Plastic barrels won't get chewed up by muskrats like foam does.

They will probably float too high, making the centre of gravity of the
docks too high, and therefore the docks will be tippy. But you can
partially fill the barrels with water to lower the centre of gravity.
You have the advantage of putting letting just as much water into the
barrels as you need to lower the docks.

With water in the barrels the docks won't blow about in the wind.

On 19 Apr 2007 07:48:53 -0700, mark wrote:

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
Take a look at http://www.tiedown.com/amarinedls.html for some
pointers on dock design?
I have no experience of the designs or products, but they may assist.

--
Richard

Nb "Pound Eater" Parkend G+S
"Governments are like Nappies, they should be changed often."
(For the same reason)

On Apr 19, 10:48 am, mark wrote:
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

Mark,
I'm doing the same thing this summer. I've been looking at www.techstarplastics.com
for floats but they are $325 each from a local distributor. I've found
an interesting step by step dock building site at:
http://www.canadianfishing.com/dock/index.htm, fyi.
My dock will be 2 sections of 10ft wide x 16ft, so I'm looking at ways
to cut costs as well. I want the dock stable for 4-6 adults at the end
of the dock, sitting & enjoying a beer!
Some guys on the lake have 6ft wide docks with barrels and they rock a
fair amount. I would think a 3ft wide dock would flip over!
If you find any more info, please post/email.
Thanks,
---davr

wrote:

On Apr 19, 10:48 am, mark wrote:


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


I had a wooden dock about 7 ft by 9 ft - held up with 6 barrels - still too tippy for my likes - I pulled the barrels and added legs....


you might use more barrels and 1/2 fill them with water for ballast!

paul

On Apr 20, 1:54 pm, Wm Watt wrote:
Plastic barrels won't get chewed up by muskrats like foam does.

They will probably float too high, making the centre of gravity of the
docks too high, and therefore the docks will be tippy. But you can
partially fill the barrels with water to lower the centre of gravity.
You have the advantage of putting letting just as much water into the
barrels as you need to lower the docks.

With water in the barrels the docks won't blow about in the wind.



I've found plenty of discussion on the topic at various locations
around the internet, but I can't seem to find any information about
where to get these 55gal plastic barrels that everyone keeps talking
about. All I can find are floats that cost approx $100 per 350lb of
lift. That's over my budget. I'm looking for cheaper options, like
barrels, but I have no idea where to find them. Little help here?

Watch the papers. When someone gets them, one ad usually is enough to
sell them out. A local junkyard has them often, and metal ones. A
concrete plant near you may have some wetting agent barrels they use.

What are they worth to ship? I know of a few sources around here.

Terry K

On Apr 19, 10:40 am, max camirand wrote:
On Apr 19, 10:48 am, mark wrote:

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

In my opinion and experience, they will be unstable and want to roll.
They will almost certainly be more stable upside down than rightside
up. Most floating docks have one or more finger docks, which are the
narrow parts. If they're connected to each other perpendicularily,
this'll keep them from rolling. Putting a third barrel in the center
is only useful if you don't have enough floatation. It won't make it
any more stable. Probably the opposite. You don't have to buy
"floating dock hardware" to connect them together. Just get your local
metal shop to weld up some heavy hinges (2 per junction) with a
removable axis pin. Get everything hot dip galvanized.

-Maxime Camirand

To hook the sections of dock together you can use two sets of hot-
dipped galvanized eye bolts. Put two eye bolts on the ends of the two
docks you want to connect, with the set on one of the docks slightly
closer together than the other. Line up the eyes and run an
appropriate gauge and length of galvanized rod/threaded rod/pipe and
secure the ends with a pin/nut/cap- whatever works. On a three foot
wide dock, you would probably put the eye bolts about 2.5 feet apart.
This method of connecting docks is cheap, extremely strong and secure,
allows the dock sections hinge naturally with the movements of the
water, is easily taken apart, and provides for great lateral
stability. Oh, and did I mention cheap?

And no, I am not CEO of an eye bolt company

Michael Pierce

I've found plenty of discussion on the topic at various locations
around the internet, but I can't seem to find any information about
where to get these 55gal plastic barrels that everyone keeps talking
about. All I can find are floats that cost approx $100 per 350lb of
lift. That's over my budget. I'm looking for cheaper options, like
barrels, but I have no idea where to find them. Little help here?

