Portable garages

[Nosty]

I just wanted to give everyone a heads up. I don't know whether it's because I live in the south, or just the quality of HF portable garages, but I just wanted to share with everyone my experience and the fact that they don't last. I'm sure others have had better luck with theirs, but the sun does get pretty hot here in SC and I'm attributing the failure to that.

I bought mine about two years ago and after about a year the tarp cover started to crack and open slits along the areas where the tarp rested on the frame. I put the portable garage up close to the house and under a large tree so it was fairly well shaded most of the time.

I bought a second tarp cover a year ago when the leaks got pretty bad and it, too, lasted about a year. I never worked on the TTT inside the "big top," just stored it in there when I wasn't working on it.

I am currently shopping around for a metal carport to store my TTT under and to work under during inclement weather. Those come with a 20 year warranty. If the sun eats through that, I'm moving north.

Just some food for thought in the hope of saving someone $300 and a whole lot of headaches.

Brian

[emiller]

You see that alot here in Arizona, a lot of skeleton frames because the tarps just don't hold up very well.

[Nosty]

There again, lots of sun and heat. Oh well. I was looking for an excuse to buy something that will be big enough to work under, without fear of the roof coming down, for years. This is as good a reason as any.

[M B Hamilton]

Check out the products from FarmTek. US-made and they have a 15 year warranty on the fabric.

http://www.farmtek.com

[Sonoma ZR2]

My Wife's aunt and uncle had one and they collapsed up north since they aren't snow rated.

[CARS]

I have a friend that had one for a year. Then it blew away and got destroyed.

[canned o minimum]

Yup... them tarps only last about a year.. maybe two if yer lucky. So I jus cut the frame on a 12x20 to jus fit my TD and covered it with aluminum sheeting. No more tarps fer me ! Cost me bout $120 fer the aluminum and VIOLLA !!

[starleen2]

Yup... them tarps only last about a year.. maybe two if yer lucky. So I jus cut the frame on a 12x20 to jus fit my TD and covered it with aluminum sheeting. No more tarps fer me ! Cost me bout $120 fer the aluminum and VIOLLA !!

. . . . about to say the same thing, but you beat me to it - You have a good frame - just screw sheet metal to it - even corrugated galvanized metal work

[Wolfscout]

I've been looking at a two car metal shed to hold the CTC and couple tractor implements. plus I would like to wire up a ceiling fan with light.

[eamarquardt]

Everything that HF sells is suspect IMHO. Quality is sorely lacking, spare parts are rarely available, but they will sell you an extended warranty. One has to be selective about what is purchased there. For occasional use some of their tools can be "cost effective". For regular or hard use, I'd buy a quality item elsewhere.

But their stuff is not expensive.

Cheers,

Gus

[CarlLaFong]

Everything that HF sells is suspect IMHO. Quality is sorely lacking, spare parts are rarely available, but they will sell you an extended warranty. One has to be selective about what is purchased there. For occasional use some of their tools can be "cost effective". For regular or hard use, I'd buy a quality item elsewhere.

But their stuff is not expensive.

Cheers,

Gus

To be brutally candid, most of HF merchandise is pure junk. I know many have thousands of miles on their trailers without incident. This does not alter the fact that they are a bit on the cheesy side as compared to the frames on US built units. Most people, it seems, have upgraded them to a degree with reinforced tongues, better bearings and wheels/tires.
I, like many others, do shop at HF from time to time. You have to be selective. I will not buy a Chicago Electric power tool for any price. I might buy a hand tool if I know that it will do the job and none of my friends will see it in my toolbox. I do buy certain consumables like shrink tube, PSA sanding discs and sanding belts. I did buy a dust collector for my woodworking tools since it was stupid cheap and all that can, reasonably, conk out is the motor. I have a bunch of 110V motors in one of my many "good junk" piles

[Dale M.]

Runs some sheet metal studs along tops and side and cover frame with sheet metal (roofing materials) ..... I see lots of this being done after a few years go by and the poly materials self destruct....

Only real tools needed is something to cut studs and sheeting with and power screw driver and big hand full of self drilling screws....

Dale

[canned o minimum]

"I" used the self tapping screws with the rubber washer to secure the alluminum sheets to the frame...quick & easy. For the price of 2 tarps.. my roof prolly will NEVER hafta be repaced.

[Nosty]

Frankly, the HF frame was too flimsy to screw anything to. I took it down yesterday, went to a local carport dealer and custom ordered an enclosed 26X16 metal building with a 12 gauge frame that's guaranteed for 20 years. No more messing around with half fixes and "might do's." Now I'll be able to keep Nosty's Nook out of the weather and build number two under cover. It's supposed to be delivered and installed in two weeks. Can't wait.

[canned o minimum]

ATTABOY !! As I understand it, them buildings are very reasonably priced too.