheap. I suggest that you use steel corner plate bolted through the cross member and the side stringer. Nailing could do for a short term but I do not recommend it. ups.com... I am going to build some floating docks but before I re-invent the wheel I would like to get some opinions. They will be 16' long by 3' wide and at either end I would put a plastic barrel under it, inside the frame. The frame would be 2X8 rough sawn Juniper and the decking would be 1 1/4" X 3 . First of all would this be stable or want to roll, should I put a 3rd barrel in the center? If the barrels were in a framework but free moving could they act as rollers to help when pulling the docks out of the water. The beach is very gradual. I am doing this on the cheap so I am not buying any floating dock hardware, brackets, plastic floats etc...Any other ideas would be appreciated. Thanks- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Small world I see you are from NB I am on PEI. It is in a sheltered cove about 4' deep. The barrels are clean. The decking is is 1-1/4" X 3" not 1/4" X 3. As for the corners I would put 4X4 post vertically on the inside and through bolt the 2x8's with Galv. carriage bolts. What about the amount of floatation. The barrels will support around 600lbs each if totally submerged, any idea how heavy the dock would be? 1-1/4" thick for decking is too light. I used min of 2" thick for decking. 4"X4" vertical corner post on the inside and through bolt the 2x8's with Galv. carriage bolts. is not the very best. With sea motions and tidal actions carriage bolts do tend to gouge the wood under the shoulder head and slack off the corner joints. Are you going to connect more than one 16 feet long float or you are only building one? If you are going to connect several 16' X 3' float together you need strong connection capable to resist the strongest prevailing wind. If you have only one light float not properly attached and anchored every time the prevailing wind pipes up in your small cove you will have to pull your float off the water. Then when the wind calms down you will have to push back the float in the water. On Grand Lake, NB. cottagers have done that for years. As for how heavy the floating dock would be I'll have to get back to my notes and validate the weight for different type of timber like juniper and hemlock. You are saying that you were to use Juniper lumber. At time, Juniper is a localism and is used to describe other known lumber trees species as Hemlock, Black spruce or Tamarack (Eastern Larch). Please check http://www.macphailwoods.org/tree/larch.html and tell me what species you are referring as Juniper. |
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#7
posted to rec.boats.building
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plastic barrels and floating docks
On Apr 19, 7:37 pm, wrote:
wrote in message ... "mark" wrote in message oups.com... On Apr 19, 1:07 pm, wrote: I do not know your location and what waves and tides actions you have. If you are inland and you are looking to build floating docks on the cheap to last for a year or so with ease of handling your approach could serve you on a short term basis. About using used plastic barrels, check where they coming from and what were they containing. I had to give up the idea of using plastic barrels because they had been used for the transport of toxic chemical. With today's environnemental bylaws it would be safer to check with the proper authorities. The following suggestions are subject to you area and waterway regulations. In some location the design will have to be much stronger to meet the marine environnement of were you are building the floats. As for the construction of the 3' X 16' floating docks 2" X 8" rough sawn juniper is on the light side. What I used was 3" thick by 10" wide. This size is not easy to get by, but if you have access to a local (or portable) lumber mill it is no problem. As for the decking 1/4" X 3" is light I used 2" thick by 6" wide. You said you doing this on the cheap. I suggest that you use steel corner plate bolted through the cross member and the side stringer. Nailing could do for a short term but I do not recommend it. groups.com... I am going to build some floating docks but before I re-invent the wheel I would like to get some opinions. They will be 16' long by 3' wide and at either end I would put a plastic barrel under it, inside the frame. The frame would be 2X8 rough sawn Juniper and the decking would be 1 1/4" X 3 . First of all would this be stable or want to roll, should I put a 3rd barrel in the center? If the barrels were in a framework but free moving could they act as rollers to help when pulling the docks out of the water. The beach is very gradual. I am doing this on the cheap so I am not buying any floating dock hardware, brackets, plastic floats etc...Any other ideas would be appreciated. Thanks- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Small world I see you are from NB I am on PEI. It is in a sheltered cove about 4' deep. The barrels are clean. The decking is is 1-1/4" X 3" not 1/4" X 3. As for the corners I would put 4X4 post vertically on the inside and through bolt the 2x8's with Galv. carriage bolts. What about the amount of floatation. The barrels will support around 600lbs each if totally submerged, any idea how heavy the dock would be? 1-1/4" thick for decking is too light. I used min of 2" thick for decking. 4"X4" vertical corner post on the inside and through bolt the 2x8's with Galv. carriage bolts. is not the very best. With sea motions and tidal actions carriage bolts do tend to gouge the wood under the shoulder head and slack off the corner joints. Are you going to connect more than one 16 feet long float or you are only building one? If you are going to connect several 16' X 3' float together you need strong connection capable to resist the strongest prevailing wind. If you have only one light float not properly attached and anchored every time the prevailing wind pipes up in your small cove you will have to pull your float off the water. Then when the wind calms down you will have to push back the float in the water. On Grand Lake, NB. cottagers have done that for years. As for how heavy the floating dock would be I'll have to get back to my notes and validate the weight for different type of timber like juniper and hemlock. You are saying that you were to use Juniper lumber. At time, Juniper is a localism and is used to describe other known lumber trees species as Hemlock, Black spruce or Tamarack (Eastern Larch). Please check http://www.macphailwoods.org/tree/larch.html and tell me what species you are referring as Juniper.- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - I am refering to Tamerac or Larch, It is becoming very popular around here for use in residential outdoor decks as it is resistant to rot. |
