About Us
The advent of the internet has brought about a wealth of resources to people interested in almost any field imaginable. Unfortunately, as someone who maintains and repairs drawbridges, I found very few places where I could ask questions or learn new information relevant to my industry. What I was looking for was drawbridge related news, articles, resources and links of interest.
Drawbridge Specific was born out of that frustration. With a smattering of basic information and data, we offer helpful links to industry related websites, highlights of drawbridges in the news, and blog posts on wide ranging topics all relevant to the world of drawbridges.
Stop by often to check out the topics, read a new story and discover a new link. Always feel free to post a comment or ask a question. And if you want to share a story that may be of interest concerning drawbridges, please contact us and let us know. We would welcome working with you to post a guest article.
New! Ask A Question Section
Have a question about drawbridge maintenance, repair or just a general question concerning drawbridges? Send your questions to: questions@drawbridgespecific.com and I’ll give you the best answer I’ve got and post them here. Since most of the inquiries we’ve received have been about drawbridges in general, we’ll start with some of these. Check back to see more answers as they post!
Question – Dave A. asks –
Answer – Hey Dave,
Are you sure you’re wanting a drawbridge and not just a bridge? If just a bridge would do, check out WoodenBridgePlans.com. They have plans that any carpenter can follow to build you exactly what you’re wanting. But if you’re set on it being a drawbridge, that’s not quite so easy.
The best solution in my opinion would be to build a short bridge deck on either side of the river extending out into the water leaving about an eight foot gap in between. Then you can build a middle section that would rest on either end and be hinged on one side. If you build supports on the same side as the hinges and attach cables to the opposite side pulling upwards from the supports, you can raise and lower that middle span similar to how a castle lowered a plank bridge over a moat.
Keep in mind that you should check out any building codes or ordinances prior to starting a project like this. There’s also questions about permitting and whether you can build a structure partially in the water or not. But if you pull this off, please send pics as I would love to see it.
Thanks for the question and good luck!
History Of Drawbridges
Some basic background information to get you started.
Types Of Drawbridges
The Principles Of A Drawbridge
Most drawbridges today operate on the exact same principles as the ones from 100 years ago.
Drawbridges In The News
Every week we highlight a news story featuring a notable drawbridge incident. While some of these are fairly old, they all illustrate the incredible things that can happen at any time and hopefully provide a warning we can heed or a lesson we can learn.
Many questions when drawbridges are to be replaced
This story shows that beyond the normal questions involved when replacement of a drawbridge is contemplated, sometimes issues arise that many would never even consider. Such as whether to turn the old bridge into a historic pedestrian park, for example.
Drawbridge Related Links
This week's link of interest
Galco is an amazing source for many things drawbridge related. I have used them for resolvers, encoders and VFD keypads just to name a few things. They also provide repair services for many control cards. Check them out for yourself.
Blog Posts
Every week we try to post a drawbridge related blog post, article or story. To see past postings, visit our Blog Archive. And as always, feel free to contact us for questions or comments.
BridgeTender Software
Vessel logs are hard to take, hard to read and hard to store. Bring your log taking into the 21st century with the new BridgeTender software. Store information in a searchable database and take advantage of real time notifications of bridge openings via X! (formerly Twitter)
