Cheap 10X30 carports

Homiesinheaven · Post by **Homiesinheaven** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 11:00 am

slvrnmph, i'm just going by what's worked for me in the past. these carports arent rigid brick buildings, they are flexible and sway a little in the wind. you're really splitting hairs if you're comparing their flexibility. duct tape is widely used on carports and has been totally fine for us the past two years. just make sure you folder over the last bit of tape so there's a little flap that you can pull when removing it during breakdown.

Bounce530 · Post by **Bounce530** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 11:27 am

Monkey Hut is the way to go. Total cost for mine is $54.00. With $30 of that being the tarp alone. Plus just one person can have it up in about half hour, if that. Cheap, easy and is less likely to fly away into the neighbors car.
Also, if you do go with the a carport, and duct tape the joints, do not tape over the pop-lock nipples. We had a carport that failed in the wind. We had taped all the joints, to try to re-enforce the joints, but the wind kicked up, and it turned into a sail, bending a bunch of the legs. I think one of the main problems was that the poplocks were pushed in cause of the duct tape, and allowed the joints to slip out of place. Now that I think about it, I guess it was more of a wedding tent then a carport, cause I don't think carports have those poplocks....

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:04 pm

gyre wrote:The huts are self reinforcing.
Not comparable.
Yet I hear the tape quality is crucial.

Antim, why not replace with galvanized or aluminum, even stainless?

Because we wanted the pipes which are premade to fit the carports. Other materials custom cut would cost as much, if not more. Eighteen six foot stainless steel pipes? Sixteen at five and three quarters? And we'd still likely have shipping costs. Stainless isn't all that great under stress, and aluminum? are you kidding? In steel knuckles? No, not if you understand metals. And don't quote a bunch of trivia off the internet at me. Larry worked with bi-metallic reaction prevention and corrosion in the Navy. He knows.

With MyLarry's schedule, we have more money to spend on premade items than he has free time to cut pipes. He works hard for a living.

Like you have a carport... I know you do not take one out there or we wouldn't have had to provide you with PVC and a snow camo. We have carported for eight years. These carports go to regionals, weddings, reunions, winter burns and more. We sort of know what we're doing. Retrofitting the pipes after eight years seems reasonable to me.

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:04 pm

Homiesinheaven wrote:oneeyed actually yes! we have awesome homemade pickles!
Now yer talkin !
it's not about being right or wrong brotha
Oh, but yes it is, ortherwise this wouldn't be a discussion board, it would be a blog.
i'm just trying to be nice to you.
my suggestion is to knock it off, because it ain't getting you nowhere !
why always so confrontational?
This one's easy, I am a Dick.

Homiesinheaven · Post by **Homiesinheaven** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:37 pm

good advice Bounce530! maybe cut a slit on the duct tape so the umm, poplock nipples stick out? positioning relative to the wind is definitely key or any structure parachutes up up and away.

oneeye, why knock it off when you're practically eating my pickle? flame on you internet tough guy, a little bird told me you're one big softy in person.

slvrnmph · Post by **slvrnmph** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:50 pm

homiesinheavan, so are you trying to tell me those metal poles flex? You know how you can grab a piece of pvc pipe and bend it without it breaking and it will return to it's previous shape once you stop bending it? That is flexible. Now let me see you do that with the metal legs of the carport structure. Oh wait, you mean you can't? That's because they are not flexible.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:57 pm

AntiM wrote:
gyre wrote:The huts are self reinforcing.
Not comparable.
Yet I hear the tape quality is crucial.

Antim, why not replace with galvanized or aluminum, even stainless?
Because we wanted the pipes which are premade to fit the carports. Other materials custom cut would cost as much, if not more. Eighteen six foot stainless steel pipes? Sixteen at five and three quarters? And we'd still likely have shipping costs. Stainless isn't all that great under stress, and aluminum? are you kidding? In steel knuckles? No, not if you understand metals. And don't quote a bunch of trivia off the internet at me. Larry worked with bi-metallic reaction prevention and corrosion in the Navy. He knows.

With MyLarry's schedule, we have more money to spend on premade items than he has free time to cut pipes. He works for a living.

Like you have a carport... I know you do not take one out there or we wouldn't have had to provide you with PVC and a snow camo. We have carported for eight years. These carports go to regionals, weddings, reunions, winter burns and more. We sort of know what we're doing. Retrofitting the pipes after eight years seems reasonable to me.

I didn't say it was unreasonable.
But obviously the originals don't last forever in your environment.

I actually do have a shade frame, but find it difficult to carry on a plane.
Couldn't figure out a way to carry the poles in a small car last year without cutting them into tiny pieces either.
5000 mile commute last year, remember?

I know about bimetal galvanization.
We have 100% humidity here.
I just didn't think the issues of short term use would be severe, especially with lubrication.

