Timber Framers Guild Forums General General Forum Questions Timber Edge Protection

Does anyone have any suggestion for how to protect the edges of timbers from strap marks that may be caused during transporting or raising a frame? So far all I've found are some plastic corner protectors that are used by truckers. Anyone use them? Thanks for your help.

plastic corners from truck straps work great, along with thick packing cardboard (the dense stuff).

they can be a pain to rig when balancing up in the air and pulling on a come along - so try to get whatever you can in place before things start flying...

i've also had good luck with corrugated cardboard folded twice over and strategic placement of straps to land over radii or chamfers

I've been hit in the head more than once by a falling corner protector. Even the cardboard ones hurt!

We had a few dozen of these short wide endless slings custom made for us. We call them "softies". They're only 6' long, but 4" wide. When spread out, they give an 8" bearing area, which keeps them from digging in, especially when working with pine. When used as shown, they pull from the center, to avoid twisting the timber as they do when the ratchet is either on the top or the bottom. It also avoids the "rope burn" you get when a strap slides around the timber, both when pulling, and when your rigging it up. When we return from a raising, the softies all get a bath to keep them free of grit and grime.

Those "softies" look nice. What about carpet scraps? Could tack them in place.

Tacks leave holes, not good with fine finished frames....

I doubt anyone would see them, much less be put off. In any case, a few tack holes beats a damaged timber edge

You wouldn't want to see me coming with my pike pole, if you were turned off with tacks.

Tim

THAT is funny.

I like the soft strap idea. I like it better when a customer isn't so concerned,, and doesn't mind a bit of patina inflicted on the way.
I'll second Ttroll. That is FUNNY!