How to Keep AC from Floating Away?

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chris_mcmartin
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How to Keep AC from Floating Away?

Post by chris_mcmartin »

I set out a couple of additional board/tin sites this weekend for my long-term survey. One of the lines is on an oxbow of a river. The area floods from time to time, including a pretty severe flood two years ago which topped a levee upon which I had existing AC. Most of that material survived, though some got displaced. I'm more concerned about the newly-placed material in the bottomland.

I'm considering attaching a small length of chain or other non-degradable material to a corner of each AC item, then staking that chain into the ground. That way, the AC can be flipped, but will not wash away if/when flooding occurs. I seek advice on suitable materials for the chain, or alternative means of securing the AC.
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spinifer
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Re: How to Keep AC from Floating Away?

Post by spinifer »

I seek advice on suitable materials for the chain,
I have seen some kindergardeners make chains out of paper and paper clips. Maybe that will work... 8-) :lol:
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kyle loucks
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Re: How to Keep AC from Floating Away?

Post by kyle loucks »

Have those boards produced otherwise?
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chris_mcmartin
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Re: How to Keep AC from Floating Away?

Post by chris_mcmartin »

kyle loucks wrote:Have those boards produced otherwise?
The ones I set out Saturday? I haven't checked, but I doubt it. We ran into a guy hiking the area and he said he hasn't noticed as many "salamanders" in the bottomland since the 2011 flood ("salamanders" could be actual salamanders or skinks); part of why I wanted to set the cover out there is to determine how long it takes the area to rebound.

The ones on the other side of the levee--yes, several species of snake and one species of frog. Those have been in place for three years and started producing within days of being set out, in some cases.



Spinifer: I don't think a paper-clip chain will have the required tensile strength. :lol: I'm hoping for something not quite heavy-duty but yet not too fragile. I would just use rope but I think it would dry-rot after a season or so.
Jimi
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Re: How to Keep AC from Floating Away?

Post by Jimi »

Synthetic-material rope will stand up well to moisture and in some cases UV:

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/catalog ... ogId=10053

Braided nylon is pretty good. Polyester looks good based on the link but I've never used it to my knowledge.

Good luck, I have had this problem. I've also had AC burn up, and get "scrapped". Maybe you won't have those problems here.

Cheers,
Jimi
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dery
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Re: How to Keep AC from Floating Away?

Post by dery »

chris_mcmartin wrote:

Spinifer: I don't think a paper-clip chain will have the required tensile strength. :lol: I'm hoping for something not quite heavy-duty but yet not too fragile. I would just use rope but I think it would dry-rot after a season or so.

Chris use the stuff they weave Pawley's Island hammocks with. It lasts for years like hemprope or somethin.
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chris_mcmartin
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Re: How to Keep AC from Floating Away?

Post by chris_mcmartin »

Jimi wrote:Synthetic-material rope will stand up well to moisture and in some cases UV
Will check out your link--for some reason the Home Depot site is not loading for me right now. I've had bad experience with synthetic rope in the past (degrading too quickly) which is why I was thinking metal (chain? braided cable?) but I don't remember what exact material it was. As long as it can hold up for a year between replacement, it should be OK.
Good luck, I have had this problem. I've also had AC burn up, and get "scrapped". Maybe you won't have those problems here.
Burning--yes. Controlled burns have claimed carpet and a couple of boardsin the past; no big deal. Scrapping--hopefully not; restricted access keeps out people looking for scrap metal, and once my new placards come in I'll have plenty of signage explaining why my cover items aren't litter. 8-)
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chris_mcmartin
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Re: How to Keep AC from Floating Away?

Post by chris_mcmartin »

Got the Home Depot link working--good summary of some basic rope properties.

Continuing my brainstorming, I started thinking of braided cable, but when I searched for some it was a lot heavier than I was envisioning--not to mention much more expensive!

I had somewhat of an epiphany today when BOWFISHING LINE popped into my mind. Fishing line, especially the braided, non-monofilament kind, seems like it might do the trick, at a decent price. After all, fishing line is made to get wet... :lol:
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