HD Workshop trestles

[steviec_lj]

As you may have seen in the “What have you made today?” thread, we’re currently on with planing around 20tons of green oak for various structures around the farm.

- We can’t buy a telehandler
- We can’t use the tractor
- The trailer is in use

But, but, but.. We do have these dog crap roller stands that descend when you put weight on them, this rickety homemade scaffold trolley with no cross bracing, and some crappy plastic trestles that we’ve shattered two of because they’ve been overloaded.

So, then plan is to build myself a pair of trestles, from steel offcuts I have laying around here. A quick rummage in the “new” stock turned up this little lot..



Some 60x40, 80x40 and 40x40.

I had planned on making them 1200 wide, but I have no tank big enough to de-rust them in, so 900 will have to do for now.

A quick sketch..



You get the idea. Need to measure the thickness of the forks at the farm, and leave the cross brace high enough so they can be chucked on the tractor, etc.

Now, time to build a tank to de-rust the steel in, and wipe Tosco and Morons our of white vinegar

 

[colnerov]

Hi, What about basing the design on the traditional wooden ones, then they will stack when not in use?

Colin

 

[outofthefire]

I've built wagons on treaties like that, we never bothered with the bottom horizontal, you just need a brace from the tops of the legs to the horizontal and they'll be cock on.

 

[merryman]

Your sketch shows a very weak design for the weight it will be. A frame legs, like the wooden ones, would be much stronger.

 

[outofthefire]

This subframe was 30' long supported on two trestles like your design with an adjustable one in the middle to put a bit of a bow into it. TreaTres like the wood Aframe ones are awkward to build, move and work around and don't stack away as neatly. If you need to put something really heavy on them just cut a metal prop for the middle but we rarely had to do that. These will support a complete wagon body lifted off three chassis, top rail is 100x50x3mm

 

[Brad93]

I’ve got A-frame trestles they’re a pain in the **** to move.

 

[steviec_lj]

I've built wagons on treaties like that, we never bothered with the bottom horizontal, you just need a brace from the tops of the legs to the horizontal and they'll be cock on.

Out of interest, what size gusset did you end up with? Have to buy a sheet of 6mm to use more than half of it as a bench top, but will end up with a fair size offcut.

I was thinking 200mm2 with a fancy cut out on the unwelded edge maybe..

It will save me some box, which is more useful on other projects..

 

[gaz1]

ive handled alot of tressles between wood and steel in building trade and the one thing i will say is they do the job but they are a pain to move or store

id consider storage and also moveability

a triangle frame one side and another at the other side

the top length id consider either adjustable or as one piece across the top

the top piece slots into the triangles and is held by a pin

 

[outofthefire]

Out of interest, what size gusset did you end up with?

They were always made from scrap but usually a 200-300mmish square of 6mm

ive handled alot of tressles between wood and steel in building trade and the one thing i will say is they do the job but they are a pain to move or store

I agree at home I made mine like an a frame but with one leg hinged so they fold flat against the wall. Once they were against the wall crap just built up in front of them and I haven't seen them for about 3 years

 

[steviec_lj]

A minor update, as I’ve just managed to get back to this, after a mad couple of weeks on’t farm.

First things first, I made a new de-rusting tank, as the old one ended up being used for baby geese, awwwww.. So, chop drill chop chop drill, and a few screws had this;


Then time to whip out the cut off saw, and destroy some steel, surprisingly didn’t take long;



Left me with this little pile of bits, ready to remove the rust from;

 

[brianblock]

We use that style at work made from 50x50 angle
We had 3no 150x150x5 5.5mtr posts with 400mm 5mm base plates on 2 last week no problems

 

[steviec_lj]

Errrrrrrrrr

Vinegar works a treat, and it costs next to nothing. The added bonus is it keeps the wasps away too

 

[steviec_lj]

A whole month has passed since I even considered these, it’s unbelievably busy.

Anyway, I’ve got a little more done, and surprisingly it didn’t take long or require too much effort