wrote in message
ups.com...


I like this idea, though the earlier idea of bolting on angle is
probably easier.


As I sse the problem with the angle idea is that when the ramp is loaded,
the bolts you use to secure the angle to the wood will want to twist in the
wood, ant that would as I see it be the start of a failure.

By using the steel on the underside as I suggested the sag would be limited
to the ability of the steel to streach against the unwillingness of the wood
to compress against the end grain like a wall stud.

You could induce a little preload when welding the rods to the end caps if
you flipped the ramp upside down and between two fulcrum points. If you
welded one end, and then placed a weight on the center the wood would flex
down, (Actually "up" in its usual orientation.) and then you could weld the
other end. When the weight was released, the rods would already be in
tension.

--

Roger Shoaf

About the time I had mastered getting the toothpaste back in the tube, then
they come up with this striped stuff.


Alternatively, consider changing from box store softwood to a locally
milled rough hardwood like oak or ash. The wood itself is stiffer and
you'll gain a little more stiffness from it being thicker (close to a
full 2").

--Glenn Lyford