Pond Bridge

rcrcomputing · May 31, 2009

what size is your kubota? I can't quite tell..

oh_lenny · May 31, 2009

EddieWalker said:
Looks like a fun project. What did you use for footings to support the bridge?

I've been day dreaming about building a bridge over my spillway. It's nice to see yours, but of course, your success just reminds me to get going on mine.

I'm looking forward to seeing the railing and more pics of your bridge.

Thanks for posting,
Eddie

Eddie I used another piece of channel welded to each end in the vertical for the extra height that I wanted,then I welded a piece of channel with the flanges facing down( horizontal) so it would dig into the ground. After that was done I welded gussets from the horizontal piece up to the I beam , I wanted them more to the inside of the bridge for cosmetic reasons.
rcrcomputing My kubota is a 2007 B7510 hsd

jimmysisson · Jun 4, 2009

Maybe rethink the double layer deck. If you don't need the strength, leave it single. The deck will rot faster doubled, with water sitting between the layers and not drying out. If it's treated, same thing but MUCH slower. Looks real useful otherwise!
Jim

mwb · Jun 5, 2009

To late at this point but I would have recommended 2x6 decking over the 2x4. You might find that the odd 2x4 will crack then the next one takes more load and so on.
The other fix for this is to run strip of checker plate lengthwise where your tractor wheels will run. You might have seen something like this done at a golf course.

The other thing that might be a nice touch is to install a curb along the inside; this would be better than using the side of your tractor and the railing as a guide.

A bridge is certainly a nice touch to the landscape!

Cheers,
Mike

2manyrocks · Jun 5, 2009

Another possibility is to use a reinforced concrete deck. I'd probably just run 4x4 PT along each side on the deck as a curb and call it done.

oh_lenny · Jun 5, 2009

I decided to stay with a single layer deck for now, the 2x4's seem to be strong enough to hold the tractor,as for the railing I'm planning on making a steel railing with some some type of western theme (maybe make a bunch of steel wagon wheels and weld them together with wooden hand railing. I'm just waiting for the weather to get better.thanks for the suggestions i really appreciate them,just like beer (many brains are better than one)

Coolnorth · Jun 5, 2009

That's a really good idea, especially when I consider where you are located!

How did you fare last month with the flood waters? My sister & B-I-L are just a few miles south-east of you and though river height didn't affect them, there was still overground flooding and it filled many of their buildings with water.

How deep is your water body and is it there year-round? What is the actual surface size of your bridge - 10 ft long by ___? Will you be dressing the approaches with crushed limestone?

oh_lenny · Jun 6, 2009

Coolnorth I'm 5 miles west of the river (lower fort garry historical museum) the flood never got to me but the overland flooding was getting awful close to the house.My ponds are on average of 3 feet deep but I have one pond I dug to 8 feet deep at the waterfall. The bridge is 10 feet by 5 feet. I am thinking of laying either shale or tyndal stone paths to and from the bridge and then try and grow moss in the cracks of the stone.

MarkV · Jun 6, 2009

I am sure a railing would be a nice touch. My only thought is that with the bridge 5' wide will a railing get in the way if you buy any wider implements?

MarkV