You can usually pick up wrecked or salvage trailers cheap around 2 grand for a 53 ft trlr in my neck of woods that’s a rolling trlr sold as storage a 20 ft pup trlr would be an easier option or an old 40 ft flat bed
Need Bridge (deck) input
- Thread starter dan_m
- Start date
Sounds like he's set on not removing any fence, but spending 3-4 times the cost of a ready to use trailer bed!
When I was a kid on the farm, the county was re-decking some old bridges, and there were surplus "bridge planks" to be had for salvage.
These were rough-sawn, creosoted oak 3x10 (12?), 16 to 20 feet long. We had a few of these around for various projects...
Is there a used lumber dealer in your town?
At an estate sale yesterday, I scarfed up almost 1000 BF of air-dried rough sawn clear white oak, 5/4 and 2-by, 8" to 12" wide, mostly 16 foot long. For $250. About a month ago, I priced out 100BF of the same stuff for a truck bed, and was quoted $9.50 a BF. Got mine for about 3c on the dollar!
Got enough select stuff to do about FOUR truck beds, now!
Will skip-plane it, and then rip it to width.
Son is building a 1945 Dodge 2.5t dually flatbed (Cummins powered) for a shop truck. [The body is the rare "blackout" type (black trim instead of stainless).] He's also building a dump body (from scratch!) for a 1942 Dodge 5t truck that will need side extensions.
-Paul
These were rough-sawn, creosoted oak 3x10 (12?), 16 to 20 feet long. We had a few of these around for various projects...
Is there a used lumber dealer in your town?
At an estate sale yesterday, I scarfed up almost 1000 BF of air-dried rough sawn clear white oak, 5/4 and 2-by, 8" to 12" wide, mostly 16 foot long. For $250. About a month ago, I priced out 100BF of the same stuff for a truck bed, and was quoted $9.50 a BF. Got mine for about 3c on the dollar!
Got enough select stuff to do about FOUR truck beds, now!
Will skip-plane it, and then rip it to width.
Son is building a 1945 Dodge 2.5t dually flatbed (Cummins powered) for a shop truck. [The body is the rare "blackout" type (black trim instead of stainless).] He's also building a dump body (from scratch!) for a 1942 Dodge 5t truck that will need side extensions.
-Paul
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^^^^
Paul -
That was a hell of a buy. I think white oak on the stump is/has been real high lately. In northeast, I think WO is one of the few bright spots in the hardwood market.
Only guessing stumpage price pushing $1/bf.
Several species of WO.
Paul -
That was a hell of a buy. I think white oak on the stump is/has been real high lately. In northeast, I think WO is one of the few bright spots in the hardwood market.
Only guessing stumpage price pushing $1/bf.
Several species of WO.
Many of the used trailers I've seen on FB Market place are homemade junk that's being sold because it's not worth it anymore. The square frame on one was all rusted. Another was made from boat trailer. One I would have to spend $1000 in steel + time to prep and weld before I'd considered driving a lawn mower across it. I did see old semi trailer for cheap, but no way to get it home and placed.Sounds like he's set on not removing any fence, but spending 3-4 times the cost of a ready to use trailer bed!
Plus majority of trailers also need new decking - if I need new wood for deck, why not just use bigger beams i've already got.
All in cost will be less than 3,000 depending on final cost and quantity of wood (how I do hand rails, how do the supports, etc). Currently thinking I may do some homemade metal artwork to decorate the hand rails.
Plus the satisfaction of telling my friends and family "I did it all myself."
Dan
I haven't found any used lumber dealers, but have found people that are selling used lumber - it's either store bought stuff which I'm wanting thicker stuff, it's too small in length (< 6') or it's "antique barn wood and priced at a premium - way more than I'd pay for new custom cut white oak.
Dan
I'm planning on using white oak.
Had a few things come up in addition to prior plans and also some out-of-town family now planning on visiting so will be busy pretty much every weekend into September.
Not in any rush to complete bridge, will probably be winter or early spring before completed - weather depending. I'm going to finish drilling holes and getting "stablizers" done between beams. By then I'll have finalized how I want to do bridge, especially the handrails.
Dan
fried1765
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I wonder about the cost?Container flat racks are another option. A neighbor close to me has one across his creek. I *think* the weight capacity is in the 140K lb range!!!
Like this:
My neighbor's bridge:
Plus delivery and placement?
