Here's a few pics of my recently completed EAA tiedowns.
For convenience sake, the original plans are here:
EAA Tie Down Plans
I made a few changes. Yes, untested but I promise to report if my mods don't pan out.
Basic change was to make the stakes out of tubing rather than rod.
The numbers say they are bit lighter and a lot stiffer. This with the increased surface area for loamy soil should be positive. The negative should be high driving force into hard soils.
Used 3/8" OD by .035 wall SS tubing. I was prepared to lathe turn some ends for the tubing but I found some SS carriage bolts in the bin so they became the ends. I threaded the tubing, cut the bolts (they were too long) and used the scrap for the pointed end. My son (a professional welder) TIG welded the parts together and then I sharpened the pointy ends with a bench grinder.
I got the rope from West Marine while I was in Key West (trip report elsewhere).
Here is the lot, prior to me sharpening the tips.
Brackets from 1/8" 6061. TLAR design. Did not run the numbers but should not be weak link in system.
Closeup of the stakes with carriage bolt head and before and after of tip sharpening.
Now I have to cajole SWMBO into sewing me a bag for this stuff...
