April 2

(OK, this update spans mid-March through April 2. I've been lazy about updating the website!) We came up with an alternative design for the deck, which exists mostly in sketches which haven't yet made it to digital format. It's a simpler design which uses thicker Trex (for wider joist spacing) and fewer supports. After triple-checking our design and making calculations, we contacted the fine folks at Hunt's Building Center with our shopping list in hand: 15 pieces of 2" x 6" x 12' Trex decking (walking surface) 15 pieces of 2" x 6" x 16' Trex decking (walking surface) 13 pieces of 4" x 4" x 10' Redwood beams (cross members or joists) 4 pieces of 1" x 21' Galvanized steel pipe (vertical supports) We also ordered some flanges & fittings to make all of that stuff go together. After much research I settled on Kee Klamps, which are manufactured in England (I couldn't find equivalent fittings made in USA). They were orderd from McMaster-Carr. (These are McMaster-Carr part numbers) 20 x 4936T91 Iron Slip-On Structural Framing System Rect Flange W/Closed End 24 x 4936T71 Iron Slip-On Structural Framing System Oval Flange 4 x 4936T64 Iron Slip-On Structural Framing System Adj 180 Deg Rect Flange **NOTE: If you need to replace a set screw from a Kee Klamp fitting, see the plumbing section of your hardware store. The size & threads are not metric or SAE, but plumbing pipe size/thread! I recently used a reducer, shimmed with a few washers, to replace a set screw from our turbine support. In no time we've got all the materials to build a deck...now we just need some nice weather!