You sure are right about this being a great forum, and that's why I want to be so careful not to screw it up (even a little) with having any attitude. Over the years I have trained lots of "cubs" (apprentices) in construction. And I was there so much myself as a 18 - 28-year-old young buck full of piss and vinegar, out to show and prove how "bad"/good I was. It is funny how I, and just about every young kid I trained went from as green as the new mown grass with more water behind his ears than a newborn babe at the first. To in as short as a year of "massive" experience with carrying lumber and holding stuff, he was suddenly THE journeyman and always the first to spout off about the right …… Way !!! Of doing things, ha, ha.. It really is at least one pleasure of getting older to finally own that ultimate truth and beauty that comes from being in a place of understanding and admitting unashamedly that "You don't KNOW" sometimes.

Not really understand the method you have used for ¼" X ¾" reinforcement, but this is no surprise to me and I am "sure" (ha, ha) that it is a clever solution. Now that we are talking "off the record" I can see that since you designed and incorporated this "feature" into your strongback that we share an appreciation for a "proper" foundation, becuase it is too important to be overlooked. I only know that because of the guys who are here reading and sometimes giving a damn enough to take the time and effort to post, that I am a different and better "boat builder". I didn't have any chance to be around "Boat People" when I was young. I didn't get the chance to have time to do any paddling till I was about 30 when I could have some time away from work to see what the "Heeeell" I WANTED to DO. Since then I have discovered that "Boat People" are some of the greatest most generous and helpful folk. It is like being in a club sometimes and I like the "members" I meet and think they really are "good Samaritans" following the golden rule.