Cheap raised platforms?

Shinxy · Post by **Shinxy** » Wed May 11, 2005 12:31 am

What would be the cheapest way to make a raised platform strong enough to withstand black-rock-level winds? Last year was my first year, so I know things get pretty hairy out there, but part of my vision for my camp this year is to have a look-out tower/dance platform.

I've been looking at scaffolding, but most of that stuff is expensive and more than what I need- I just need something that will support a few goons dancing on it, not something that will hold thousands of pounds.

sputnik · Post by **sputnik** » Wed May 11, 2005 6:08 am

If you build it, they will come.

You'll have thousands of pounds of flesh up there before you know it.

Cheapest? Wood is cheap. 2x4s will stand up to a lot of vertical stress. However, they don't do so well with torsional stress. Plywood helps provide strength. Make the base bigger than the top and use guy wires to keep it from flying away.

YMMV.

And! You can burn it on a burn platform rather than take it home.

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Wed May 11, 2005 7:12 am

Be sure to allow for wind loading - if you search through the archives there are some excellent discussions about this. IIRC, the figure used was either 50 lbs /sq.ft. or 75 lbs/sq.ft. (this adds up rather quyickly, especially if you cover the tower!)

In 2003 a friend's camp had scaffolding towers (18' tall) with 50% shadecloth coverings that snapped the guy wires when the big storm hit. Luckily no one was down wind when the towers fell!

And I second the comment about people climbing on it - unless you gaurd it somehow, people will climb it (even if it is in your camp) - "but I just need to take a picture!"

Shinxy · Post by **Shinxy** » Wed May 11, 2005 11:12 am

Ah-ha! 2x4s. I have a certain ammount of theater tech experience, why didn't I think of going all screwgun on my platform's ass? However, I'm travelling a long distance, so that will probably mean I'll have to transport the materials and build it on-site from scratch, which isn't exactly ideal.

Has anyone had any luck with metal conduit, etc? Will that build a structure strong enough to stand on?

Last Real Burner · Post by **Last Real Burner** » Wed May 11, 2005 4:53 pm

Have you thought of two A-frame ladders with a built-up board between them.

me

Shinxy · Post by **Shinxy** » Wed May 11, 2005 5:27 pm

Clever!
Would it be possible/safe enough to use four A-frame ladders, put boards between them, and then build a platform based off of those two boards? I don't really have any experience with building anything via that method.

Last Real Burner wrote:Have you thought of two A-frame ladders with a built-up board between them.

me

Isotopia · Post by **Isotopia** » Wed May 11, 2005 6:02 pm

Shinxy,

How high off of the ground are you talking?

Last year we had a 25' tower made of steel scaffolding which worked pretty well but we rebarred the hell out of it and used aircraft grade(?) wire lanyard to anchor it down. This year we want to go a bit higher and plan to incorporate the weight of a large water cistern as part of the anchoring set up.

sputnik · Post by **sputnik** » Wed May 11, 2005 6:10 pm

I seem to recall hearing about some really tall tower a few years back made from scaffolding. 100 feet or more, but maybe I'm just imagining.

Shinxy · Post by **Shinxy** » Wed May 11, 2005 6:15 pm

I'm thinking of something between 10 and 15 feet tall- about two or three people high.

Not to be indiscreet, but how much did that scaffolding tower cost you? Price is a concern for me, as is size and weight, since I need to either transport anything I bring from Boston, or pick up my supplies from the Reno or California area and be able to quickly assemble it once I get on-playa.

Isotopia wrote:Shinxy,

How high off of the ground are you talking?

Last year we had a 25' tower made of steel scaffolding which worked pretty well but we rebarred the hell out of it and used aircraft grade(?) wire lanyard to anchor it down. This year we want to go a bit higher and plan to incorporate the weight of a large water cistern as part of the anchoring set up.

sputnik · Post by **sputnik** » Wed May 11, 2005 6:22 pm

Shinxy wrote:...I need to either transport anything I bring from Boston

I seem to recall that someone in the Boston area organizes a large container to be shipped. Check on the local list. You might be able to get space in the can.

Shinxy · Post by **Shinxy** » Wed May 11, 2005 6:26 pm

I know well of the truck. I used it last year to bring my bike out. However, it does cost a significant ammount, and they do it by size, so I'd have to figure a way to break the tower down into pieces, or even a way to quickly assemble the tower from its component parts and just bring the materials out.

sputnik wrote:
Shinxy wrote:...I need to either transport anything I bring from Boston
I seem to recall that someone in the Boston area organizes a large container to be shipped. Check on the local list. You might be able to get space in the can.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Thu May 12, 2005 5:15 am

Shinxy wrote: Has anyone had any luck with metal conduit, etc? Will that build a structure strong enough to stand on?

Yes- It's called a DOME. You can build a "generic" 2V 9' rad geodesic (see numerous discussions to that end) and then put a wooden deck on that. Build to exploit the amazing capacity of the vertices of a dome to hold weight- Use the topmost six points ("North Pole" and five points of upper pentagon) as bases for a platform, and gain a chill space beneath in the process! Glad to offer tech support if you choose this approach.

Cheap raised platforms?

Cheap raised platforms?

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Re: .....open, break, and set on fire....