Building a Suspension Bridge || I Made Grandma Go First

Go to athleticgreens.com/BOURBONMOTH to get started on your first purchase and receive a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D and 5 travel packs. Thanks to Athletic Greens for sponsoring today’s video!
In this video we build a suspension bridge and make my 96 year old grandmother test it out.
Plans & Merchandise: www.bourbonmoth.com/
Patreon Page: / bourbonmothwoodworking
Cameo: www.cameo.com/bourbonmoth
Links below to tools and supplies:
3M Cubitron Sandpaper: lddy.no/1hset
Spec Ops Hammer: amzn.to/3fMjAOd
Spec Ops Tape Measure: amzn.to/3w1M788
Spec Ops Pry Bar: amzn.to/2Ro3iC2
Spec Ops Chisels: amzn.to/3ga8kKv
Spec Ops Screw Drivers: amzn.to/3ciV8ls
Spec ops utility Knife: amzn.to/3g5ysWZ
Eye Protection: amzn.to/3gIO4A5
Woodpeckers square: amzn.to/3q8XObc
Nicks Handmade Boots: bit.ly/3vZ8uMR
ISOtunes Bluetooth Hearing Protection (10% off code- BOURBONMOTH10) bit.ly/BourbonMoth10
Bits & Bits Precision Cutting Tools (10% off code- BOURBONBITS)
bitsbits.com/ref/6220/
RZ Mask (15% off code: BOURBONMOTH15)
www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmi...
Total Boat Epoxy: www.totalboat.com/bourbonmoth...
Firm Grip Work Gloves: thd.co/3LEO5TE
PowerPro Fasteners: amzn.to/3u3Mgtj
Turn buckles: amzn.to/3cHr3zI
Cable clamps: amzn.to/3cMMOxZ
Cable: amzn.to/3wW4IoN
Eye Bolt: amzn.to/3q713R9
Grizzly Tools:
Table Saw: amzn.to/3q8Wbu6
Jointer: amzn.to/3gFHE6a
Planer: amzn.to/3xCzH7r
Dust Collector: amzn.to/35AFEWw
Air Filtration: amzn.to/3zyXXsK
Band Saw: amzn.to/3gEtCAm
Drill Press: amzn.to/3xvhxEh
Lathe: amzn.to/3vChWUb

[@tutekohe1361]

As a Cable-Hauler Logging Contractor, I have a couple of tips; one has already been mentioned about how to attach ‘Bulldog’ clamps so you don’t compromise the strength of your cables, the second is that the tension on your cables increases exponentially the shorter the chord of your rope. The rule of thumb is to never have less than 10% deflection in your cable. You will have noticed when you swung on the cable as a test, the smaller tower flexed noticeably towards the other. Your 100kg weight could easily translate to over 1000kg tension in the cable! Imagine if you have 10 or 15 people standing on the bridge. There is more than enough strength in the cables, but the tower may need bracing.

[@havinfun44884488]

I saw the tower sway slightly. You're right, the materials are strong and looks beefy, but the forces pulling the towers together when on the bridge would be multiplied to a lot of tension with 10 people that high up. May consider bracing, and maybe some bushings for the cables touching wood. Otherwise, the bridge looks great!

[@tuanische]

Seemed like bigger tower flexed. What option is there?

[@havinfun44884488]

@@tuanische He solved it by putting beams between the two towers so they don’t get pushed into each other. Problem solved

[@enricopallazzo3244]

Comment aged well.

[@XtheHardstyleLoverX]

Awesome book that gives you step-by-step photos kzbin.infoUgkxTNB_zFBSnTo_O1PqfVUwgi7ityw0JlKt and directions to make every day project. I can see myself making a few of these projects and giving them as housewarming and holiday gifts!

[@jakefrechette3224]

"..And those are the stairs that Ivor cut." He sounds proud of his contribution and he definitely should be! Love seeing him get in on these projects, they are so much more special for it.

[@suearmstrong3404]

You did a beautiful job! I am jealous, Iver has the absolute best dad in the whole world!! 😊

[@lauramarshall6376]

Your grandma is absolutely precious! She needs to be on more or your videos.

[@Beehashe]

Hello Mr Moth, Once upon a time I used to rig scaffolding in NYC. cables are deceptive you won’t know they’re loose until it’s too late. Please heed my warning use at least three cable clamps in an alternating pattern per each connection plus a thimble on each bend. Your children are more valuable than the cost of these safety measures!

