Cheap pier for my small pond

[EddieWalker]

Here it is all done.

The pond is still a foot low, but I'll take that!!!!

Later on down the road, I'll add a light to the end of it, but that's way down on my list of things to do. For now, it's just a place to feed the fish, hang out and let the kids play with there remote contorl boats.

My out of pocket expenses for this was $240, but allot of the materials, screws and brackets I already had.

Eddie

 

[Renze]

Eddie,

In old cities like downtown Amsterdam, where lots of old buildings from the 1700's are, they keep the ater level very precise at a high enough level. When the water table drops, the heads of the poles on which the buildings are built, are exposed to oxygen and they will rot like apples. As long as the water table is high enough the wooden foundation poles will last another century, most have been conserved for already 200 years or more.

If you paint the part of the poles that is at or above the water line (exposed to air) the pier will last for ages.

 

[bones1]

That came out real nice.

 

[EddieWalker]

MrJimi,

This was my first attempt at a pier or dock and it's something I've always wanted to do. If I had the time and lived on a big lake, I'd make the most amazing dock I could imagine. Kind of like the Trex advertisements. It's something I could easily get really carried away with!!!

Unfortunately, my little pond is just too small for anything more or extravagant. I was worred this would overpower it, but I don't think it does. To me, it seems to fit in there just right.


Bones1,

Yes, that's an electric drill with an extention cord pluged into a 20amp breaker.

Last night when it started to rain, I left it out on the pier with the plug hanging off the joist. I never expected so much rain, or the water in the pond to rise as much as it did. It's just a shock to realize how much water came down. Anyway, this morning when I went to get started, it was in about a foot of water.

I thought it would have tripped the breaker, but it didn't. I pluged in my saw and it was still live.

I started out with my cordless drill, but it's a craftsman. nuff said about that.

So I was real careful and kept the cord way above the water and never had any problems. I was wondering what would happen if it fell into the pond. Would I even get shocked? Would it hurt me? I just don't know and really don't want to find out.

Thanks,
Eddie

 

[EddieWalker]

Renze,

Thanks for the tip. Does it matter what type of paint you use?

I've heard about logs being underwater for centuries and being in perfect condition, but this is all new to me and sort of a calculated risk.

Eddie

 

[Farwell]

Eddie,
I use the ground fault extension cords just in case.
Pier looks great.
Farwell

 

[MrJimi]

MrJimi,

This was my first attempt at a pier or dock and it's something I've always wanted to do. If I had the time and lived on a big lake, I'd make the most amazing dock I could imagine. Kind of like the Trex advertisements. It's something I could easily get really carried away with!!!

Unfortunately, my little pond is just too small for anything more or extravagant. I was worred this would overpower it, but I don't think it does. To me, it seems to fit in there just right.

Eddie, the only reason I mentioned the floating dock idea was because we have allot of out of water piers on our 120 acre lake in Interlachen, Florida. They look like ski jumps going nowhere? LOL
Your pier is wonderful, just attach a floating dock/raft to it for the water rise and fall
Jim

 

[Iowachild]

Yes, that's an electric drill with an extention cord pluged into a 20amp breaker.

So I was real careful and kept the cord way above the water and never had any problems. I was wondering what would happen if it fell into the pond. Would I even get shocked? Would it hurt me? I just don't know and really don't want to find out.

Thanks,
Eddie

Eddie,

No kidding here man, you could have been killed real quick. It has happened to people many times. There was a fellow here killed while using an AC electric drill on a steel truck bed in the rain. Always, always, always use a GFCI when using electric tools and equipment outside.
We enjoy your posts too much to lose you!

 

[MossRoad]

Yes, that's an electric drill with an extention cord pluged into a 20amp breaker.


I thought it would have tripped the breaker, but it didn't. I pluged in my saw and it was still live.

So I was real careful and kept the cord way above the water and never had any problems. I was wondering what would happen if it fell into the pond. Would I even get shocked? Would it hurt me? I just don't know and really don't want to find out.

Thanks,
Eddie

YIKES!!! You need to invest in a GFCI or get more batteries for your cordless. You could have easily been killed. What happens is your muscles go whacky, you drop into the water, and if your heart doesn't stop, you drown first! We have relatives that had a dog that waded into the water near their pier. The cousin saw the dog flopping around in the water like it was having a siezure. He jumped in to save it and started flopping around as well. Turns out their irrigation pump (110V) for their sprinkler system had shorted and the metal pickup tube that ran from the pump to the lake had become live. He managed to flop away from the pickup tube, which was a good 10-15 feet from him and run up to shore an unplug the pump, before saving the dog. He got GFCI real quick. Lucky he or his children didn't die. ALL outdoor electric outlets should be GFCI protected. Be careful out there.

As for your peir... it looks great! Nice job.

 

[ultrarunner]

Don't forget to do a functional check of the GFCI.

I have come across a few, mounted outside in a Bell Boxes, that do not trip. Seems the small button gets stuck and will not "Pop Out" when it is supposed to.