Advertisement
So what about that amazing PCV stuff, huh? I saw all kinds of designs and I took no pictures of them. I meant to but never got around to it. Next year I want some easy, cheap, shade structures. Anyone have plans, tips, advice, warnings?
posted by:
|
Portland
|
Advertisement
Advertisement
-
Re: Shades structures
Wed, September 14, 2005 - 11:25 PMthe one thing i always seem to see with PVC is the plastic 4-way joiners cracking under heavy winds. it'd be nice to find some heavier, aluminum or thick rubber ones instead, if such a thing exisited. -
-
Re: Shades structures
Thu, September 15, 2005 - 12:13 AMCamp Arachnid, which was directly across from my camp this year, had a very cool quasi dome structure that looked rediculously easy to build and the joining sections were simply duct tape joining the two crisscross pieces. It was covered with a paracute. The structure looked simple and sturdy. It tolerated wind just fine. I'll have to see about finding a contact email.
-
-
Re: Shades structures
Wed, September 14, 2005 - 11:36 PMI prefer metal. Steel tubing isn't that horribly expensive. And much much stronger. It is a bit more equipment intensive to build things with steel. I'm fortunate in that aspect.
Would that I had no metal working capabilities, and living in California, I think I'd work a lot with lashing bamboo for structures. It's extremely strong for its weight and you can just burn it if you don't want to haul it home. If you're good with rope, that's what I would recommend. Definitely different. -
-
Re: Shades structures
Thu, September 15, 2005 - 3:39 PMI am more of a fan of steel too. Our simple tarp shade cover is all one inch tube (EMT to the hardware store junkies). It has never failed. Part of our group used pvc and every T or cross join broke in the wind with a sickening crack. On the other hand I am impressed as hell with how well a buttload (sorry for all the technical terms) of duct tape kept what was left together for the rest of the week.
We use pvc like tent poles in the tent that I made for our truck. the trick is that there are no pvc joints. -
-
Re: Shades structures
Thu, September 15, 2005 - 4:39 PMDuct tape is probably a far superior joining method for PVC in contrast to the glue on connectors. The connectors are just too ridgid and don't have the give they need to be able to flex under wind loads.
If you could find 45 degree PVC connectors and make triangulated structures, then you'd be using a design that functions with ridgid joints. -
-
Re: Shades structures
Thu, September 15, 2005 - 5:05 PMRight, I was amazed the some very funky tape joints stayed put. I would even be suspicious of 45 degree joints, even though I think it is a improvement. If you treat pvc like bamboo and lash it together it'll work pretty well. I saw a nice design for a quanset hut looking thing out of tarp and pvc. It works cause there are no joints. Just some lashing. And possibly cow bell.
-
-
-
-
Re: Shades structures
Fri, September 16, 2005 - 12:35 PMI just dont think anything beats those costco car ports. Properly guyed those things can withstand 60+mph and go up fast and easy -- which is so needed when you first arrive. I think the thing to do would be to paint the tan covering material so you can personalize and look more creative than the other 1000 car ports. -
-
Re: Shades structures
Fri, September 16, 2005 - 2:21 PMAgreed. They are fabulous. The kitchen structure for our camp this year was five carports put together with vinyl billboard ground cover for the floor. It was oustanding and a nice refuge from the the whiteout conditions.
That said, they are heavy, costly and I have PVC laying around along with tarps and vinyl. I want to use what I have before I go by the Volvo of shade structures.
-
Re: Shades structures
Sun, September 18, 2005 - 5:57 PMI keep pondering the same idea, but I've never motivated to paint them. Do you think it would be more fun to paint them here or out on the playa? -
-
Re: Shades structures
Mon, September 19, 2005 - 9:47 AMi had a graffitti artist lined up to paint mine this summer, but time ran out. however, i wonder how well the paint would stick to the tarp, and if it would crack and flake off when the tarp is folded. perhaps a trial is in order... -
-
Re: Shades structures
Mon, September 19, 2005 - 9:55 AMThis year we had vinyl sheets for our floors in our structures. It was wondered if it one could paint on it with a problem. One side it printed on and holds up very well to traffic. The question is would the painted side and what sort of paint should be used.
We tried painting on our flag made of rip stop nylon but it cracked off. Fortuantely we discovered this before the playa and corrected it. -
-
Re: Shades structures
Wed, November 16, 2005 - 3:40 PMI have been studying all kinds of shade structures, trying to decide on a good sized one for our good sized 2006 group. This is the one I like most so far: www.maxicon.com/Burning_Ma...e_playa.htm
It is the quonset hut style: the joinings are done with a sheathing pipe that fits over the structure pipe. The cross braces are done with bicycle inner tubing. Of course I would rather have the ease of a Costco carport, but I don't have that kind of money. -
-
Re: Shades structures
Wed, November 16, 2005 - 4:57 PMYou can get away with a lot more if the side are open, like the one in that photo.
I'm working on creating fully enclosed (playa hardened) shapes that can be used over, or instead of, a tent. With a fully covered sides there is a huge amount of wind force shear.
Not sure if I understand what you mean by cross braces of bicycle tubing. Shouldn't a cross brace be able to take compression as well as stretching forces? -
-
Re: Shades structures
Tue, November 22, 2005 - 5:11 PMIt looks like the bike tube is used for lashing together the PVC where it crosses in place of rope or duct tape. -
-
Re: Shades structures
Thu, August 2, 2007 - 2:31 PMI've found duct tape to work very well for lashing together.
This year the hut has been upgraded to make it playa hardened with end caps and a billboard vinyl floor that goes up the sides under the tarp. Also there will be cold cathode lighting installed as well as clothes racks for hanging costumes.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