[@silverdragon3474]

I agree to needing 3 cable clamps, but not to alternate directions. I was always told “you never saddle a dead horse” so the saddle sits on the side of the rope with the action, and the bare end is held in place with the U-bolt.

[@JasonPeliwo]

3/8” cable does require 3 clips. First one tight up against the thimble and the next 2 spaced approx 10x the diam of the cable away from the first (3 to 4”).

[@Dmbyers2002]

Pretty cool Fort for your kid. As mentioned here before, those of us who work cables for a living see a few things that you might consider improving, lets call them “best practices”. Where you made your eyes on the ends of your cables, orientation of those cable clamps matter, use 3 clamps per eye on anything over 1/2” cable, space the clamps 6 rope diameters apart. And a thimble lining the eye wouldn’t hurt. That cable is plenty strong but the steeper the angle or “flatter” your cable the more lateral force you apply to your towers when you stand on it, consider running cable guy-wires to transfer that lateral force down to your footings if possible.

[@HyperactiveNeuron]

Seriously Jason, this is an awesome project. Iver is going to have the coolest "tree" house around. He's one lucky kid. You're a great dad. You're a great grandson too and yes I know you probably jumped up and down on the bridge before letting Grandma up there. God know I would have done the same if not more. I don't know if you were a boy scout but you earned your eagle scout badge as far as I'm concerned.

[@raydriver7300]

Way to go Grandma! The bridge is pretty cool too 🌞

[@MBMcCandless]

I love your grandmother!

[@smashyrashy]

Get a woman your own age dude

[@paulofalltrades]

Recommendation: You should put some bushings in any of the holes that bear a load of the raw cable. You can already see the holes at the top of the 4x4 posts are rubbing down and wearing from the friction and pressure of the cable. That will increase slop over time, you'll retighten them in a few months, adding more pressure, the same thing will happen again. So if you have 1/2" cable, get some steel pipe with a 1/2" ID and a wall thickness of like a 1/4", drill a hole to fit that in the post and epoxy them into the posts. Then run your cables through the inside of the bushing, you can even grease or oil the ID. That way, the cable is sitting on metal and the weight or tension of the entire bushing is bearing onto lets say an inch of wood, instead of half an inch and won't wear through.

[@bullpaxton2001]

that would be cleannnn

[@ericanderson7570]

I thought the same thing for all the cable holes. And when I saw the posts, I thought exactly what you said. BUSHINGS. Get some rigid conduit/galvanized, and use conduit bushings.

[@SpartanMJO12]

An excellent suggestion!

[@raymitchell9736]

Thinking the same thing... now that the cables are already installed... maybe they have some that are 1/2 cut so you can place around the cables? I don't know, but that's a darned good idea.

[@king-dingeling]

Well... in really hard, daily playground-use. But I think he is building this for his son. There will be some time, there will be some use, but its not going to be used every day, by "a lot of kids", and not for a decade. His son is... 6 ? How long will he use it? Did you still used your local playground at the age of 11? I didnt. So there will be 5 years of use now and then, and a little play, a little wobble just makes it cooler.

[@cswatson4823]

Soooooooo cool. I think Craig deserves more speaking parts from here on out. Also Grandma deserves an Oscar for best supporting actress

[@HyperactiveNeuron]

I absolutely agree with this. More grandma and more Craig 🤣

[@RickMeasham]

But it was the bridge that was supporting the actress! 🥁🥁

[@yobgodababua1862]

I have really enjoyed this excursion from carpentry to civil engineering. If nothing else I hope everyone watching has a better appreciation for how different (yet similar) the disciplines are.

[@brandoncampitelli2279]

Your videos usually make me smile. But that grandma scene was priceless :-)

[@lechatbotte.]

Yay grandma!! Great intro, if the Forman was watching I could see him shaking his head and walking away with the hammer still laying there.

[@Beehashe]

My friend’s grandma is 95 and she doesn’t need glasses…….she drinks straight out of the bottle😀

[@michaelfenner4189]

I subbed for the tables, chairs, and cabinets, and now this "treehouse" build is the best part of my week!

[@BenLeclerc]

Hey brother quick tip. Block out the railing posts. Same when building a deck. Over time the bolt hole can grow and loosen, but blocking is a rock solid backup and makes a crazy difference. Especially important with the load these posts will be incuring. Amazing job thus far!

[@222dolson]

this is an awesome project but I was going to say this very thing. super simple to add in but you def need to do this. i believe it's in the deck building code attachment of normal PT railing posts to do this to ensure there is no deflection of the post when a 200lb point load at the top is applied at the top. normally keeps a full grown human from falling through a railing but in this case it's stopping the moment force from the handrail cables.

