I recently took a walk through a conservation area in upstate NY. The following
boardwalk zigged and zagged through the area, creating a loop about 1/2 mile.
The curves were of various radii, some fairly sharp, some more sweeping.

https://i.imgur.com/hKswjPY.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/AlxlcRA.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/SqEXbcL.jpg

At every curve, and I mean every one, the boards were tapered to fit, sometimes
just a few, sometimes a dozen or more. If you zoom in on this image, you'll
see about 8 tapered boards in the center, and then a few more to left near the
posts that support the railings. The entire boardwalk is built like this.

https://i.imgur.com/CkWhb97.jpg

In addition, at each double post, the floorboards are notched to fit tightly
around the uprights. This notches are cut at all different angles, whatever
it took to get them tight around the posts.

https://i.imgur.com/dSW6AMH.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/B6l7Mir.jpg

I can't imagine that these cuts were made one by one, in the field, by a
person with a tape measure, a straight edge, and a circular saw.

Perhaps there is a computer program, which lays out each cut, numbers
each board, etc. so that the boardwalk is put together in the field
based on a printed plan? Thousands of boards, all individually cut by
a CNC machine? Gotta be done like that, right?

Even so, getting them this tight out in the field, the wet marshland in
fact, even if created and cut by a computer, is pretty damn amazing.

On 12/19/2019 9:02 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I recently took a walk through a conservation area in upstate NY. The following
boardwalk zigged and zagged through the area, creating a loop about 1/2 mile.
The curves were of various radii, some fairly sharp, some more sweeping.

https://i.imgur.com/hKswjPY.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/AlxlcRA.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/SqEXbcL.jpg

At every curve, and I mean every one, the boards were tapered to fit, sometimes
just a few, sometimes a dozen or more. If you zoom in on this image, you'll
see about 8 tapered boards in the center, and then a few more to left near the
posts that support the railings. The entire boardwalk is built like this.

https://i.imgur.com/CkWhb97.jpg

In addition, at each double post, the floorboards are notched to fit tightly
around the uprights. This notches are cut at all different angles, whatever
it took to get them tight around the posts.

https://i.imgur.com/dSW6AMH.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/B6l7Mir.jpg

I can't imagine that these cuts were made one by one, in the field, by a
person with a tape measure, a straight edge, and a circular saw.

Perhaps there is a computer program, which lays out each cut, numbers
each board, etc. so that the boardwalk is put together in the field
based on a printed plan? Thousands of boards, all individually cut by
a CNC machine? Gotta be done like that, right?

Even so, getting them this tight out in the field, the wet marshland in
fact, even if created and cut by a computer, is pretty damn amazing.


Maybe a portable table saw. Looks very well done. I guess you can walk
back to the shop and do a few at a time but that would take forever.

I'd like to take the walk though. Nice area.

On Thu, 19 Dec 2019 23:23:52 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On 12/19/2019 9:02 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I recently took a walk through a conservation area in upstate NY. The following
boardwalk zigged and zagged through the area, creating a loop about 1/2 mile.
The curves were of various radii, some fairly sharp, some more sweeping.

https://i.imgur.com/hKswjPY.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/AlxlcRA.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/SqEXbcL.jpg

At every curve, and I mean every one, the boards were tapered to fit, sometimes
just a few, sometimes a dozen or more. If you zoom in on this image, you'll
see about 8 tapered boards in the center, and then a few more to left near the
posts that support the railings. The entire boardwalk is built like this.

https://i.imgur.com/CkWhb97.jpg

In addition, at each double post, the floorboards are notched to fit tightly
around the uprights. This notches are cut at all different angles, whatever
it took to get them tight around the posts.

https://i.imgur.com/dSW6AMH.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/B6l7Mir.jpg

I can't imagine that these cuts were made one by one, in the field, by a
person with a tape measure, a straight edge, and a circular saw.

