New strongback

[Kudzu]

As much as liked my clamshell strongback it warped. That is the problem with solid wood so I decided it was time to build one from plywood. I have been putting it off for a long time but I need a good solid strongback. So I bought a sheet of cabinet grade birch plywood yesterday and made a new one.

 

Construction is pretty basic, just ripped the plywood into strips. Cut two dadoes on in the top and bottom faces. Then glued it all together.  This one should last me a long time.

 

 

 

 

[soitios]

That looks awesome, thanks for sharing! I like the dadoes - simplifies construction incredibly.

 

How long is it?

[Kudzu]

16 feet. 

 

Actually the dadoes made it hard to assemble. Since this is just a shop fixture I used cheap Chinese plywood.  They were kind enough to warp it for me. That made assemble rather annoying when it should have been simple.

[Action Tiger]

Ted Moores had one similar in his canoe building book. It's a truss style that can be lengthened and shortened. I'll be making one for my Firefly if I ever get back to it.

Sheet good boxes make great strongbacks...

[Kudzu]

I just stumbled up on one built by Platt Munford (sp?).  He used two 1 thick board top and bottom and the sides were corragate cardboard. Had a phot of him standing on it suspended between sawhorses.

[Action Tiger]

A hundred years ago (okay, 20), when I was in school for design we had to make corrugated cardboard furniture. I made a table and chair my mom still uses.

I'll just stick to the cheap plywood I got for my strongback, though.

Must be the same mill as yours, because mine looks like a Pringle chip! Ah, well...