[@wht93gted]

This whole thing is bolted together without blocks. So yeah….

[@Skitradr]

Awesome channel, but yes I agree , blocks will make world of difference !, kKerp up your incredible work, thank you so much

[@matthewmarello1347]

He doesn't respond to these. Not sure if he even looks at them from listening to the podcast. Lol

[@222dolson]

@@matthewmarello1347 I and probably some others mentioned in his first video about not putting a beam accross the last posts before the cantilevered section and since I have seen at least a carrigebolted 2x10 so I think he is at least seeing and reacting to the comments. I don't really need a reply, i just want to put up some non judgemental safety reminders.

[@blainedrayer4776]

PRolong your cable life with adding thimbles at each of the loop ends. also never saddle a dead horse, in other words the cable clamp saddle goes on the load side of the cable with the u-bolt on the loose end.

[@noquedaniuno]

my "abuelita" is 87 years old. but i realized that she would say almost the same that yours did. How cool is that? thousands and thousands of miles away and grandmothers thinks and talks alike, right?

[@_shanek]

SUPER IMPORTANT TIP ! When fitting the rope clicks, never put the “U” bolt over the “live” end of the rope, the cable that is going to the bridge) the unbolt goes on the “dead” end and the “saddle” goes on the “live” end (the cable that is going to the bridge). Otherwise they can slip and fail. 👍🏻👍🏻🇦🇺

[@mauricecooper9016]

“Never Saddle a dead horse”

[@artpalmer9547]

Never saddle a dead horse, is the old saying.

[@DavidVerch]

@@artpalmer9547 Came here to say that. I think I saw at least one dead horse saddled. Interestingly I found this out when I went to a NASCAR race at Daytona with a maintenance guy at work. He pointed out the cables on the catch fence were saddling the dead horse.

[@zachshott7833]

Never saddle a dead horse!

[@rogerlove7588]

Never horse around with a dead saddle, whut my gramma ust to say.

[@brewbuildsit]

Dang, I really wish my grandma was still here to help me out like that. I guess I should have started out with a bridge she could test instead of that diy jet ski.

[@wolfe608]

Amazing build , I love your channel.. All the comments about " Never saddle a dead horse " are 100% true so at the very least you should change them around and if you follow the rule of thumb math for cable clamps each eye you create for a 3/8" rope requires 3 clamps. After looking at the link for the cable clamps you purchased I've noticed that the saddles are smooth , not grooved to follow the stranded lay of the wire rope you've purchased. If your going through the trouble of taking them off I recommend changing them to a brand name like Crosby. Their product , although a lot more expensive is far superior and their manufacture specs only require 2 per termination for a 3/8" rope.

[@patshipp9195]

Your Grandma looked like she was having fun, at her age having fun is great and fills her day with joy. LOL and God Bless

[@katkg7129]

Your Grandma is awesome.

[@robertmabry4172]

The Zipline you add is going to be sweet.

[@JS-nr9wp]

Hey man love the videos. Just as Shane Wilson stated change your saddles on your cables there's an old saying out there... " Never saddle a dead horse" Keep up the good work it's looking great

[@gregmullins1296]

You are the coolest dad ever to build this for your son!!! Thanks for sharing.

[@sapelesteve]

It's Grandma for the ultimate win on this video! 👍👍😁😁

[@Toklat2011]

Verna rocks! I wanna be Verna when I grow up, and be climbing across rope ladders when I'm 95.

[@RatelLaw]

Thank you for sharing your expertise

[@TailEndCustoms]

Wow 95? She’s doing great for her age.

[@ErrBuzz]

Jason, great work, man! My indifferent to woodworking wife says that you have a very heavenly voice and diction)))! Should I be jealous 😂?

[@robgrova6250]

I've used cable and cable locks with turn buckles on construction sights for safety. You should def at least double up on the cable clamps

[@red58impala]

Thumbs up from me only because you got your grandmother involved. Grandmothers are awesome!

[@jbuitendam9236]

Respect for grandma, grandma powerrr. Greetings from the Netherlands

[@b21playa]

excellent job. Couldnt help but notice the construction in the background....shop extension?

