why you shouldn't make a transom out of 2x4s

[jonesg]

Re: why you shouldn't make a transom out of 2x4s

I need to build a stand capable of holding a 73' Johnson 115, any tips?

ez, buy an automotive engine stand off craigslist/tools , just bolt 2x8 transom adapter to it, they go for $25-50 and have wheels.
Look,
http://baltimore.craigslist.org/tls/882014169.html

 

[zaroba]

Re: why you shouldn't make a transom out of 2x4s

i imagine a 300lb engine would stress those carrige bolts at the bottom quite a bit. but if the verticle pieces were mounted to the top of the horizontal legs, then all the weight would be transferred to them and the only additional support needed would be a 45 degree 2x4 or similer on each verticle leg to keep it from falling over to the front or back.


tomarrow afternoon i'll take a full picture of the new stand i made.
its a bit of a different design, but quite simple and seems quite sturdy now.
plus it doesn't take up much more space then the engine would if it was standing vertically by itself.

 

[zaroba]

Re: why you shouldn't make a transom out of 2x4s

here is the current fixed/improved stand:

deck brackets hold the 4x4s together, they really add little to the strength. the verticle supports sitting ontop of the horizontal legs transfer the weight to them, and the diagonal pieces keep them from tipping over. it's really just an unplanned, simplistic design of randomly tossing together the wood.

 

[jonesg]

Re: why you shouldn't make a transom out of 2x4s

If you have one layin around...
375lb engine is no problem.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: why you shouldn't make a transom out of 2x4s

I was just putting up an example of engineered product. Good thing it doesn't rain in my basement huh?
It's also oriented strand lumber, not "fallaparticle" board.

Worth repeating.

OSB, or oriented strand board, looks almost exactly like particle board, or at least like what some people refer to as particle board or chipboard.

There's a huge difference. OSB chips are actually laid out in patterns, IE aligned, except for the veneer (outer) layers. The fact that the pieces of grain align lends the whole thing a lot more strength, especially in two of the three directions, than any chip board or something like MDF. You can use this stuff, as shown, for the web on trusses.

It's also very cheap, and takes less fully grown or well formed trees to make, so it's more renewable than plywood is.

Good stuff when used properly.

Oh, and on the plywood vs 2x4 thing. It depends on the ply and the 2x4. The average "white wood" 2x4 used for a stud nowadays is much softer and much less strong than an equal thickness of ply, or even a piece half as thick, as has been mentioned due to the grain pattern. But a lousy piece of ply might be weaker, and furniture grade ply or marine might be much stronger.

Likewise, I just got ahold of some salvaged Oak (real oak) 2x4s, which I think would stand 3x or 4x the strain of the white wood.

Know your forest products when building houses and boats... you can save a ton of money and you won't end up disappointed with the results of using the right stuff.

Erik