I just picked up 2 new but used bright blue plastic barrels from a
local farmer. They have 2 screw caps in the top. The local farmer
sells all kinds of barrels. They cost me $12ea (CAN). Both had been
used for food. I looked at the labels of the barrels and they were all
types; pickles, syrup, molasses, even eye contact solution. I would
recommend contacting a local large manufacturer of food products and
ask them if they have any to sell or who they sell their used barrels
to. Good luck.

My 10' x 8' (overall) float uses 6 plastic barrels, 3 each spaced
inside 2 pipes made of 11 degree chamfered 1x6"x5' rough sawn #2
cedar. 13 boards in circumference, plus one more ripped down to about
3" wide to space pipe and barrels snug. Probably could get away with 4
barrels total, but then might need to use full pipe length boards
instead of staggering the 5' boards. They were cheap. The height in
the water is good for a 14' powerboat and a 29' sailboat. It is
stable.

Each pipe is held together with steel banding and includes gaps in the
boards for ladders, stowage, pet fish, spacer 2 x 4s, etc.

The 2 pipes are harnessed in figure 8 chains. The chains will soon be
held snug to the pipes with fence wire braces and threaded rod
tensioners, or possibly a few short staples. Fence wire braces corner
to corner will be added to stabilize pipes fore and aft.

The decks are 5' x 5'. 2 layers of the same 5' cedar, criss crossed,
nailed and clenched, with eye bolts at each corner.

The dock is held (pushed) offshore by an old lightning chewed aluminum
mast chained to a rock. The gangway is "T" sectioned, nailed up from 1
x 5s and a 1 x 4, with cross pieces at the ends.

The dock has been left out in the snow and ice, only floated up in
high water in the fall and floated down in the spring freshet. It is
being neglected to destruction. So far, 3 years and no signs of
failure. I expect the standard banding to rust out sometime in the
next 5 years. Rebanding the raft pipes will take about an hour,
provided I get it done before it all suddenly and completely
disintegrates. I may use stainless banding this time.

It was cheap, easy and fun to assemble. Can be muscled around myself,
if moved in pieces. It looks great!

I thought I sent this posting two weeks ago?

Terry K

On Jul 4, 11:48 am, Terry K wrote:
My 10' x 8' (overall) float uses 6 plastic barrels, 3 each spaced
inside 2 pipes made of 11 degree chamfered 1x6"x5' rough sawn #2
cedar. 13 boards in circumference, plus one more ripped down to about
3" wide to space pipe and barrels snug. Probably could get away with 4
barrels total, but then might need to use full pipe length boards
instead of staggering the 5' boards. They were cheap. The height in
the water is good for a 14' powerboat and a 29' sailboat. It is
stable.

Each pipe is held together with steel banding and includes gaps in the
boards for ladders, stowage, pet fish, spacer 2 x 4s, etc.

The 2 pipes are harnessed in figure 8 chains. The chains will soon be
held snug to the pipes with fence wire braces and threaded rod
tensioners, or possibly a few short staples. Fence wire braces corner
to corner will be added to stabilize pipes fore and aft.

The decks are 5' x 5'. 2 layers of the same 5' cedar, criss crossed,
nailed and clenched, with eye bolts at each corner.

The dock is held (pushed) offshore by an old lightning chewed aluminum
mast chained to a rock. The gangway is "T" sectioned, nailed up from 1
x 5s and a 1 x 4, with cross pieces at the ends.

The dock has been left out in the snow and ice, only floated up in
high water in the fall and floated down in the spring freshet. It is
being neglected to destruction. So far, 3 years and no signs of
failure. I expect the standard banding to rust out sometime in the
next 5 years. Rebanding the raft pipes will take about an hour,
provided I get it done before it all suddenly and completely
disintegrates. I may use stainless banding this time.

It was cheap, easy and fun to assemble. Can be muscled around myself,
if moved in pieces. It looks great!

I thought I sent this posting two weeks ago?

Terry K



sorry to ride a post.

only thing i would warn is make sure the barrels are not locked into
the dock.
if one gets a crack or hole in it its going to cause problems unless
it can fall out.
if it cant it will pull its section down as it fills with water.