Building 55' Bridge Across Creek - Utility Poles

[EddieWalker]

Fantastic pictures. With the Fall color, it has a sort of mystical quality to it!!!

 

[gable74]

Thanks Everyone. It is certainly a spectacular time of year. A couple weeks and everything will be naked! Here is a cool shot just a little down stream from the bridge where it opens into the cove. Look close and you can see one of the Great Blue Herons doing some morning fishing. Now that I can easily access this side, I may do a little fishing myself.

 

[gable74]

A few pics now that some snow has settled in.

 

[Gordon Gould]

I see Reddy Fox still likes your new bridge - nice pics !!

gg

 

[rScotty]

Re linseed oil:

I used that to treat the logs on a log cabin years ago.
As time went by the logs all turned black.
What I later learned was that I should have added a 'fungicide' to my oil mix.

OK, for a bridge black is OK, I guess!

Oh, and the difference between 'raw' and 'boiled' linseed oil is boiled is supposedly treated with driers or hardeners while the 'raw' is very slow dry.
"Raw' will penetrate better=better long life protection while 'boiled' will harden and skim like paint on the surface.

The linseed oil isn't actually "drying"; nothing is evaporated or given off as linseed oil changes into a harder substance. The process is called polymerization. It helps to think of it as hardening instead of drying, althogh it does look a bit like drying when it happens. Linseed oil is one of the four naturally polymerizing oils. In those oils, the shorter chain hydrocarbon molecules of the oil can be made to join together in sunlight & oxygen (polymerize) to form a sort of natural plastic.
Boiling the raw oil and then adding a cobalt salt catalyst (Japan Dryer at HD) will kick off the polymerization in boiled linseed oil. It doesn't take much catalyst. .

I have no idea why yours turned black unless it was unboiled linseed oil and the fungus outran the polymerization. After it hardens, linseed oil is a durable coating.

You can add turps or mineral oil up to about 30% to change the viscosity to make the linseed oil penetrate the wood better. That will evaporate in a few days and then the polymerization can begin.
rScotty

 

[Gord Baker]

Yikes, more than I ever wanted to know about Linseed Oil. It is so hard to grow Lins to get it.
Thanks

 

[Gord Baker]

A few pics now that some snow has settled in.

Beautiful Bridge. I would put a Centre Support of Concrete Blocks or 6" capped steel pipe placed on heavy Patio stones or a big length of 8" Channel Iron. Old age sags!

 

[PILOON]

The linseed oil isn't actually "drying"; nothing is evaporated or given off as linseed oil changes into a harder substance. The process is called polymerization. It helps to think of it as hardening instead of drying, althogh it does look a bit like drying when it happens. Linseed oil is one of the four naturally polymerizing oils. In those oils, the shorter chain hydrocarbon molecules of the oil can be made to join together in sunlight & oxygen (polymerize) to form a sort of natural plastic.
Boiling the raw oil and then adding a cobalt salt catalyst (Japan Dryer at HD) will kick off the polymerization in boiled linseed oil. It doesn't take much catalyst. .

I have no idea why yours turned black unless it was unboiled linseed oil and the fungus outran the polymerization. After it hardens, linseed oil is a durable coating.

You can add turps or mineral oil up to about 30% to change the viscosity to make the linseed oil penetrate the wood better. That will evaporate in a few days and then the polymerization can begin.
rScotty

I did use RAW (unboiled) oil and thinned it somewhat for the 1st application followed by pure.
However I'll add that there was rarely any sun on the oiled surfaces due to trees and location.
Years later (30) I did clean up some of the logs and that wood was simply beautiful.

I used raw as I knew boiled actually used driers or hardeners and I wanted penetration over a dry harder skin.

 

[gable74]

Beautiful Bridge. I would put a Centre Support of Concrete Blocks or 6" capped steel pipe placed on heavy Patio stones or a big length of 8" Channel Iron. Old age sags!

I will keep an eye on it, I am hoping the those large treated poles will hold shape for a while. It would detract from the aesthetic of the bridge to have to throw another support in there if I don't have too.

The linseed oil isn't actually "drying"; nothing is evaporated or given off as linseed oil changes into a harder substance. The process is called polymerization. It helps to think of it as hardening instead of drying, althogh it does look a bit like drying when it happens. Linseed oil is one of the four naturally polymerizing oils. In those oils, the shorter chain hydrocarbon molecules of the oil can be made to join together in sunlight & oxygen (polymerize) to form a sort of natural plastic.
Boiling the raw oil and then adding a cobalt salt catalyst (Japan Dryer at HD) will kick off the polymerization in boiled linseed oil. It doesn't take much catalyst. .

I have no idea why yours turned black unless it was unboiled linseed oil and the fungus outran the polymerization. After it hardens, linseed oil is a durable coating.

You can add turps or mineral oil up to about 30% to change the viscosity to make the linseed oil penetrate the wood better. That will evaporate in a few days and then the polymerization can begin.
rScotty

I think I asked this a few pages back, but with this bridge outside, in the elements year round, what is the best way to try and apply the oil, and how long will it take to dry/cure? I have animals on the thing daily and it rains at least once a week around here. Both of which would probably hinder the process. The boards have turned a nice grey color that oak normally does once its been exposed for a while, will applying the LSO bring back its original gold color or just protect it in its current state? I am fine either way, just curious. I planned to try and apply some sort of protectant this spring hoping that will have been enough time to let the wood "dry out."

 

[PILOON]

I will keep an eye on it, I am hoping the those large treated poles will hold shape for a while. It would detract from the aesthetic of the bridge to have to throw another support in there if I don't have too.


I think I asked this a few pages back, but with this bridge outside, in the elements year round, what is the best way to try and apply the oil, and how long will it take to dry/cure? I have animals on the thing daily and it rains at least once a week around here. Both of which would probably hinder the process. The boards have turned a nice grey color that oak normally does once its been exposed for a while, will applying the LSO bring back its original gold color or just protect it in its current state? I am fine either way, just curious. I planned to try and apply some sort of protectant this spring hoping that will have been enough time to let the wood "dry out."

Perhaps you might consider the wood end treating solutions like used an the treated woods most lumber yards sell for decks.
Usually in green and recently a light brown. Believe they also have clear.
Usually available in gallons.
Very liquid, fast penetrating and fast drying. Apply when wood is at its driest.