wood frame building when Stepping mast along NY canals

[LoudMusic]

Originally Posted by BlackHeron

1/4" threaded rod is fairly inexpensive in 4-foot+ sections, and is one of the best ways to connect 2x4 studs together after drilling a hole right through both (or multiple) pieces. A larger box of 1/4-20 nuts and large fender washers nets a really strong connection and will not loosen-up like long screws -especially long drywall screws which are brittle and can be easily broken/snapped on a shifting and flexing boat deck, and can split most lumber without pre-drilling the holes anyhow. You can buy a longer 1/4" drill bit that is about 10-12" long which makes quick work of this kind of job. A c-clamp helps locate cross-beams before drilling and making a fastener with a piece of threaded rod. Cut with a hacksaw and clean up the threads with a file.

I commend your frugalness, but that just seems like an absurd amount of extra work. Why not buy appropriate length carriage bolts and save time and money on hacksawing, filing, extra nuts and washer, and the hassle of two wrenches?

[BlackHeron]

Originally Posted by LoudMusic

I commend your frugalness, but that just seems like an absurd amount of extra work. Why not buy appropriate length carriage bolts and save time and money on hacksawing, filing, extra nuts and washer, and the hassle of two wrenches?

Absurd? It takes literally 20 seconds to cut a threaded rod on a ladder with a hacksaw. I've cut thousands of them and it's not hard. Hold it jammed onto the 3rd step with your offhand thumb and cut just like it was in a vise. That's how it is done in the trades by people who work for a living. About 10 strokes with the hacksaw and when the tone changes you back off and pop it up before it falls down. If you know what you are doing and can pop it right you don't even need to file it. Or just use your angle grinder to dress the threads. Bing-bang-bung-done!

Threaded rod can be cut to any length needed. Wanna connect in a T with one stud section length-wise? No problem if you have a longer drill. Wanna sandwich 3 studs? No problem? 4 studs? No problem. Wanna run at an angle? Still no problem.

Carriage bolts aren't expensive but if you have to stop what you are doing and go buy more, or one of a different length then you have to run (or walk) to the nearest hardware store and hope they have what you want in stock. Talk about a time-waster...

Buy a few 4' sections of threaded rod, a box of nuts and a box of washers and you have all the material you need to connect anything wooden. I have a couple of U-bolts that I use to tie into my wind turbine mast. That's pretty sturdy.

[sona1111]

Hi All,

Not to revive a dead thread but I wanted to thank all of you for the input and suggestions. I have all of the tools that were mentioned besides the cargo straps so I will bring them along. I will be happy to take some pictures after so you all can evaluate my design!

[bob mundle]

Oswego has a scrap pile of wood previously used by others. Just bring some tools- hammer, circular saw etc and build two x braces from that lumber and lash your mast down- there is a lake you have to cross enroute to the hudson that can get very rough. Also, if you run aground and heal over as the tide goes out on the Hudson , you don’t want to lose your rig overboard- I damn near did. Enjoy the trip

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by bob mundle

Oswego has a scrap pile of wood previously used by others. Just bring some tools- hammer, circular saw etc and build two x braces from that lumber and lash your mast down- there is a lake you have to cross enroute to the hudson that can get very rough. Also, if you run aground and heal over as the tide goes out on the Hudson , you don’t want to lose your rig overboard- I damn near did. Enjoy the trip

Having gone through the Oswego canal last fall i can say with 100% certainty that they no longer have a scrap pile to pick through to build your frames! They got rid of that stuff and no longer have a supply for cruisers.

[CharlzO]

Originally Posted by pcmm

Having gone through the Oswego canal last fall i can say with 100% certainty that they no longer have a scrap pile to pick through to build your frames! They got rid of that stuff and no longer have a supply for cruisers.

Not sure about that - I launched mine out of Oswego Marina on the 2nd of this month, and there was a pretty decent scrap pile in the back corner of old bits and pieces of pallets, and other woods. I can't speak to what happened in the last three weeks, but there was some there when I splashed.

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by CharlzO

Not sure about that - I launched mine out of Oswego Marina on the 2nd of this month, and there was a pretty decent scrap pile in the back corner of old bits and pieces of pallets, and other woods. I can't speak to what happened in the last three weeks, but there was some there when I splashed.

Last fall I had to purchase all my supplies. When I inquired with the yard about the famous pile they told me it was gone and looking around the yard confirmed it. zero supplies to build frames with (as of Weekend after labour day) so I had to walk all the materials from the lumber store that is around the corner from the marina.

Be prepaired to purchase supples. Think it through! Took us 3 trips to get evrything ready!

Maybe new crew, the main guy there last fall was retiring. and he said my rig was going to be one of the last times he was going up in the bosun's chair!

[CharlzO]

Originally Posted by pcmm

Last fall I had to purchase all my supplies. When I inquired with the yard about the famous pile they told me it was gone and looking around the yard confirmed it. zero supplies to build frames with (as of Weekend after labour day) so I had to walk all the materials from the lumber store that is around the corner from the marina.

Be prepaired to purchase supples. Think it through! Took us 3 trips to get evrything ready!

Maybe new crew, the main guy there last fall was retiring. and he said my rig was going to be one of the last times he was going up in the bosun's chair!

Benny? I think that was his name. If that was the same guy, still there lol. But it very well could be. I purchased the boat while it was on the hard there, did some work on it a little here and there over winter, and splashed from there as it was already pre-paid. I never actually used any of the wood that was kicking around, since there's a Lowes a mile up the road and I had the car. Very possible that a lot of that stuff gets turned over or removed, and I might just have been seeing other remnants of others.

[pcmm]

There is a lumber store even closer "burkes Home improvement" is litterally around the corner. Just walk up the stairs across the road from the marina and its another 100 yards if that!

A few of us had to make that trip last fall.