Still trying to figure out how to stake my shade structure

artyguy · Post by **artyguy** » Sun Aug 15, 2004 1:19 pm

Well I got my 4 PVC cut them to 6 feet. Got two hundred feet of rope and my two silver tarps. Even got a bit to drill the holes. But I still am unable to figure out where to drill the holes for the lines that will keep the poles from falling. (also got four 24" rebars to hold the PVC (1.5") Almost there... so just need advice on how many lines I will need to support these poles. My guess is to drill 1 close to top for rope to go from pole to pole. This to hold the tarps. Then drill another hole about 1.5' down for first support line. Then drill holes two feed down for another support line. Should this do it?
Thanks for your support. First timer for me... so all this is totally new. Haven't even camped in years!

bigpurple · Post by **bigpurple** » Sun Aug 15, 2004 3:20 pm

I can't really visualize the structure you are trying to build. Is it a square with 4 six foot tall poles holding up the corners? or some kind of tee-pee with the poles comming together in the center?

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Sun Aug 15, 2004 4:14 pm

I'm assuming all poles are straight up. I'd run one rope from near the top of each pole diagonally out away from the rest of the poles. The bottom of the PVC is held in place by the rebar, so all you need to do is keep it from bending inwards and from going up so it pops off the rebar. One good rope should handle that. More ropes certainly wouldn't hurt, but may not be necessary.

http://www.formandreform.com/blackrock/ ... tprint.htm

Chrysto · Post by **Chrysto** » Tue Aug 17, 2004 2:22 pm

This is the same design I used last year and it a good one. Assuming your poles are six feet?? take a sixteen ft piece of rope and fold it in half. Run the two end pieces through the whole up through the top and grommit. Take up the slack until the bent end of the 16' piece of rope is showing about two inches out of the whole you drilled. Come back down and through that piece with the open ends and secure them to the playa with indvidual 3/8 '' rebar. 1 footers should work. When your putting in the rebar your putting undernieth the PVC make sure they're slanted outward at each corner so when you pulling the PVC up to meet the end of the tarp you'll get tension on the tarp itself. You might consider duck tape or stronger around the area where the tarp, poles and rope meet. Its hard to explain construction in words so I hope that made sense. Good luck man!