Portable Skidder Bridge Workshop.

[SwampDonkey]

Here is your first picture with 30 % less compression and size doubled.  ;D ;)




I bet I could get better quality if I had the original photo and I could post it the same size as above. I think it's all in the optimization software. I tried using Fireworks and I couldn't get as good results as with Photoshop. ;)

[Tom]

In our defense, the uploading and storage of pictures here really isn't too difficult, it's just that there is a procedure and some sites have none.

Saying the forums procedure stinks is paramount to saying that government in New York stinks.  It's statements like that that hurt the feelings of guy who provided the procedure.   This isn't a big, noname, corporately owned organiztion.  When you condemn the design, you're condemning one person.  When you condemn the management, you are condemning seven people, world-wide, all volunteers, who have lives elsewhere.

There are instructions for uploading pictures that can be found by clicking the Help button or by going to Behind the Forum.  If your software is difficult to manage, there are suggested products that are proven.  Why re-invent the wheel?


We used to build dragline mats like you are building bridges.  One inch threaded bar every 4 feet through 12x12 pine timbers.  They would hold up pretty good out in the saltwater swamps of Coastal S. Florida.

[SwampDonkey]

There are still alot of us on dialup and the service will probably never get here unless the government subsidizes it.  With 1 meg photos on every thread alot of us just couldn't come here.  :'( Go to the Tree ID thread and click on the first thread with dialup connection and it's slow enough as it is.  :

So follow Tom's advise as well as other admin's advise on photos and we can all get along better. There are alot of bloated sites that make you wait on dialup for all the fluffy and frilly stuff to load, then once it loads it's a big disappointment because there isn't much worth sticking around for. ;)

[Jim]

I still can't figure out how you are able to drill the holes for the rods.

[SwampDonkey]

One big wood boring drill bit with extensions. ;D

I've done it with cherry wood to make tall bed posts and then shove a wooden dowel on two adjoining pieces, when you have a 32 inch lathe and you want a 65 inch bed post. ;)  ;D

[Tom]

We weren't so sophisticated. 

We used a carpenter's square to determine where to drill each hole and drilled each timber separately.  We tried to be as accurate as possible.   

Then we put a nut on the threads to protect them and drove the 1" pins through all of the timbers, with an 8 lb. sledge, by starting each timber separately.  The holes didn't match exactly and the pins probably were bent as they went through, but it worked.  We then pulled them up tight with an eight foot piece of pipe for a cheater on a power handle and open end wrench.

The long drill bit probably works a lot better.  :D

[nyforester]

Hi Jim
I bought a 7/8 inch diameter wood auger drill bit. They cost about $40.00 . I then welded a 3 1/2 foot steel rod to the end of the bit. It took several attemps to get it strait and not wobble. I have a very large drill gun and just drill all the way through. Works excellent.

Sorry if I offened anyone with my comments.
This is a wonderful site. Keep up the good work !!!

[David_c]

I myself liked the idea of making and using a template. Seems like it would be easiest and most accurate.

[nyforester]

We tried using a template. It was very difficult. The holes had to be drilled very accurate in order for all the holes to line up. I was using 10 inch square timbers with 7 rods holding them together. If the drill did not go through perfectly, all the rods would not line up. The best way would be to use a drill press.

Using my way, I held it together with a large rachet strap so it would not shift around. After drilling the hole, the rod was tapped through with a hammer. We put a nut on the end so the thread would not get damaged. 

[David_c]

The only thing you need to do with template is keep drill straight when drilling. Never had much of a problem with that. So still think it would work best. But everyone is differant what might work for one isn't always whats best for everyone.