More on the Madison Bridge Project

This year on May 20-21 the Timber Framers Guild will be holding its annual conference at the Edgewater Hotel in downtown Madison, WI. On May 20th a small group of timber framers from all over the country will assembling for display a one of a kind 90 foot timber framed walking bridge designed by Richard Latrobe-Bateman of the U.K. The bridge will consist of over fifty pre-cut 6x6's  13 to 16 foot long timbers held together with custom designed steel connectors. The 2700 board feet of Larch pine wood will weigh over 18,000 pounds and be hand raised by the builders and then taken down at the end of the conference!

Darren Watson, from New Energy Works in Oregon is heading up and assembling the team that will be in Madison to work on the bridge. When I heard the convention was going to be in Madison only 60 miles from where I live I jumped at the chance to work on the bridge. I have been building a small scale model of the bridge. Since this particular bridge has never been built before the model will be helpful to test out assembly and disassembly procedures on before swinging around the 150 - 200 pound timbers. I have just finished a possible solution to providing some guide railings for the bridge. As plans are to allow people attending the conference actually try out the bridge.

Considering that the bridge design is functional art the railings should add to the design and not distract from it. We will see if this idea meets the test.  If the bridge is not sold at the convention it will be dismantled and stored until a buyer can be found.

And at last I have finished the St. Francis bird feeders that I started last fall. You can see the bridge models in the background and the side straw model on the truck hood. Hopefully getting the wind generator back together and running will be my filler project between now and building the bridge in Madison.

Busy spring projects

One down and 4 to go on the St Francis bird feeders. Have all the parts painted and ready to go. Also have to get the ropes and tie the monks knot. Then these are done.

Now moving on the the Madison bridge project. Have been in touch with the people that are doing this project for the May 19 - 21 Timber Frame Guild conference this year. Have built a scale model to test out some of the assembly sequences.

This model is a little over 9' long and made out of 2x2's The real walking bridge will be 90' long and made out of 6x6 Larch Pine. 2700 board feet of timber and weighing over 10,000 lbs. Darren Watson, from newenergyworks.com is organizing the build. The wood has been cut and machined and brackets fabricated. Everything will be brought to Madison and we will start assembling the bridge on Friday the 19th and have it up Saturday. Then on Sunday we will disassemble it! If you are going to be in the area stop in to the Edgewater Hotel in downtown Madison, WI and have a look. This is really going to be something.