Perhaps there is a computer program, which lays out each cut, numbers
each board, etc. so that the boardwalk is put together in the field
based on a printed plan? Thousands of boards, all individually cut by
a CNC machine? Gotta be done like that, right?

Even so, getting them this tight out in the field, the wet marshland in
fact, even if created and cut by a computer, is pretty damn amazing.


Maybe a portable table saw. Looks very well done. I guess you can walk
back to the shop and do a few at a time but that would take forever.

I'd like to take the walk though. Nice area.

My Dad would have done that with a handsaw, hammer, and chisel.

On 12/19/2019 8:02 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I recently took a walk through a conservation area in upstate NY. The following
boardwalk zigged and zagged through the area, creating a loop about 1/2 mile.
The curves were of various radii, some fairly sharp, some more sweeping.

https://i.imgur.com/hKswjPY.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/AlxlcRA.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/SqEXbcL.jpg

At every curve, and I mean every one, the boards were tapered to fit, sometimes
just a few, sometimes a dozen or more. If you zoom in on this image, you'll
see about 8 tapered boards in the center, and then a few more to left near the
posts that support the railings. The entire boardwalk is built like this.

https://i.imgur.com/CkWhb97.jpg

In addition, at each double post, the floorboards are notched to fit tightly
around the uprights. This notches are cut at all different angles, whatever
it took to get them tight around the posts.

https://i.imgur.com/dSW6AMH.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/B6l7Mir.jpg

I can't imagine that these cuts were made one by one, in the field, by a
person with a tape measure, a straight edge, and a circular saw.

Perhaps there is a computer program, which lays out each cut, numbers
each board, etc. so that the boardwalk is put together in the field
based on a printed plan? Thousands of boards, all individually cut by
a CNC machine? Gotta be done like that, right?

Even so, getting them this tight out in the field, the wet marshland in
fact, even if created and cut by a computer, is pretty damn amazing.

The cutout around the post shows the saw marks of the end cuts overcut
the cross cut just a little. Since it's Trex or similar, almost
certainly a circular saw was used w/ carbide blade--the age makes it
look like might have been a little early for battery powered so probably
had a generator along with them would be my guess.

The tapered cuts a doable; whether there was a shop plan and then
erected on site of just a set of guide markers and built to follow is
impossible to tell...as another noted, a job site saw table is
sufficient. I noted they went to the trouble to round over the edges to
match the original profile or just rounded them all the same which is a
nice touch. Didn't use SS fasteners, though; whether they were all
galvanized and just failing or some look like could have been ordinary
bright commons...

Whoever built it did a nice job but I think it was just hand work. Not
difficult, just time-consuming. Dunno that area so no idea--many of
those kinds of places have volunteer labor for such projects.

--

On Thursday, December 19, 2019 at 8:02:09 PM UTC-6, DerbyDad03 wrote:
https://i.imgur.com/SqEXbcL.jpg

At every curve, and I mean every one, the boards were tapered to fit, sometimes
just a few, sometimes a dozen or more.

For any reasonable contractor, setting up shop in the field is common place, easy enough with portable generators.

For a known trapezoid dimension, the tapered floor boards can easily be fabricated in the shop. Should the installation of the posts in the field be off a bit, then only one or two boards need be modified, again, not too difficult. A crew who knows what they're doing, similarly as an efficient crew of roofers, can easily accomplish the task.


In addition, at each double post, the floorboards are notched to fit tightly
around the uprights. This notches are cut at all different angles, whatever
it took to get them tight around the posts.

Again, doing this in the field is not difficult with a circ saw and/or hand saw.

The hardest part of the job might be carrying the boards the half mile distance.

Sonny

The hardest part of the job might be carrying the boards
the half mile distance.
Sonny



I'm guessing that the decking was a picnic -
after the bush-whacking swamp-stomping
rock-wracking work involved in setting all the
support posts !
John T.

On 12/20/2019 7:25 AM, Sonny wrote:
....

Again, doing this in the field is not difficult with a circ saw and/or hand saw.

