Awnings without poles?

[Gary and Cheri]

Woodbutcher,

You have seen my trailer and know that I use poles and guide ropes. I understand the concern about hard packed sites and I had expected to tie my guide ropes to the top rack on my tow vehicle when at sites where poles and guide ropes are not practical. Your Jeep would be great for that.

Gary

[Woodbutcher]

Hey Gary, good to hear from you. Hope you got all dried out from "Colder,windier and rainier by the lake" . I could tie off to the Jeep but when ever I want to drive off I have to re do everything. I was hoping for a simple way of set it up and forget it. I got a few ideas from this thread, so we will see.

[Arne]

Many good ideas.. I have to think about this.. would save dragging the (not so) ez-up around.

I like the idea of the tarp (I'd use one of the silver ones for heat reflection) going off to the side, then heading to towards the ground... the sun moves around so that would provide better shade...

now, to figure out how to do it. I may have to put a couple of brackets on the side of the tear, which I prefer not to do. I don't mind a couple of tent poles, since I own 4 of them already....

more thinking and design.

[bobhenry]

All my privacy curtain need is a top.



2 1/2 " schedule 40 pvc runs thru the trailer and inserted in it is schedule 80 2" pcv. It is quite stout and the telescopic feature is very quick to set up.



Pardon the bad photoshop effort but here is a look at the housing inside from side to side



A short section of 2 1/2 could be cut and split in 1/2 and a bolt inserted. With a few section of 3/8 or 1/2 pvc cut slightly over length and inserted over this saddle it would make bows to give the roof a rounded look.

Damn damn damn now I got another project

As part of the continuing effort to confuse others I muddled on and added the roof to my telescopic changing room. $26.00 +/- in hardware and we were ready for the torrential rain we experienced Friday night at the raccoon gathering. 6' fiberglass survey stakes and some 3/8 bolts and coupling nuts and I had a barrell roof. The clamps are the same 1 1/2 sch 40 pvc that the 2" sch 80 slides into I just cut out a section and made a big clip drilled a hole and inserted a short bolt into the coupling nut I hope the pics tell the rest.



This shows the hoops stored in the 2" curtain support with the pole for my red neck antenna



Here the hoops are installed



Here a temporary tarp roof is clipped to the curtain.

I will have a marine vinyl one sewed up by a buddy in his upholstrey shop this was a trial run and it worked

[Dant]

This thread may be dead, but . . . .
I have a 7 x 10 (+ V-nose) and my philosophy is to keep everything as simple and minimal as possible. Tho' I have other awnings, I plan to make a very simple one out of natural cotton canvas that will not need poles. There will be just 3 attachment points for the awning, with no new screws/holes in the body of the trailer. I've drilled a 1/4" hole in the heavy aluminum bracket at the center top of the door frame (the bracket for closing the rear doors). Loop of rope will go thru there, as well as one thru the top hinge attachment on either side. From those I will hang the roughly 6' x 5' awning. I can then stake it out at whatever angle I need. I plan to stake the barn doors out at 90º from the opening, for side walls/shade.

I'll send photos (when I find my camera ) if there's any interest.

[bobhenry]

I have toyed with almost the same idea on the barn.

It is a bit to tall for my 10 x 10 first up to cover the barn door entrance. I felt if a spreader 2x2 was made the width of the barns rear pluse a few inches a pair of cleats could be added at each end and simply drop it over the opened doors. It will do two things. It will give you a place to drape the awning cover and also hold the doors aligned to the sidewalls of the trailer.

[Dant]

Great idea Bob! I suppose a guy could just attach the awning to the spreader. There'd be a small gap, but that's fine for a shade awning. Just have to figure a simple way to keep the bar from sliding aft, if I understand your idea.

[Shadow Catcher]

My goals with awnings were, large enough to do some good, not in the way, light weight, does not take up much space. There is Kedar/awning rail on three sides of Compass Rose. The rear tarp is 6' wide at the tear 14' wide at its wides point and 14' long. The two side tarps are Kelty car tarps and 6' wide at the tear and the same shape as the rear tarp but smaller. The poles are out far enough that you do not trip over them.

[bobhenry]

Great idea Bob! I suppose a guy could just attach the awning to the spreader. There'd be a small gap, but that's fine for a shade awning. Just have to figure a simple way to keep the bar from sliding aft, if I understand your idea.

Here is an idea for a set bolt to secure the spreader.

Cheap and ez ( like me )

[b.bodemer]

Dant,
I'm interested in your idea so please add some photos if it works for you.
BBarb

[jstrubberg]

Wood;

It sounds like your biggest worry is the guy wires to support the poles.

So don't use guy wires.

It's not quite as secure in a high wind, but if you put a foot on the bottom of your poles, drill a hole on the front edge of the foot and stake the pole down with a gutter spike, that will hold fine in 99% of weather conditions.

You'll have to use a tensioning pole of some kind, but that's up under the awning and not in the way at all.

[Fishingtomatoseed]

Here is one that looks good. I was going to try and take the legs to the trailer frame instead of the ground.

[CliffinGA]

I guess I'm lazy we use a Quik Shade Summit canopy withour tears so at night we can put side walls up so we can stand and get dressed with out flashing anyone . only happened once and the old lady that walked by at 5am only had a small heart attack! Just teasing but it is simple and easy to put up and take down.http://www.quikshade.com/Product_Brand_List.aspx?CategoryId=9

Cliff

[07rascal]

only happened once and the old lady that walked by at 5am only had a small heart attack!

Cliff

About a year ago in the UP of MI, I bail out of the TD at about 6 am, only in my undies to get my pants on Quick....and there about 30' from me is a lady with a camera up to her eye just about ready to snap a pic of the TD! You should have seen the look on her face! I got my pants on and got out of the "frame" so she could get a pic....never had seen one (TD, that is!!!!) and wanted a pic from what she told me! Good thing I had my BVD's on!!!