An Isaan Pond

[Stumpy]

What spacing is that? Where?

is that 1/4 inch space between planks?

6mm between planks. (Apologize for the lack of information)

What about the spacing of metal supports? What's the maximum span between supports the manufactured wood can take?

They recommend ~40cm spacing between supports. The wood is only manufactured in lengths 120cm x 12cm wide.

Yes, certainly as it's a load bearing structure, I'd be going for 4"x2" galvanised steel, dynabolted to the existing pillars and a new concrete plinth shoreside.

That is what we used, 4"x 2" galvanized for our deck. In Mendip's case I would run 2 from shore to the cement pillars. Weld across the ends then weld 2 more long ways to the shore for 4 total and then lay the wood planks. Your deck would be about 120cm ( 4ft ) wide. As for side railing. I would make that all out of galavinized box steel as well. They make a narrow width wood that is also thinner. That's what we used for the side wall for our pool area. You can space them any gap you want. Mendy could even get fancy and take some round pole steel and weld in some fishing pole holders that can double as beer/Ya Dong holders.

[Stumpy]

Hey Mendy, we must shop at the same military surplus store. I have the same hat. Mine does however have part of the rim gnawed off by my lab...

[Mendip]

^ I was led to believe it's a special forces bush hat. A bit over the top for the garden maybe.

I'm considering measuring it all up and then prefabricating the metal supports in the workshop. It'll be easier to weld on dry land and also I can make use of the level workshop floor. The danger with that of course is that one wrong measurement can mean the whole thing's a complete balls up. I'm already not helped by the offshore legs being cock-eyed with respect to the edge of the shore, thanks to the original pond builders.

And current thinking is not to have any side railing... just a flat jetty. Although maybe a short railing only at the end would be good to rest the fishing rods against, and something for me to lean on, head in hands, while staring at the pond and contemplating life in Korat.

One good thing about using metal is that it will be very easy to weld extra bits on at a later date, if desired.

[Stumpy]

One good thing about using metal is that it will be very easy to weld extra bits on at a later date, if desired.

Im tellin ya Mendy, I am really liking the fishing rod/Beer/Ya dong holder setup. In fact I would hang the beer holder off on some sort of gimbal type deal so it can swing around when you hook up with a big one. Nothing worse than spilling your beer fishing.

[Klondyke]

Is it safe to weld while you're up to your neck in water?

Why not to test it? (for the start, substitute yourself by the gardener...)

[Saint Willy]

Dafuc? I thought that was the gardener in the water... you really not doing this full time staff thing right.

[Headworx]

Come on mate fess up.

The expectation:


The reality:

[Mendip]

^ Yes... very good.

Why not to test it? (for the start, substitute yourself by the gardener...)

With a slight modification that is an excellent idea... but how to get the wife interested in offshore welding?

Dafuc? I thought that was the gardener in the water... you really not doing this full time staff thing right.

I like to lead by example KW... although I do seem to set an awful lot of examples while the gardener sits in his kitchen cooling himself in front of the dog's fan.


Anyway, restless to get this project underway I decided to square off the top of the two offshore legs yesterday afternoon.

This wasn't as easy as you may think... the legs are in about 1.5 metres of water (5 ft for Shutree) and are anchored to a steeply sloping part of the pond's concrete base. Furthermore, the concrete is covered in slimy algae making it extremely slippery. Unless you can wedge your feet above the shoreward, upslope base of a leg (which isn't possible when cementing the seaward side) you have to hang on to the leg with one arm like grim death or you stand the chance of sliding down, into the depths and going under, thus losing your trowel-full of cement. This happened a couple of times until I got the hang of it and my mood gradually worsened as the job progressed.

I also had my steel rule to make sure both legs would end the same height above the level marks... so I needed three arms really.

The very first thing that happened was for me to drop the steel rule... which sank. It took me around 15 minutes of feeling around in the sludge with my feet until I found it, and then had to duck underwater to retrieve the damn thing.

They say that necessity is the mother of invention... and I came up with this ingenious design. This is the result of 30 years of offshore experience.



As I got down to work, Maya swam past to say hello.



And later I could see Yogi corralling his small harem on the far shore. I guess the gardener had kicked them out of his kitchen so he could have the fan to himself.



This was the view back to shore, where the concrete plinth will go. I had to rig up the sack truck support for the bucket of cement because dry land was just out of reach from the work location.

