Questions about Rebar

brickmaster · Post by **brickmaster** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 2:11 pm

Myself and a few friends will be flying in SFO from Ireland on the sat midday before BM.

We plan to be at the gates first thing on Mon morning (7am ish), so we really only have one day shopping.

Is there anywhere enroute where we could buy pre-cut lenghts of rebar for our shade structure.

Last year we ended up with crappy "heavy duty" stakes from walmart that threatened to pop out of the ground during the storms on Thurs and Fri.

Due to weight restrictions, flying with them is out of the question.

Any Ideas?

phil · Post by **phil** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 2:57 pm

See Louise's page on shopping in Reno:
http://civilizedexplorer.pbwiki.com/renoSupplies

You can buy rebar in any large hardware or construction supply store; for example, OSH (in the San Francisco Bay Area), Lowe's Hardware, Home Depot, Ace Hardware (both SF and Reno), and B&C Builders Supplies, High Sierra Lumber, and Harrison Building Products (Reno). See Louise's pages for locations, maps, and contact information.

You don't need it cut to specific lengths; in my shopping experience, it has been available in a variety of diameters and lengths.

Louise's pages list stores by what they sell, freeway exit, casino location, and 24-hour, 7-day-a-week hours.

BitterDan · Post by **BitterDan** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:07 pm

Just to add to Phil's comment:

I would try to get your rebar in the SF Bay area. If too many burners get it Reno then it might be in short supply that week and you wouldn't want to go without. Like phil said, it comes in precut lengths that will be exactly the size you need.

EDIT: Oh yeah, one more thing. Bring a pair of Vice-Grips to get your rebar out of the ground. I struggled for about 30 minutes with a pair of gloves and did not budge one of them. I located some Vice-Grips and pulled those fuckers out in 10 seconds each.

skeetsh00ter · Post by **skeetsh00ter** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:34 pm

Something you might consider doing is calling one of the big box stores (Lowes or Homedepot) and putting in an order for all the material you need. Thats what a friend and I did last year. We called HD maybe a month in advance, told them exactly how many pieces of pvc pipe, what sizes, and how much rebar we were going to need and it was all bundled up waiting for us when we got there.

We just walked in, grabbed the stuff, then we were on our way (can't remember if we paid for it before or after we got it...before i think...)

skeetsh00ter · Post by **skeetsh00ter** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:36 pm

ps, that was the Reno Homedepot.

CLARKcon · Post by **CLARKcon** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:51 pm

I'll probably sound "duh" here for people who've always used rebar. 2007 was the first year used rebar- it is the w o n d e r stake

We used 12" and 18" custom cuts (12 in. in sufficient), and are camp/gear were anchored to the Earth! Other tents and structures were getting eatin' alive, but ours didn't budge. Another note and tip- when go to pull them out, tap them hard on the sides with the mallet/hammer to loosen them before you break your back or get metal slivers

trying to pull them straight up & out

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:01 pm

Hi brickmaster!!

Welcome to eplaya.

By your username, I assume you do brick (and stone) work? Here in central Kentucky we have lots of really nice stone walls, many of which were made by Irish masons in the 1800's. Theyâ€™re actually a very historic part of the rural landscape here and are protected and preserved very well.

Since you've already been to the event before, I suspect you already know this, but for all the lurkers I'd like to add:

Please, Please remember to have a plan for your rebar after the event. Whether itâ€™s work out a deal to give it to a neighbor or take it somewhere to recycle, please don't leave it on the playa.

Last year we had to divide up an entire camp (including trash) with our neighbors because two fellows from Germany left in the middle of the night and barely even took a part of the clothes they'd brought, leaving the rest for us to pick up and haul out on an already over packed trailer.

But enough of that. Check around the concrete section of a big box home improvement store and you should find the rebar in precut lengths.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 10:59 pm

Why do you need rebar?

If all you need are tent pegs, just use 10 or 12 inch timber spikes and hammer them flush or below the surface.

BitterDan · Post by **BitterDan** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 10:00 am

Rebar will not come out, that's why we use it. 10" regular stakes all came out on my tent last year, the 2' rebar did not budge.

Another option is the auger-type stakes. They are more expensive than rebar (usually around $4 each) but they would work rather well on playa. They'd be harder to pull up than rebar though since you have to "unscrew" them out of the dirt.

brickmaster · Post by **brickmaster** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 1:22 pm

Hi LeChatNoir, believe it or not i have nothing to do with bricks, i'm an accountant, brickmaster is just a nickname.
Also no need worry about us leaving MOOP, as hushvillians we respect the playa.
In case any of you met us last year we were the two Irish guys next to Alan Toulouse. We hung around with the fruit and nut guys allot.

For Bob, we need rebar because this year we plan on having a larger shade structure. Its prob going to be ridged, and won't flex enough in the wind. Therefore I'm worried it will fly off. After what I saw last year I'm a rebar convert. Particularly the candy cane shape. That way they won't hurt anyone who bangs into them, and they can be leveraged out with a pole. This is important as last year our 'quality purchase' from walmart broke and it took a few hours of blood sweat and curses to get them out!

I'm very interested in the idea of pre-ordering with home depot. we considered this last year but decided against. Do they guarantee that they will have what you order? do they pre-charge your credit card?

Teo del Fuego · Post by **Teo del Fuego** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 3:46 pm

I love re-bar pie!

Post by **AntiM** » Thu Mar 06, 2008 4:34 pm

A wrecking bar and that rebar will pop right out!

we do use military surplus tent stakes, but our tents are under carports held down by, yep, rebar.