by BuildARamp on Tue Jan 27, 2009 7:54 am
You will need to make 2 sets of templates and cut your 2x4's to fit an 8ft section and 4ft section, build them seprately then screw them toghether. Remember to keep in mind the width of your templates when you cut your 2x4's.
For example say your building an 8ft section and your templates are and should be 3/4 inches thick each, that would take 1-1/2 inches off your 8ft length, so you would need to cut your 2x4's to a length of 94-1/2 inches to make an over all length of 8ft when you screw add the 2 templates to each side. The same goes for your 4ft section.
This is so when you go to sheet your ramp with plywood, which is only 8ft by 4ft in size your plywood sheets line up over the templates. If you were to just cut your 2x4's to 8ft lengths and slap them on your templates your 8ft section of ramp would actually be 8 ft 1- 1/2 inches.
Sincerely Brandon Cardone,
Author of "The Beginners Guide To Building Ramps"