Tips and Tricks of flatbedding

You can get a lot of tarp held down fast if you're using rubber rope or shock cord. It's a bit of a pain if your trailer isn't set up with rope hooks, but it can be done with loose s-hooks. I absolutely loved it last year, but I found out the hard way that shock cord breaks - a lot, and when you've only got two pieces of cord holding down a tarp, things can get ugly really fast (I always used 6, explained below, but it was still a pain). I still use it on the corners of my tarps, having 4' lengths tied into the corner eyelet with an s-hook tied on the other end to get them pinned down fast, but I can't trust it to hold down a tarp.

 

You must using cheap rubber rope, mine last forever

 

I use shock cord. Bought a whole spool.

 

I was reading through some pipe threads and remembered that there are still people out there securing their padding to their pipestakes with duct tape. I've always used a technique similar to the first half of tying a pork loin. Just skip coming up the back of the pipestake. This way there isn't any trash to get rid of when I'm done tearing down, and I am left with a usable length of rope when I'm done that can be used again later.

Here's a demonstration of the technique:

 

What do you prefer for tarps? 14 oz or 18 oz, canvas vs. other, 2 pcs vs. 3 pcs?

 

I prefer a 24oz vinyl (resists tearing, and can be repaired with either a torch or cement) 28'X16' boxed out 6' deep lumber flapped two piece with an extra 16'X16' machine tarp that can double as a smoke tarp. Need to get a new set made and pound it into their heads that I want 28' before the flaps and sides are ADDED ON, not cut out of the 28' body since a 24' tarp with lumber flaps is more of a disappointment than a functional tarp.

 

Well I made it to page 25 of reading this thread....good stuff. Need a break....read later!

 

Rather than use the PVC "corrugated" pipe to cover my pipe stakes, my brother came up with a great way to cover pipe stakes using solid white PVC pipe. At the top you cut four notches and form to fit at the bottom. Be SURE to drill round holes before making your straight cuts to prevent fracturing later.

To install we use two c-clamps at the top, then Gorilla tape over that. I add orange Gorilla tape at the top of the stakes to help forklift drivers see them at night.

These have lasted for well over a year. On occasion we may need to replace a c-clamp and will do another Gorilla tape once every other month or so. The huge advantage of this system is the PVC cover won't budge, allowing pipe to slide easily without lifting the PVC cover.

 

Take that one step more. Depending on the pipe stakes used, make a couple of cross drilled holes in both parts and use a long lag bolt, washer and nut. No more C clamps lost.
When not in use as a cover, the holes will keep the bolts from going on vacation to some unknown place.

 

I'm not sure how well that would work. This kind of PVC easily shatters with any stress on a small area. I think any significant uplifting on the PVC during loading or unloading, when the forklift driver is backing away and spinning two ton collars against it, might fracture the PVC. Using c-clamps spreads the holding power around the entire post and circumference of the PVC. The duct tape (or Gorilla tape) adds additional holding power in the four gaps and protects the c-clamps.

One thing I've done is started to place the c-clamp screw ratchets on the side that will never be inward toward the load. Since then I've never had to replace a c-clamp.