[Shop-talk] Building a shed on skids

[David Scheidt]

On Thu, Apr 5, 2012 at 4:25 PM, cornerexit <cornerexit at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello,
>
>
>
> I am looking to build a 12x16 wooden shed on some mostly undeveloped rural
> property to store a few tools and such. 200sqft or under gets me into the
no
> building permits and no taxes if not attached to the ground category. Thus
> the 12x16 size. B This shed will likely need moved at least once during the
> development of the property, across mostly level but not exactly smooth
> ground. I will be using the tractor, dozer, or excavator to drag the shed
to
> its new location. And yes, I'm looking into shipping containers as well,
but
> at this point leaning towards a wooden shed.
>
>
>
> Anyway, I'll be using some type of PT large dimensional lumber for the
> skids, say 4x6.
>
>

You might also look into a trailer.  It doesn't have to work well....

> Looking for ideas on how to handle the hook-up for the tow/drag. A chain
> will be used from the tractor, but how to attach to the skids?
>
>
>
> I was thinking maybe mount some D-rings to the end of two or more of the
> skids with lag bolts, but I just don't know if those will handle the stress
> without just tearing out the lag bolts.
>
>
>
> Or maybe bore an inline hole through all 4 skids and string a cable or
chain
> through them for the width of the shed/base. The idea would be to hook the
> chain from the tractor to the cable/chain on the shed at two places and
> start dragging. My concern with this is a hole big enough for a truckers
> chain (don't remember the size but that's what we call them on the farm)
may
> weaken the 4x6 too much?

When I worked in a warehouse, we had some scissor-like pullers, for
pulling pallets that we couldn't get a fork truck to, or were broken.
There were, as a I recall, two types,  one had a pair of arms that
formed a loop to grab a hook or opening in the pallet, pulling on the
pulling end closed it and it wouldn't open under tension.  The other
had spikes on the tong arms, which gripped the side of one of the
longitudinal beams.  The harder you pulled, the harder it gripped.

Loggers use similar stuff, too.

But I don't know if I'd want to pull a shed around.  Arranging to have
a fork to lift and carry, or wheels, to roll, seems safer and less
likely to break something.

--
David Scheidt
dmscheidt at gmail.com