[@MatthiasSimons]

Nice job! My instructor always said that we paid for the hammer fully, so you should grab the bottom of the handle 😄

[@fairtex7]

grandmas are the best

[@neuroqueercoach]

She keeps looking at the camera like "Somebody help me, my grandson is doing experiments on me!" 😂😂

[@toddritchie9137]

Nothing like hanging nice fresh meat sack from the cable. LOL Great job on building the bridge!

[@theUcane]

I could NOT see how that was going to come together. ....but how satisfying was that ending???

[@edwardsimmons3721]

Great family project.

[@gsmith8098]

Yee haaa! Add bridge builder to your resume 👏 Is Grandma gonna test the Zipline too? 😁

[@lionking2950]

Respect for your work and the very fit Granny 👍🏻😁❤

[@andrewherrmann2964]

so, was grandma visiting in between her base jumping vacation and free climbing in Yosemite. You have a fun family, can't wait to see the finish.

[@irhgsy]

Love your grand mum

[@catcolbert9044]

Nice!!! I love Grandma's 👵 sense of adventure!!! ❤️

[@samanthasimental3788]

Your grandma looks amazing. You have heat genes in your family.

[@Mark_Wood]

Looking great!

[@vickiezeune7543]

Great video! Your son is very lucky. Grandma was the best.

[@breonnak5366]

I love how she was having fun 🥰

[@ksubi78]

This is awesome! Been loving following along with this project!

[@cognitor900]

That’s one cunning plan to bring forward any inherited wealth….. 🎉🎉🎉 I demand that we now see more of grandma in speaking parts carrying a current newspaper which would act as a “proof of life” test!!! Poor grandma clearly was coerced into having so much fun and testing out the pacemaker…… 😅 Lucky Iver! Great video and I concur with the bushings and saddle clamps and other stuff comments. ….. the exponential increase in load transference is enormous.

[@ricw1336]

Looks great. Great idea to use the pipes to redirect the cable.

[@lennyf1957]

Your narration just absolutely cracks me up. "Goofy" doesn't even begin to explain.

[@joegutierrez4197]

Awesome build! Thanks for sharing!! Blessings!!!

[@krisjohnson4800]

I was expecting a little skit at the end where you were finally able to get back to what you were doing when you needed the hammer and your buddy was able to finally get it to you

[@michaelstaunton3601]

Grandma is absolutely adorable ❤

[@carolewarner101]

Wow, cool!!! And your grandma is AMAZING! Well done team Moth!

[@feinschmegga]

Id suggest to brace the posts on the stair tower. You could see the whole tower flexing just from you hanging off the cable. Edit: NVM I see you added those 15 mins into the video, nice !

[@garyhead1561]

You really should run all your eye bolts all the way to the eye as much as you can. The more the eye is cantilevered away from where it's anchored the more it can be levered on and loosen or bend and/or break. With as much as you have out, running them in will really tension it all up too but you may have to loosen what you've done already to get the extra distance.

[@garyhead1561]

Everything is big enough for the weight itself but static loads are different than dynamic and if a large weight were to pull on the cable, the forces on it are different than just holding the weight and they're more susceptible to bending or wallowing out the hole from being wrenched on.

[@JasonPeliwo]

If there was any chance of a lateral load on those (very long) eye bolts I’d say they should be snugged up to their shoulders into the 2x, but In this case the only lateral load they might see if if someone jumped up and hung on them from under the platform. Even still a grown man couldn’t bend them while under tension.

[@Nyall]

I was wondering about that as well. For the eyebolts that anchor the angled hand rail lines, (which create an upwards force,) I was thinking of putting blocking above the eyebolt to resist upwards torquing on the bolt.

[@garyhead1561]

@@JasonPeliwo Yes, I'm sure how this is set up it's fine. I'm talking in general also. Those particular ones have shoulders and are obviously meant to be run all the way up to it for the reasons I mentioned. Some don't have that and it's not as obvious so I pointed it out. He said he needed to do some tweaking and tightening too and that would be the first place to start imo. And regardless of if it will be fine and work in this application as it is or not, it's still good practice to do things the intended way and have even less to worry about. Why not make your weakest links as strong as possible if you can?

[@garyhead1561]

@@Nyall That's exactly why you run the eye bolt all the way to the shoulder. So it can't be torqued up as easily which keeps you from needing additional blocking. That's what the shoulder is there to help with. To strengthen the pivot point and give it a wider base to resist being torqued to the side which it relies on the shoulder being against something. If you don't have an eye bolt with a shoulder you should run a nut on all the way then drop a washer on it and cinch everything to that as close to the eye as it will go to create that same shoulder to prevent all the things I mentioned.