Galvanized is often available in bulk locally or even used, avoiding shipping.
(I bought fence poles salvage.)
Personally I will pay more for galvanized now, to avoid paying more for replacements or maintenance later.
To me, the best thing about steel is that it is available galvanized fairly cheaply.
Admittedly, the best hot dipped can be costly, but that is rarely needed, except around salt water.

I haven't had any issues with stainless.
There are different attributes though.
Availability is usually the issue.
Bought some recently and the option was 315 cheap, cheap cheap, or my preference 316L cheap, but with horrific shipping costs added.
Difference was over 1000% in cost.

I see the cheaper powder coated stuff rust rapidly here.
If they do a good rustproof powder coat, it costs more than plating.

Thanks for the help with shelter, including last year.
Larry knows his stuff.
Flying in sucks.

In fact, commuting thousands of miles sucks.
You guys out west are so spoiled.

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 1:03 pm

deleted because GYRE's semi-on topic comment about his knowledge of steel got in the way and messed up my flow.

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 1:06 pm

slvrnmph wrote:homiesinheavan, so are you trying to tell me those metal poles flex? You know how you can grab a piece of pvc pipe and bend it without it breaking and it will return to it's previous shape once you stop bending it? That is flexible. Now let me see you do that with the metal legs of the carport structure. Oh wait, you mean you can't? That's because they are not flexible.

The "flex" in those come from the loose fitting pipe inside the rigid plastic connectors, using duct tape to hold them together is a good idea I suppose if you (wisely)don't trust those little diagonal spring clips inside the connectors.
Be careful where you place your guy wires or ropes because those poles will bend if you put them in the wrong spot.

and Homie...don't be messing with my pickle schtick.

I am not a bully, just someone who is firmly assertive in my always proven opinion on how things should be.
nothing wrong with being me, ya' know?
_________________

Homiesinheaven · Post by **Homiesinheaven** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 1:17 pm

slvrnmph wrote:homiesinheavan, so are you trying to tell me those metal poles flex? You know how you can grab a piece of pvc pipe and bend it without it breaking and it will return to it's previous shape once you stop bending it? That is flexible. Now let me see you do that with the metal legs of the carport structure. Oh wait, you mean you can't? That's because they are not flexible.

hahahaha, who cares dude. plastic and metal work fine together, stop panicking.

oneeye, nothing wrong with being you at all homie, that's why i keep luring you to come kick it at my camp. i bet in person it's less "dick" schtick and more fun times.

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 1:19 pm

my life is just one big dick joke after the next

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 1:24 pm

Actually, our regional is in a wet salt marsh environment.

I'm just saying your "solutions" do not fit the details of our situation. Sorry if you feel the need to reject that.

$5.00 for a six foot powder-coated pipe which fits our existing carport exactly vs. $48 for an uncoated eight foot length which would have to be cut. Yeah. We did price other options. But pay 15 times more? That's 120 years, granted, but I don't plan on going to Burning Man for that long. Especially if I couldn't transport what I bought.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 1:34 pm

Just trying to help.
Like I said, you have to go with what works locally for you.

Supplies vary a lot, even in the same place, from time to time.

Some companies here stock certain stainless and aluminum shapes here, but other shapes are only in Dallas or Birmingham.
If I want certain things, it's cheaper for me to drive there to pick them up.
That's just nuts.

$5 a pole isn't bad though, if they're strong enough.

slvrnmph · Post by **slvrnmph** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 2:07 pm

I'm not panicking, just pointing out that you obviously do not understand the difference between rigid and flexible.

I'm also not saying that plastic and metal don't work together, just that they are a bad choice if you want a reliable, lasting structure for the playa.

As others have pointed out, this is no longer so cheap if you have to replace it every year or two. AntiM pointed out that the carports everyone else is advising to use have lasted her 8 years of trips to the playa and regionals. So if you spend $200 for something that can last 8 years of hard treatment, isn't that much cheaper and affordable than $135 x 4 years = $540 for 8 years?

Homiesinheaven · Post by **Homiesinheaven** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 2:37 pm

sure, if you can afford more then by all means spend your hard earned cash away but dont assume people want to keep coming back to BM for years on end. this is a great option for virgins or people who are broke or dont care to invest in their long future with BRC.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 2:53 pm

But for that price, you can get a smaller stronger setup with actual shade material.

I camped in a white tent out there once.
Nice sauna.
Expensive tent too.

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 3:09 pm

LOL, the current retail price for one of the carports we use is $495. Gone up a bit since we first acquired our beasts. Quite the workhorses of carports.

King Canopy brand if anyone wants a serious piece of shade.

Trishntek · Post by **Trishntek** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 5:19 pm

I looked at these while shopping for ours. They have a specific warning on them something like, "not to be used in moderate winds"

We bought a Rhino with 1 5/8 steel frame 12x20 cost almost $800 but thinking it is robust enough to withstand the playa. Of course, it will be under a shade structure with extra anchor points for good measure.

Our 15' canopy is guaranteed "windproof" by Coleman. We shall see,,,,,,