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#8
posted to rec.boats.building
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plastic barrels and floating docks
Speaking from someone who used barrels DON'T
it will be rock and roll heaven. If you do make it double wide! Go floats the full length "mark" wrote in message ups.com... I am going to build some floating docks but before I re-invent the wheel I would like to get some opinions. They will be 16' long by 3' wide and at either end I would put a plastic barrel under it, inside the frame. The frame would be 2X8 rough sawn Juniper and the decking would be 1 1/4" X 3 . First of all would this be stable or want to roll, should I put a 3rd barrel in the center? If the barrels were in a framework but free moving could they act as rollers to help when pulling the docks out of the water. The beach is very gradual. I am doing this on the cheap so I am not buying any floating dock hardware, brackets, plastic floats etc...Any other ideas would be appreciated. Thanks |
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#9
posted to rec.boats.building
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plastic barrels and floating docks
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#10
posted to rec.boats.building
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plastic barrels and floating docks
"mark" wrote in message oups.com... On Apr 19, 7:37 pm, wrote: wrote in message ... "mark" wrote in message oups.com... On Apr 19, 1:07 pm, wrote: I do not know your location and what waves and tides actions you have. If you are inland and you are looking to build floating docks on the cheap to last for a year or so with ease of handling your approach could serve you on a short term basis. About using used plastic barrels, check where they coming from and what were they containing. I had to give up the idea of using plastic barrels because they had been used for the transport of toxic chemical. With today's environnemental bylaws it would be safer to check with the proper authorities. The following suggestions are subject to you area and waterway regulations. In some location the design will have to be much stronger to meet the marine environnement of were you are building the floats. As for the construction of the 3' X 16' floating docks 2" X 8" rough sawn juniper is on the light side. What I used was 3" thick by 10" wide. This size is not easy to get by, but if you have access to a local (or portable) lumber mill it is no problem. As for the decking 1/4" X 3" is light I used 2" thick by 6" wide. You said you doing this on the cheap. I suggest that you use steel corner plate bolted through the cross member and the side stringer. Nailing could do for a short term but I do not recommend it. groups.com... I am going to build some floating docks but before I re-invent the wheel I would like to get some opinions. They will be 16' long by 3' wide and at either end I would put a plastic barrel under it, inside the frame. The frame would be 2X8 rough sawn Juniper and the decking would be 1 1/4" X 3 . First of all would this be stable or want to roll, should I put a 3rd barrel in the center? If the barrels were in a framework but free moving could they act as rollers to help when pulling the docks out of the water. The beach is very gradual. I am doing this on the cheap so I am not buying any floating dock hardware, brackets, plastic floats etc...Any other ideas would be appreciated. Thanks- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Small world I see you are from NB I am on PEI. It is in a sheltered cove about 4' deep. The barrels are clean. The decking is is 1-1/4" X 3" not 1/4" X 3. As for the corners I would put 4X4 post vertically on the inside and through bolt the 2x8's with Galv. carriage bolts. What about the amount of floatation. The barrels will support around 600lbs each if totally submerged, any idea how heavy the dock would be? 1-1/4" thick for decking is too light. I used min of 2" thick for decking. 4"X4" vertical corner post on the inside and through bolt the 2x8's with Galv. carriage bolts. is not the very best. With sea motions and tidal actions carriage bolts do tend to gouge the wood under the shoulder head and slack off the corner joints. Are you going to connect more than one 16 feet long float or you are only building one? If you are going to connect several 16' X 3' float together you need strong connection capable to resist the strongest prevailing wind. If you have only one light float not properly attached and anchored every time the prevailing wind pipes up in your small cove you will have to pull your float off the water. Then when the wind calms down you will have to push back the float in the water. On Grand Lake, NB. cottagers have done that for years. As for how heavy the floating dock would be I'll have to get back to my notes and validate the weight for different type of timber like juniper and hemlock. You are saying that you were to use Juniper lumber. At time, Juniper is a localism and is used to describe other known lumber trees species as Hemlock, Black spruce or Tamarack (Eastern Larch). Please check http://www.macphailwoods.org/tree/larch.html and tell me what species you are referring as Juniper.- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - I am refering to Tamerac or Larch, It is becoming very popular around here for use in residential outdoor decks as it is resistant to rot. The green weight of Tamerack is 3.9 lbs for 1 BF that is 1" thick X 12" X 12" This wood varies in weight on a regional level. When you do the weight calculation you can only be sure at a plus or minus 10%. What we did is we build one dock with its floats as a prototype. Then we launched this dock and checked its center of gravity and the immersion depth. Luckily everything was acceptable. Then we started to build more docks. Tamarack was used in the old shipbuilding of New Brunswick for a very long time. |
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