I really appreciate your help here and you're right, it is a challenge of sorts... BTW, if I read the chart right Wall Lumber wants $5.35 per foot for 8/4 lumber, here they want $15.25 per foot, just in case you think that is big money your way...
In fact, I am crawling under my other 39 (VB) to confirm that the cross sills or stringers (as I call them) are made out of 1/8" thick steel, 1.5" tall and 3" wide C channel, sitting over 1/8" small square pieces of metal and the bed planks are 1-3/4" thick...
Now my (VC) truck ex fire truck, had a 500 gallon water tank and the 6 cross sills were white oak instead of metal, 3" wide and 1-3/4" thick... I am on the waiting list with a wood supplier in Ft. Lauderdale to cut a 10" (8/4) white oak plank and get (2x) 73" pieces and (2x) 47" and that will cost about $200 with tax and shop labor... I am wondering if I should cancel the job and just get 3 or 4 pieces of C channel and set up the deck of this one the same way... As much as I like the idea of nice wooden cross sills the price is absolutely ridiculous, and mind you, originally I was going to set up the 6 cross sills, but I will not be carrying any close to that amount of weight... Still, I would like to make it tough. What is your advice here?
