Stake pockets

[panshark]

Hello all,

I've made some plywood sides for the truck that are 4 feet tall, using the plywood recycled from the kid brother's (failed) attempt to make sides. His attempt failed because the 2x4's that he used to anchor into the stake pockets all broke off at the top of the pocket.

I'm using 2X3X8's, shaving off 1/4 inch to bring the 1 3/4 measurement down to 1 1/2". Driving them all the way to the bottom of the pocket, they seem pretty sturdy. I don't have to reduce the 3" width any; they just slide down with the extra 1/4" thickness shaved off.

Short of blowing money on a bunch of tube steel, is there a better way to make strong side supports than what I'm doing?

Thanks in advance for the replies.

 

[m16ty]

Use oak (preferably white oak). Or you could find a old set of troop seats and use the metal standards from them.

I wouldn't want them so tight I have to drive them in either. If you ever do break one off or want to remove the sides you're going to have a hard time getting the standards out.

 

[panshark]

Use oak (preferably white oak). Or you could find a old set of troop seats and use the metal standards from them.

I wouldn't want them so tight I have to drive them in either. If you ever do break one off or want to remove the sides you're going to have a hard time getting the standards out.

hmm...funny thing about that is, I think the kid brother drove them in there pretty tight, but he only went down 6 inches, so that when they broke (Fir studs) they just splintered due to the force.

I think getting oak might be a tall task in my neck of the woods. I could be way off base, but I think the wanna-be hardware stores around here get all of their lumber from (real) lumberyards in Boise, and Montana. Not a lot of hardwood around these parts.

I know I've overloaded the sides before (stacking pine to capacity), but I mitigate the hazard by ratchet-strapping it down.

 

[m16ty]

Pine is one of the weakest woods there is. It's used so much because it's cheap. You should also have the wood go all the way down to the bottom of the hole, it will be stronger that way.

The only oak wood you'll likely find at the local lumber yard will probably be high grade cabinet quality wood. Around here you just go to the local sawmill for hardwood and get it for cheap. If you don't have any oak in your area, it may be hard to find at the local sawmill.

 

[panshark]

Let me put it to you this way--you can use any wood you want around here, as long as it's pine or quaky aspen. And having said that, I've been selling a chord of pine (split) for $175, all day long. I live in a pretty large valley, and you have to go waaay up into the hills (past the quaky) to hit pine. I delivered a duece-load of pine to Arco, Idaho (home of the first nuclear-powered town) for $730. I felt pretty proud of myself for that. Of course, with that kind of money, I should quit being such a cheapskate, and should just fab up some sides with tube steel and 2x12's. But then what would be left to Jerry-rig?

 

[steelandcanvas]

Let me put it to you this way--you can use any wood you want around here, as long as it's pine or quaky aspen. And having said that, I've been selling a chord of pine (split) for $175, all day long. I live in a pretty large valley, and you have to go waaay up into the hills (past the quaky) to hit pine. I delivered a duece-load of pine to Arco, Idaho (home of the first nuclear-powered town) for $730. I felt pretty proud of myself for that. Of course, with that kind of money, I should quit being such a cheapskate, and should just fab up some sides with tube steel and 2x12's. But then what would be left to Jerry-rig?

Panshark: Is Arco, still the home of the three-headed deer? I used to live in Nampa.

 

[panshark]

Panshark: Is Arco, still the home of the three-headed deer? I used to live in Nampa.

Gosh, that wouldn't surprise me. I've heard that a lot of "stuff" they have out there, they used to just bury. Now, though, they have a decent facility call Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Plant, that allegedly compacts the waste and deposits it into concrete containers. I guess it's pretty amazing how resilient mother nature can be.

Having said that, I will never make the 1 1/2 hour trip from Idaho Falls to Arco during the morning in the duece. I think I would have traffic backed up a mile on the Arco 500, and I wouldn't dare take the shoulder, because I would never be able to get back onto the road. It was bad enough in the late afternoon, getting the shuttle buses backed up behind me.

Nampa's a good place. I think that might be the only town I've been to that offers a Free Public Gun Range. (At least the only range I've found.) It seems like the gun ranges on this side of the state are a bit more impromptu--popping up wherever someone has discarded a fridge, stove or camper.

 

[Cleveland Iron]

Well, you could always strengthen the wood with some angle steel on the corners. And yes keep the wood small enough that is can be slipped and and out of the stake holes easily. The last time I had to pull out swollen wooden stakes was interesting. Hydraulic jack, clamps, sledge hammer, 2x4s, drill driver and some long screws.

 

[panshark]

It's funny you should mention that, Cleveland, because that's what the kid brother did--he got some metal strap and cut 18" long sections to shim up the free play. It kept it cobbed together, but didn't keep the studs from breaking right at the top of the stake pocket.

Man, that's a lot of tools. Why didn't you just use a blowtorch?

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[Cleveland Iron]

Uhm... Actually I did use an acetylene torch but that was to cut the bolts off of the broken slats at the top of the troop seats. When I put stakes in to hold up the bows, I made sure the wood was nice and loose. I figured the bows would hold everything in place. Worked just fine. Of course when I stained the seats, the wood was so dried out I swear it made a sucking sound when I put the stain on. I used so much stain I think the seats are now 20% urethane. The good news is no more splinters in the seats.