IRC, he said about $20K for both flatracks, delivery and placement. I don't know if he had them placed on concrete or just bare ground.
His SIL across the street has a bridge made from two (or four) tractor trailers. According to GE, it's about 90 feet long, so I *assume* it's actually four trailers in all. I forget what he said the weight rating was, but it was jaw-dropping.
This bridge is interesting. Lots of response, ideas and feedback to chew on. I'll soon be needing a bridge to cross over to my back property, but I plan to make it portable. Placed, crossed and removed during winter by my BX2380. In the drier months there's not much flowing. Come winter the creek gets 20ft wide and 3 feet deep, so a bridge will get washed out.
When we bought the place we had quads and I wanted access to the other side at all times. I dropped two big alder trees across, pushed them together at about 40" then I laid 2x6 for the deck. That worked 8 years and 100s of crossings. One winter we got so much rain, the creek took out the bridge.
Lots of ideas going on here, Dan. You'll get it sorted.
When we bought the place we had quads and I wanted access to the other side at all times. I dropped two big alder trees across, pushed them together at about 40" then I laid 2x6 for the deck. That worked 8 years and 100s of crossings. One winter we got so much rain, the creek took out the bridge.
Lots of ideas going on here, Dan. You'll get it sorted.
Single span bascule bridge. Might need a decent foundation. I worked on a bridge site that had a bascule span that was designed to be lifted by mules, it was designed in early last century. We put a new bridge there.
A foot bridge above high water and an ATV on the other side might be less expensive. Or a couple more trees.
Extruded Aluminum (basically the size of a 2x4) is my plan. Structurally, four of them side-by-side under each wheel track has proven to carry the load of my quad cab Toyota 4x4. Not as a creek crossing, just in my shop during testing. Once my BX arrives, I'll have 90% of the needed puzzle pieces. With a little creativity, along with several trips to the weld shop, I'm hopeful to have the bridge ready by next spring.
I didn't read pages 2-4, but here's what I'd do:
1. Some bridging between the beams. 2 or 3 should be plenty with those beams.
2. Put your decking directly across the beams. I used 3" PT bridge timbers on my bridge, but I don't know if you can get 8 footers. You indicated you can get white oak cut, so you could use 2 or 2-1/2" boards. We used to have oak bridges that lasted several years. You could treat like some guys do their trailers. Leave a 2" gap so dirt doesn't get trapped and they dry out better. Runners optional.
I have posted a thread on here for my similar 40' x 12' bridge. One thing you'd need to do is figure out how to fasten the deck, I bolted nailers to the top of each beam. I would bolt a 'curb' on each side to help bridge the board ends.
Edit: add link.
1. Some bridging between the beams. 2 or 3 should be plenty with those beams.
2. Put your decking directly across the beams. I used 3" PT bridge timbers on my bridge, but I don't know if you can get 8 footers. You indicated you can get white oak cut, so you could use 2 or 2-1/2" boards. We used to have oak bridges that lasted several years. You could treat like some guys do their trailers. Leave a 2" gap so dirt doesn't get trapped and they dry out better. Runners optional.
I have posted a thread on here for my similar 40' x 12' bridge. One thing you'd need to do is figure out how to fasten the deck, I bolted nailers to the top of each beam. I would bolt a 'curb' on each side to help bridge the board ends.
Edit: add link.
Last edited:
Have you considered bridge planking? Its usually about 4” thick x whatever widths you specify. Its treated and lasts.
Also, maybe 30 years back I was visiting some loggers in western colorado. They showed me the bridges they used to get across ravines. They sourced used rail flatbed cars and drug those across the ravines with their dozers. Those bridges were cheap and sure werent going anywhere. Theyd run loaded logging trucks across them one after another.
Also, maybe 30 years back I was visiting some loggers in western colorado. They showed me the bridges they used to get across ravines. They sourced used rail flatbed cars and drug those across the ravines with their dozers. Those bridges were cheap and sure werent going anywhere. Theyd run loaded logging trucks across them one after another.
airbiscuit
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Why not get another I beam and run your (rough sawn) decking perpendicular to the I beams? You could run a few decking boards longitudinally the width of your tractor tires for more strength and to spread the load.
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Nawww
It's just the oldest trick in the book, pakistani english school student trying out to be a telemarketer.
Actually they make these posts and then go back and add spam to them in a day or two.