wrote in message
...

"mark" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Apr 19, 1:07 pm, wrote:
I do not know your location and what waves and tides actions you have.
If you are inland and you are looking to build floating docks on the
cheap
to last for a year or so with ease of handling your approach could
serve
you on a short term basis.

About using used plastic barrels, check where they coming from and what
were
they containing.
I had to give up the idea of using plastic barrels because they had been
used for the transport of toxic chemical.
With today's environnemental bylaws it would be safer to check with the
proper authorities.
The following suggestions are subject to you area and waterway
regulations.
In some location the design will have to be much stronger to meet the
marine
environnement of were you are building the floats.
As for the construction of the 3' X 16' floating docks 2" X 8" rough
sawn
juniper is on the light side.
What I used was 3" thick by 10" wide. This size is not easy to get by,
but
if you have access to a local (or portable) lumber mill it is no
problem.
As for the decking 1/4" X 3" is light I used 2" thick by 6" wide.
You said you doing this on the cheap. I suggest that you use steel
corner
plate bolted through the cross member and the side stringer. Nailing
could
do for a short term but I do not recommend it.

ups.com...



I am going to build some floating docks but before I re-invent the
wheel I would like to get some opinions. They will be 16' long by 3'
wide and at either end I would put a plastic barrel under it, inside
the frame. The frame would be 2X8 rough sawn Juniper and the decking
would be 1 1/4" X 3 . First of all would this be stable or want to
roll, should I put a 3rd barrel in the center? If the barrels were in
a framework but free moving could they act as rollers to help when
pulling the docks out of the water. The beach is very gradual. I am
doing this on the cheap so I am not buying any floating dock hardware,
brackets, plastic floats etc...Any other ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Small world I see you are from NB I am on PEI. It is in a sheltered
cove about 4' deep. The barrels are clean. The decking is is 1-1/4" X
3" not 1/4" X 3. As for the corners I would put 4X4 post vertically
on the inside and through bolt the 2x8's with Galv. carriage bolts.
What about the amount of floatation. The barrels will support around
600lbs each if totally submerged, any idea how heavy the dock would be?

1-1/4" thick for decking is too light. I used min of 2" thick for
decking.
4"X4" vertical corner post on the inside and through bolt the 2x8's with
Galv. carriage bolts.
is not the very best. With sea motions and tidal actions carriage bolts
do tend to gouge the wood under the shoulder head and slack off the corner
joints. Are you going to connect more than one 16 feet long float or you
are only building one? If you are going to connect several 16' X 3' float
together you need strong connection capable to resist the strongest
prevailing wind. If you have only one light float not properly attached
and anchored every time the prevailing wind pipes up in your small cove
you will have to pull your float off the water. Then when the wind calms
down you will have to push back the float in the water. On Grand Lake,
NB. cottagers have done that for years.
As for how heavy the floating dock would be I'll have to get back to my
notes and validate the weight for different type of timber like juniper
and hemlock.

You are saying that you were to use Juniper lumber.

At time, Juniper is a localism and is used to describe other known lumber
trees species as Hemlock, Black spruce or Tamarack (Eastern Larch).

Please check http://www.macphailwoods.org/tree/larch.html and tell me what
species you are referring as Juniper.