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(More customer reviews)This is a how-we-did-it story about a couple who live on 55 acres of land in Oregon. As a how-we-did-it, this is a much more interesting book than a how-to because it tells the story of two people who perceived a problem and created a solution. Anyone who wants to build a small cable suspension bridge can use the information in this book as an important stepping-stone.
The problem wasn't that a creek ran through the property: that, in fact, was a plus. The problem was that the spring-fed water system originated on the other side of the creek which, in winter, could become a raging torrent unsafe to cross. The solution was to build a small bridge across the creek. A sturdy, functional bridge. A beautiful bridge. Elegant, even. (Why not?!) A cable suspension bridge with 80 feet of deck. And don't forget to make all parts easy to repair or replace -- with the invented-for-the-purpose patented Cable Locking System. From start to finish, the bridge took about six months to build, with just two people working on it when time allowed, and with occasional help from a friend. And beer. And donuts.
"Building a Small Cable Suspension Bridge" is packed with information: information and process that can inspire others. Photos abound, at least one full-color photo per page, so that readers can see the bridge in progress. There are diagrams. For the non-architectural person like me, there's fascinating information about harmonic resonance, the catenary curve, and the ominous-sounding "dead men."
Like any well-thought-out and well-built object, the bridge in this book benefits more than those who built it. One of my favorite photos is a nocturnal one which shows a bobcat using the bridge to cross the creek. This book is a great buy and a very useful source of information, with end papers of chronology, materials, and a list of how-to sources in the "Afterwords."
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Marvin Denmark, a builder and craftsman with 45+ years of experience, demonstrates the process he used to design and construct a small cable suspension bridge. This book includes some suspension bridge history along with engineering considerations, then explains and illustrates with diagrams and full-color photos the step by step process that was used to complete the project. Anyone who needs a footbridge that is relatively easy to build without the use of heavy equipment or difficult to replace components may benefit from the ideas in this book and by using the patented "cable locking system."
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