I've never used Trex, but I'd guess all handsaw would get painful...
Altho I don't know just how hard it actually is, I'm betting it would
dull blade pretty quickly!

The hardest part of the job might be carrying the boards the half mile distance.

Looks big enough to bring the Gator along behind...

--

On Fri, 20 Dec 2019 05:25:54 -0800 (PST), Sonny
wrote:

On Thursday, December 19, 2019 at 8:02:09 PM UTC-6, DerbyDad03 wrote:
https://i.imgur.com/SqEXbcL.jpg

At every curve, and I mean every one, the boards were tapered to fit, sometimes
just a few, sometimes a dozen or more.

For any reasonable contractor, setting up shop in the field is common place, easy enough with portable generators.

For a known trapezoid dimension, the tapered floor boards can easily be fabricated in the shop. Should the installation of the posts in the field be off a bit, then only one or two boards need be modified, again, not too difficult. A crew who knows what they're doing, similarly as an efficient crew of roofers, can easily accomplish the task.


In addition, at each double post, the floorboards are notched to fit tightly
around the uprights. This notches are cut at all different angles, whatever
it took to get them tight around the posts.

Again, doing this in the field is not difficult with a circ saw and/or hand saw.

The hardest part of the job might be carrying the boards the half mile distance.

Sonny
The boardwalk at the Oliphant Fels on the lower Bruce is similar,
although not quite as well done. I believe it was all done on-site by
volunteers. All done in PT lumber and the edges not rounded over.

On Friday, December 20, 2019 at 10:42:40 AM UTC-6, dpb wrote:


The hardest part of the job might be carrying the boards the half mile distance.

Looks big enough to bring the Gator along behind...

For a moment I had thought about the pulling of a small trailer behind the 4-wheeler (Gator), but you'd be good for only 1 one-way trip. You couldn't turn around nor back up very well to get subsequent loads on that narrow winding path.

Sonny

On 12/20/2019 5:39 PM, Sonny wrote:
On Friday, December 20, 2019 at 10:42:40 AM UTC-6, dpb wrote:


The hardest part of the job might be carrying the boards the half mile distance.

Looks big enough to bring the Gator along behind...

For a moment I had thought about the pulling of a small trailer behind the 4-wheeler (Gator), but you'd be good for only 1 one-way trip. You couldn't turn around nor back up very well to get subsequent loads on that narrow winding path.

Compared to hand-carrying, I'd find a way...

--

On Fri, 20 Dec 2019 19:03:44 -0600, dpb wrote:

On 12/20/2019 5:39 PM, Sonny wrote:
On Friday, December 20, 2019 at 10:42:40 AM UTC-6, dpb wrote:


The hardest part of the job might be carrying the boards the half mile distance.

Looks big enough to bring the Gator along behind...

For a moment I had thought about the pulling of a small trailer behind the 4-wheeler (Gator), but you'd be good for only 1 one-way trip. You couldn't turn around nor back up very well to get subsequent loads on that narrow winding path.

Compared to hand-carrying, I'd find a way...

Horse, mule, goat, large dog . . .

I don't like to carry stuff by hand that can easily be carried by
machine either, but I recognize that that says more about me than it
does about the feasibility of a project. The Pyramids were built
without a single piece of powered machinery.

On 12/20/2019 7:07 PM, J. Clarke wrote:
On Fri, 20 Dec 2019 19:03:44 -0600, dpb wrote:

On 12/20/2019 5:39 PM, Sonny wrote:
On Friday, December 20, 2019 at 10:42:40 AM UTC-6, dpb wrote:


The hardest part of the job might be carrying the boards the half mile distance.

Looks big enough to bring the Gator along behind...

For a moment I had thought about the pulling of a small trailer behind the 4-wheeler (Gator), but you'd be good for only 1 one-way trip. You couldn't turn around nor back up very well to get subsequent loads on that narrow winding path.

Compared to hand-carrying, I'd find a way...