I seem to spend my life doing jobs while others look on.



I find this kind of work extremely difficult and wasn't helped by the cement being slightly too sloppy for the job. I was nearing completion when it started raining, which pissed me off immensely. I had to cover the unfinished ends of the legs and will have to revisit this for some cosmetic finishing.

It certainly wasn't my best work, so no picture of the squared-off leg ends.



As usual... what I hoped would be a 20 minute job will take considerably longer, over two sessions over a couple of days,

[Klondyke]

With a slight modification that is an excellent idea... but how to get the wife interested in offshore welding?

In fact, my first idea was tending to that option. However, at the second thought, I scrapped it...

[PAG]

Come on mate fess up.

The expectation:

Pretty close......

Me on the left, Royal Tournament at Earls Court 1975.

[OhOh]

Me on the left, Royal Tournament at Earls Court 1975.

Why is the guy in the centre dressed in white?

[lom]

Why is the guy in the centre dressed in white?

He has surrendered.

[cyrille]

Why is the guy in the centre dressed in white?

Barry McGuigan before his career change.

[Saint Willy]

Come on mate fess up.

The expectation:


The reality:

Brilliant.

Adjusted your idea for an easy to keep meme.

[PAG]

Why is the guy in the centre dressed in white?

We were a Mountain and Arctic warfare unit, Arctic Norway every winter for 3 months. The Earls Court display was called "Operation Polar Bear".

Yankee Company, 45 Commando.

[OhOh]

Thanks.

[Mendip]

Come on mate fess up.

Yeah... you've got me.

I've always thought I'd be best suited to the SBS...

[Steady]

Reminds me, I need to go buy a trim n edge.

Cheers bro, nice tan

[Headworx]

I've always thought I'd be best suited to the SBS...

Sasquatch Body Supporters?

[Steady]

[Stumpy]

Actually Mendy, I seldom use my "Special Forces Tactical hat" much these days. Lacks the good coverage and I sweat too much. Now with the pool, I went back to my roots of the O'Neill style straw hat like I used to wear hanging at the beach at the El Cuervo Tequila Beach Volley ball tourney's in Santa Cruz and Huntington beach.

[Mendip]

^ I don't think you'd ever see PAG wearing a hat like that mate!

I reckon it would go nicely with an O'Neill T-shirt, O'Neill board shorts and O'Neill deck shoes...

I guess we Brits have different fashion sense and never the twain shall meet. But I will get a hat like that if ever I take up crown green bowls.

Anyway, I do believe this thread is supposed to be about a pond?

[Stumpy]

I reckon it would go nicely with an O'Neill T-shirt, O'Neill board shorts and O'Neill deck shoes

Actually was never a fan of their Board shorts, Preferred Billabong and Flip Flops were usually Reef. Of course surfing and living on a beach it was barefoot life pretty much anyway in the sand. Us Cali guys.

I guess we Brits have different fashion sense

You guess?....... Kind of goes along with brits dental hygiene sense as well.

Anyway, I do believe this thread is supposed to be about a pond

Well it is still about the pond, just offering head coverings suggestions to avoid sun stroke while you rebuild the deck.

BTW...How is that coming? You get the frame all welded up? When my Uncle and I were welding up the pool deck frame we had to do it in place which made for hot days. Being able to fab it up on flat cement in the shade prior will be much nicer. Will you use cement anchors on the pillars then bolt the frame to it? I think I would do the same on the shore as well. Cement a small pad with anchors set in it.

[Mendip]

^ The frame isn't yet welded up... in fact I haven't bought the metal yet, or the sand, stone and cement, or the rebar.

I'm on my lunch break now having spent the entire morning hammering and chipping out old concrete footings.

I'm starting to think I don't need this fancy gym that's on it's way... I may not have fancy gym muscles but I'd like to see some of these gym types hammer away at concrete for 8 hours a day in 35 degree heat and 80% humidity. They wouldn't last 5 minutes in the real world.



My aim is to have the new onshore plinth footings dug and hopefully shuttered off, the top of the offshore legs squared off and finished and everything measured up by the end of day. Although that may be a bit optimistic.

[cyrille]

Actually was never a fan of their Board shorts, Preferred Billabong and Flip Flops were usually Reef.

Big on your brand names, eh.

Were they even going when you last surfed?