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Self Supporting Bridge

Note: Each week I try to share a popular post from the archives. This post was originally published in February 2014

SchneiderPeeps - Self Supporting Bridge

Saturday we’re having Gabriel’s Eagle Scout Court of Honor here at our house. He passed his Eagle Scout Board of Review in October but since he wanted to have his Court of Honor here we needed to wait until the weather was a little more predictable to have it.

When Christian had his Court of Honor we used some landscaping timbers to build a self supporting bridge. Each timber has one point of the Scout Law on it and the boys read the points as they assemble the bridge. Josiah chose to do his Court of Honor a little different and didn’t use the bridge.

Gabriel has decided to use it,  so we brought it out and made sure it was all up to par. Then last week a reader asked about it, after seeing it in the post about Christian’s Court of Honor. I started to type out instructions and it was complicated. So I decided to put it together and take pictures as we go.

You need 14 landscaping timbers. You will cut 2 in half. So, to build the bridge you need 12 long timbers and 4 short timbers.

This self supporting bridge is great to use for Boy Scout crossovers or Eagle Scout Court of Honor celebrations. With 12 planks, each one represents a point of the Scout Law. To start the bridge put 2 short timbers parallel about 6 feet apart. Then put one long timber under the front of the left short timber and over the front of the right short timber. Now, take a second long timber and put it under the front of the right short timber and over the front of the left short timber – behind the first long timber. You should have an X like in the photo.

This self supporting bridge is great to use for Boy Scout crossovers or Eagle Scout Court of Honor celebrations. With 12 planks, each one represents a point of the Scout Law. Now, make an X on the other end of the short timbers. If you are using this as part of a scout ceremony each boy will read his part and then put the timber where it’s supposed to be and straighten up the bridge as needed.

This self supporting bridge is great to use for Boy Scout crossovers or Eagle Scout Court of Honor celebrations. With 12 planks, each one represents a point of the Scout Law. Lay the other 8 timbers on the top of the two short timbers.

This self supporting bridge is great to use for Boy Scout crossovers or Eagle Scout Court of Honor celebrations. With 12 planks, each one represents a point of the Scout Law. Now it’s time to put the third short timber on top of the 8 long timbers but under the top of the X’s on the left side.

This self supporting bridge is great to use for Boy Scout crossovers or Eagle Scout Court of Honor celebrations. With 12 planks, each one represents a point of the Scout Law. Now, do the right side. You might need to pick up the X a little.

This self supporting bridge is great to use for Boy Scout crossovers or Eagle Scout Court of Honor celebrations. With 12 planks, each one represents a point of the Scout Law. Push the short timbers in until they are lined up with the short timbers underneath.

This self supporting bridge is great to use for Boy Scout crossovers or Eagle Scout Court of Honor celebrations. With 12 planks, each one represents a point of the Scout Law. You’re done! The bridge is very stable and strong. We’ve had as many as 10 teenage boys on the bridge at once and it did fine. Having said that, I have no idea how it will do over time if left outside. However, I do think it would be a cool bridge for a little creek crossing.

This self supporting bridge is great to use for Boy Scout crossovers or Eagle Scout Court of Honor celebrations. With 12 planks, each one represents a point of the Scout Law.

Thanks for sharing with your friends!

Heidi

Monday 15th of February 2016

Any idea how big this can be made and still work?

Angi Schneider

Monday 15th of February 2016

We've only made them with 8' long landscaping timbers, so I really don't know beyond that.

tessa

Monday 24th of February 2014

Congrats! We're pinning this one - maybe my little Cub Scout will make this one day...

Angi Schneider

Monday 24th of February 2014

Thanks! I bet he will - the hardest time to stay motivated it the second WEBELOS year. Once they cross over, it's super exciting again.