Horse, mule, goat, large dog . . .

This looks large enough to me don't believe it would be much of a
problem for a 4-wheeler...

I don't like to carry stuff by hand that can easily be carried by
machine either, but I recognize that that says more about me than it
does about the feasibility of a project. The Pyramids were built
without a single piece of powered machinery.

Nonsense...the space aliens did it.

--

On 12/19/2019 7:02 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote: I recently took a walk through
a conservation area in upstate NY. The following
boardwalk zigged and zagged through the area, creating a loop about
1/2 mile.
The curves were of various radii, some fairly sharp, some more sweeping.

https://i.imgur.com/hKswjPY.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/AlxlcRA.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/SqEXbcL.jpg

At every curve, and I mean every one, the boards were tapered to fit,
sometimes
just a few, sometimes a dozen or more. If you zoom in on this image,
you'll
see about 8 tapered boards in the center, and then a few more to left
near the
posts that support the railings. The entire boardwalk is built like this.

https://i.imgur.com/CkWhb97.jpg

In addition, at each double post, the floorboards are notched to fit
tightly
around the uprights. This notches are cut at all different angles,
whatever
it took to get them tight around the posts.

https://i.imgur.com/dSW6AMH.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/B6l7Mir.jpg

I can't imagine that these cuts were made one by one, in the field, by a
person with a tape measure, a straight edge, and a circular saw.

Perhaps there is a computer program, which lays out each cut, numbers
each board, etc. so that the boardwalk is put together in the field
based on a printed plan? Thousands of boards, all individually cut by
a CNC machine? Gotta be done like that, right?

Even so, getting them this tight out in the field, the wet marshland in
fact, even if created and cut by a computer, is pretty damn amazing.







Not a job I would take, but if I did I'd setup a big wheel bench cart
with generator and tools to drag behind me. Something with a work
surface, and some room for carting stock. In that environment I'd
probably spring for a "quiet" rated generator as well. Some might
suggest battery tools. There are some awesome battery tools out there,
but there is just to much work there unless you buy a LOT of batteries
and chargers.

The nice thing is you are building the surface you need to make the cart
roll more easily.

On 12/22/2019 11:16 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:
....

Not a job I would take, but if I did I'd setup a big wheel bench cart
with generator and tools to drag behind me.Â* Something with a work
surface, and some room for carting stock.Â* In that environment I'd
probably spring for a "quiet" rated generator as well.Â* Some might
suggest battery tools.Â* There are some awesome battery tools out there,
but there is just to much work there unless you buy a LOT of batteries
and chargers.

Indeed. When that was built, the battery-powered option wasn't nearly
what it is today...I had never had battery-powered circular saw; figured
that other than for just the lightest of work wouldn't be able to cut it
(so to speak ).

I was totally blown away with the 20V DeWalt line the contractors had
doing the house remodel...they're up to almost all framing work to the
point when Ace had recent sale I ponied up for the impact driver,
drill/driver and circ saw at $99/ea. Two had charger and 1/2 batteries,
the saw was bare but still end up w/ the three tools, two chargers and
three batteries for $300.


The nice thing is you are building the surface you need to make the cart
roll more easily.

On Sun, 22 Dec 2019 15:33:37 -0600, dpb wrote:

On 12/22/2019 11:16 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:
...

Not a job I would take, but if I did I'd setup a big wheel bench cart
with generator and tools to drag behind me.Â* Something with a work
surface, and some room for carting stock.Â* In that environment I'd
probably spring for a "quiet" rated generator as well.Â* Some might
suggest battery tools.Â* There are some awesome battery tools out there,
but there is just to much work there unless you buy a LOT of batteries
and chargers.

Indeed. When that was built, the battery-powered option wasn't nearly
what it is today...I had never had battery-powered circular saw; figured
that other than for just the lightest of work wouldn't be able to cut it
(so to speak ).

