Engineered drawing

Hello guys. I’m trying to build a 15ft aluminum octagon frame on pontoon logs. Fabrication shop I’m trying to get it built at said they need engineered drawings to proceed. What I’m trying to build is one of those floating tiki bars they have in popular beach areas, except they use 55 gallon barrels. I want a solid frame on toons. So if anyone can help or point me in the right direction, I’d be greatly appreciated. I will/can pay for the services. Thanks.

 

I'd be happy to do it but I'm expensive.
You'd be better off asking the shop who they like building for and ask them to do your drawings.

 

I showed fabrication shop what I wanted. But they insisted that I get engineered drawing. They didn’t want to do that. What would be a ball park figure for engineered drawings? I have no idea. Thanks

 

Depends what the shop wants.
Reread my previous post.

From who?
Are they building for an Engineer now? Talk to them,
or talk to another shop.

 

Did you show them more than the two pictures you attached to your post? Maybe they wanna get some more information and get insight of what you want, for example the engine arrangement (I guess the red circle) or connection between frame and barrels.
Another question could be the structure of the frame, I assume the octagonal shape with some beams. Shall these beams be radial orientated or transversal ..?

I'm NA student with some time at the moment I could try and help you

 

I would call Cruisin Tikis Clearwater and see where they get their boats from , I bet one could be bought cheaper and better than your shop .

 

They actually make them. But they use 55 gallon plastic barrels as their floats. I want to make something similar but on an aluminum frame on pontoon logs.

 

Are they building for an Engineer now?

 

I do not know. They ended up reaching out to an engineer for drawings. But they quoted an extremely high price. It didn’t even sound right.

 

Likely a liability issue.
Is this for resale or commercial use?

 

I want to use for commercial use.

 

If it's for personal use I'd do it for $2000 and a signed waiver expunging me of all responsibility.
But I would use a "donut" design.

 

Yea that was the fabricators concern, liability issue. That’s the reason why they want an engineered drawing. I thought building it similar to a pontoon boat, but in a different shape wouldn’t be such a problem.

 

Re your proposed plan view drawing - here is a rather left field suggestion, but how about building it as a catamaran, with simple glass sheathed plywood hulls - the plan view on the hulls could be the trapezium boundary shape around the pontoons.
And you would still have the octagon deck shape.
The advantages would include more buoyancy, much less wetted surface area (and hence frictional resistance), and probably easier to construct.
You would then have an almost pointed bow and stern on each hull, and the bow could even be raked forward a bit.



Here are a couple of photos I found on my computer

 

Without wanting to appear too cruel, I believe it comes down to two factors;liability and commercial reality. The business in question has no desire to get tangled up in liability issues and they have determined that the enquirer has insufficient knowledge to give them safe build instructions. If given drawings for something that will work and which contain all necessary information they will be able to carry out the work in an efficient manner and make a profit. If presented with such drawings the estimate may well be reduced.