[@pedroramos6408]

So good so cool. Congratulations Jason.

[@NOLAfugee]

Solar powered lighted post caps would be a cool finishing touch

[@sammyshreds]

Off topic: Have you considered building a sauna? That would be a cool project with winter coming

[@maddieadams75]

The netting on the bridge 👍 my brain works overtime wanting safety features. Nursing 20yrs in the Operating Room/ER made me neurotic mess 😂 absolutely beautiful bridge

[@mlob535]

Grandma looks amazing for 95! And great looking bridge!

[@PaulSmith-fg8sz]

Woow, right there at the end,you got really deep! Philosophical. Nice job.

[@kimberlyvaughan3430]

That’s so cool 😊

[@mookerblu]

This was amazing and you do a great job of imitating real life structures. Props to you for actually doing the stuff that I always say I'm going to do.... My only criticism would be to put the netting on the inside of the cables. It looks like you maybe attached it to the outside of the bridge... Which could work depending on how it's attached, but inside the cable would be a better failsafe. Awesome job!

[@alvinclose8181]

I agree, on the inside would be better and safer, no where for any part of A body to go.

[@RyanZuidema]

This has got to be one of my favorite series you have done so far. Talk about over engineering things.

[@johnlee7085]

Over building in some aspects because there is no engineering. There is a difference.

[@carpediem8342]

Dude. Your gmaw is awesome for her age. Dang.

[@tedpuckett2779]

Great vid. Have enjoyed watching the process. God bless.

[@aaudain1]

Awesome keep it coming 👍👏😎🤚

[@eastcoastmodz5195]

Now you need a Zip Line from the tower to the house ;)

[@Mark-Huigen]

For someone "claiming" not to know what you're doing you've got a pretty good plan on how to go about everything 😉 Awesome job!

[@JamesDeese]

Yay Grandma!

[@evilbrat5376]

That was a "Great Toss" ~ belongs in the NBL I think. Learning to build a suspension bridge too. Don't think I really make one but can't hurt though for future though... thanks. Oh yea, grandma really trusts you doesn't she!!

[@chopin65]

You should do radio. You have a relaxing chill tone quality to your voice. Or, audio books. I am jealous of your skills. I am a poet. No one needs poets. But carpenters. People always need carpenters. Great video.

[@bertovalla3989]

I LOVE YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR

[@Jasontodd74]

Great video. I enjoy them all!!!

[@pattynoel6205]

Your Grandma is pretty cool.

[@mojotarvin5370]

Your grandmother rocks!

[@gurshaanbasra3639]

19:43 hay, we never joke abt that

[@LadyBlueRR]

Sometimes I absolutely love the woodworking and construction community here on KZbin....we seem to always look out for each by lending your experience and knowledge.... kudos to everyone you gave expert tips and suggestions 💥💥💥💥💙

[@naioti]

I’m a professional bridge builder and I just wanted to say a few things… okay, I’m sorry, I lied. I’ve never built a bridge in my life, but it looks good to me. I think your son is going to love it and you grandma seems like a super swell lady.

[@PeterB_California]

This treehouse is really for Dad.

[@coleenbarr]

"She's gotta walk that path alone." LOL. I love how she's like "Oh look it goes uuuuup and dooooown..." AND?! She's fly AF in that she does NOT look 95. Good on her!

[@carolinepaltz324]

I love you and all your projects and I don’t even know you! Keep the video’s coming you rock!

[@patjackmanesq]

Ryan Reynolds new career really suits him! Great video. Thoroughly enjoyable!

[@gregmascunana9554]

My only suggestion would be to put some type of a hose or something to act as a cushion around the steel cable that you're using as a handrail.

[@Whiskeywoodworks]

That turned out awesome I bet the Foreman is getting super stoked !!

[@WilliamWallace14051]

Galvanic corrosion between the galvanized cable and the stainless steel is going to be a concern.

[@C-Mah]

Thanks Grandma!

[@AutoMotivate]

That ending was so damn sweet

[@oilcitywoodworks]

I have a fever…and the only prescription is more Grandma! She was awesome! The bridge is awesome too. Thanks for always producing such great videos.

[@highjix]

I am really enjoying this series!

[@alvinclose8181]

Wonderful video and one heck of A good bridge.

[@courtneyinnes6019]

Wow looks awesome

[@petem6503]

I found that bracing the posts is really needed even if you don't have any upper structure. The carriage bolts are strong, but simply lack the distance/spread to create much leverage.