I was totally blown away with the 20V DeWalt line the contractors had
doing the house remodel...they're up to almost all framing work to the
point when Ace had recent sale I ponied up for the impact driver,
drill/driver and circ saw at $99/ea. Two had charger and 1/2 batteries,
the saw was bare but still end up w/ the three tools, two chargers and
three batteries for $300.

These are not your father's cordless tools. I thought the 18v stuff
was good, but the best battery pack deWalt ever made for it was 2.4
AH. The 20v packs (which work with the old tools with a rather
annoying adapter) go up to 12AH. That's a lot more runtime. And
there is a charger that handles 4 at a time.


The nice thing is you are building the surface you need to make the cart
roll more easily.

On 12/22/2019 4:13 PM, J. Clarke wrote:
On Sun, 22 Dec 2019 15:33:37 -0600, dpb wrote:
....

I was totally blown away with the 20V DeWalt line the contractors had
doing the house remodel...they're up to almost all framing work to the
point when Ace had recent sale I ponied up for the impact driver,
drill/driver and circ saw at $99/ea. Two had charger and 1/2 batteries,
the saw was bare but still end up w/ the three tools, two chargers and
three batteries for $300.

These are not your father's cordless tools. I thought the 18v stuff
was good, but the best battery pack deWalt ever made for it was 2.4
AH. The 20v packs (which work with the old tools with a rather
annoying adapter) go up to 12AH. That's a lot more runtime. And
there is a charger that handles 4 at a time.
....

That's the rub on the Ace special; they're just the 3AH packs but for my
use pattern that'll generally be acceptable. W/ the two chargers and
the three total I'll likely not be waiting much, ever.

Then again, if were all-day every day pro, the higher capacity packs
would be big advantage.

--

On Sun, 22 Dec 2019 17:13:47 -0500, J. Clarke
wrote:

On Sun, 22 Dec 2019 15:33:37 -0600, dpb wrote:

On 12/22/2019 11:16 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:
...

Not a job I would take, but if I did I'd setup a big wheel bench cart
with generator and tools to drag behind me.* Something with a work
surface, and some room for carting stock.* In that environment I'd
probably spring for a "quiet" rated generator as well.* Some might
suggest battery tools.* There are some awesome battery tools out there,
but there is just to much work there unless you buy a LOT of batteries
and chargers.

Indeed. When that was built, the battery-powered option wasn't nearly
what it is today...I had never had battery-powered circular saw; figured
that other than for just the lightest of work wouldn't be able to cut it
(so to speak ).

I was totally blown away with the 20V DeWalt line the contractors had
doing the house remodel...they're up to almost all framing work to the
point when Ace had recent sale I ponied up for the impact driver,
drill/driver and circ saw at $99/ea. Two had charger and 1/2 batteries,
the saw was bare but still end up w/ the three tools, two chargers and
three batteries for $300.

These are not your father's cordless tools. I thought the 18v stuff
was good, but the best battery pack deWalt ever made for it was 2.4
AH. The 20v packs (which work with the old tools with a rather
annoying adapter) go up to 12AH. That's a lot more runtime. And
there is a charger that handles 4 at a time.

18V and 20V packs are exactly the same, just as 10.8 and 12V packs
were the same. A LiIon cell charges at about 4.1 (sometimes specified
as 4.2V) and discharges down to about 3.6V (less than this, there
isn't a lot of energy. A "10.8V/12V" pack will have three cells in
series and an 18V/20V pack will have five cells in series. The
voltage printed on the side depends on where in the charge/discharge
curve they spec the packs and the marketing department (really, the
other way around).

BTW, the BORG has, or did yesterday, a choice of just about all of
their Ryobi tools, two 3AH batteries, and charger for $99. The tools
offered included brushless tools (though perhaps not all of them -
didn't check). I picked up a reciprocating saw (don't use it often so
Ryobi should be fine). I have a bunch of their other "weird"
tools,too. The work lights came in handy today. We got home and the
power was out. :-/