Another Bridge Post

[BillG_in_TX]

Here's a side view.

 

[BB_TX]

Any idea what they drive across that? A really simple idea. But you would really want to know what an I beam layed on side could support.

 

[Joe1]

Some of these suggestions are getting expensive. If a railroad car is too difficult to get to the creek, how about a 40' flatbed trailer truck. Haul it down there on it's wheels, remove the bogie and drop it in place on the aforementioned contrete on each side of the creek. It would also be wide enough to get a pcik=up or farm tractor across it.

Don't mean to beat a dead horse, but the reinforced steel framework is already there and it might be cheaper than building a fancy foot bridge that is only wide enough for an ATV or golf card.

Just my second dimes' worth.

Good luck.

Joe

 

[Alan L.]

Joe1, I don't think I could even get a 40-foot trailer to the bridge location, or at least it would be very difficult. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Joe1]

I appreciate your patience with an almost duplicate post. Let us know just what you end up doing.

Joe

 

[txdon]

Alan, I have seen the water gushing out of the culvert and the rocks don't budge. I can drive over the bridge with the truck or tractor. Water has risen to the top once during a flood but then goes around the bridge in a high water channel which is about 2 feet lower than than the top of the bridge. I had a bulldozer cut the (flood) channel but it could have been done with a box blade. I will attach a photo of this bridge in progress, the dirt pile was used to fill in over the culvert and was tamped in. I will take some photos of another bridge (just starting) with a larger 6' culvert upstream and post it in a few days.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Are we talking about the same place? Just before you get to the new dump ground? They used to advertise in the local paper as Collin County Steel & Pipe.)</font>

You're right. And heck, I've known John at least ten plus years. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Old age getting me again. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

If I recall this bridge is only needed for a thousand pounds or so. It looks like a twenty footer will do just fine.

Here's a suggestion. I'll supply the equipment, welder, trailer, tractor, etc. The rest of ya'll norte tejas TBN'rs kick in helping hands and we'll have a bridge building one saturday or sunday.

Alan can spring for four pieces of two by four eleven gauge twenty four foot long along with whatever he wants for decking, wood, expanded metal etc. That and some posts for the ends along with whatever concrete he needs we can do it in a day. Or at least have it where he can deck it by himself if necessary.

The plan. I'll lay out a pattern on on piece of the rectangular tubing. A couple of guys can do what that requires. When they're done I'll weld that piece up and we can have someone else grind the welds. When we're done we'll have three arc'd pieces with about a three foot rise in the middle. The fourth piece of tubing will be for connectors between the three.

We'll need an M.E. to verify the load capacity for a bridge so designed. I only think'em up and make'm. Someone else has to tell me I did right or wrong.

We would have to have Bird there. A TBN affair in norte tejas without Bird would be almost like one of those they have in New England. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Seriously, it could be fun. This time of year we'd all already be wearing boots so the tractor tales could, well, we'd have more'n one. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Besides that, we could set the standard for TBN get togethers. Do a project, best mixer ever.

 

[BillG_in_TX]

harv,

I'm in (if I can find Bugtussle). I'll bring a good attitude!

Edit: I found it - see attached map. It's between Ladonia and Honey Grove. I shoulda known that - I've been on that road before. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I'll bring a good attitude!)</font>

I knew that!

You're a TBN'r.

A bud makes some of the best trailers, carhaulers, in the world using two by four eleven gauge. When you add in the strength of the arc I'll bet this framework can hold more than a Texan on a Mule.

The way I arc rectangular tubing is I lay out and cut slits with a portable bandsaw. I have my cuts on the outside of the arc. I generally go for a spread of each cut that's about twice the size of the cut itself. For a tight radius I put the cuts close together and for a slower one, farther apart. I then weld up the gaps and then grind them smooth. Folks who see some of my work just assume I have a roller with some kind of capacity. In fact it's just a little work and a lot of patience.

More important than the arc will be the footers--posts at the edges of the bridge. They have to be substantial enough to resist the tendancy of the arc to straighten out when there's a load. We could put some horizontal braces to make it really strong but that would take away from the beauty of the arc and provide a place for debris to hang up when the water's flowing high.

 

[BB_TX]

<font color="blue"> I found it - see attached map. It's between Ladonia and Honey Grove. </font>
Alan is going to have to straighten us out. I found Bugtussle in Fannin county and Mustang in Denton county. But Alan also says he is in Grayson county. Wow, he must have a big place. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif