Rebuilding my catwalk

[N Florida Mike]

My catwalk has seen better days. Most of the supports had rotted through. Yesterday I tore out everything and came up with an idea to use cinder blocks as supports instead of wood. What’s cool is that a cinder block width is almost exactly level with where the old supports were.

Today was a trip to Lowes to get the blocks and screws. Most of the planks are still usable if I turn them over and get the old screws out.  
The hardest part was digging/ adding to the hard muck that was under the catwalk, to get the blocks as level as possible.Finally got everything foundationally done. My back was telling me I’d had enough.

Next will be the part I enjoy: cutting the wood to fit and sinking the screws.

It wont be completely finished until later. The outside support railroad tie was rotten on one end but the other half was solid as a rock. It’s right at the little drop off too where I park the boat. Giving up one plank on the outside for now until I figure out how I want to extend it.One thing at a time…

[TnRiver46]

That’s a good way to sweat thru your clothes ! 

[N Florida Mike]

8 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

That’s a good way to sweat thru your clothes ! 

Normally I would be but it was cool today. Perfect day for it.

[TnRiver46]

10 minutes ago, N Florida Mike said:

Normally I would be but it was cool today. Perfect day for it.

Digging in the muck makes me sweat in the snow 😂 

[RipzLipz]

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

Digging in the muck makes me sweat in the snow 😂 

Hahaha. Just thinking about it is making my back hurt & making me sweat. I look like I took a shower with my shirt on.

 

@N Florida Mike Good deal - hope it does you well.👍

[N Florida Mike]

I’m paying for it today. Back is stiff. I had to roll out of bed instead of sitting up and moving over. Actually suprised it doesn’t hurt worse.

[TnRiver46]

Time to lay flat and watch NFL and drink water 

[Darth-Baiter]

two words... 

 

yoga videos.  learn a few back stretches.   better if you watch a dude demonstrate the back stretches...the lady videos are titillating.  and you'll keep getting them popping up in your YouTube feed.  hahah

[RipzLipz]

2 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

two words... 

 

yoga videos.  learn a few back stretches.   better if you watch a dude demonstrate the back stretches...the lady videos are titillating.  and you'll keep getting them popping up in your YouTube feed.  hahah

[Darth-Baiter]

hahahahhahah

[GRiver]

@N Florida Mike what are ya using to attach to the cinder blocks? Need more pics of your progress. You tidal there are you?

[N Florida Mike]

2 hours ago, GRiver said:

@N Florida Mike what are ya using to attach to the cinder blocks? Need more pics of your progress. You tidal there are you?

I’m using concrete block screws. 3 1/4 inch. I did more on it yesterday but I didn’t have but an hour or so before dark. Will probably have no time today or tomorrow to work on it. I hope to finish it on Saturday.

Im not tidal, although we are technically connected to the river. The lake flows into the river via a creek but we are 21 feet above sea level and the lake is so much higher than the river there is no flow from the river into the lake, not even during Irma. There is a little current when the lake gets high and goes over the little dam at my right property line. It never seems to affect my catwalk though…even in hurricanes.

[N Florida Mike]

Made some progress today, but ran out of time to finish. 
I decided to turn the blocks out, even though they hang over a support beam  slightly. I figure when all the planks are connected, it won’t matter. That also gives me room for another plank on the end…

Ive got most of the wood cut and laid out where I’m going to put it but…

The block screws  I got are the wrong size though- the smooth part toward the top is too wide, and it goes through the wood but stops at the block , leaving about 1/4 inch sticking up. 

Once I get the correct screws, the rest should be easy…