"Hypno-Toad's Command Post." Door and windows in!

[KCStudly]

I had a portable garage for a time. I got it with the optional extended height. Each of the hoops received an extra piece swedged to fit in the bottoms of the main hoops, had provisions to attach the rail along the bottoms, and for the diagonal bracing, too. Of course, the tarp and doors (end curtains) were sewn longer to suit, as well.

I would attempt to contact the OEM and see if they have an option package that you can buy. Depending on your climate, keeping your existing tarp/canvas with an open air bottom could actually be a benefit, allowing good ventilation while still maintaining a roof over your head.

Next option would be to build knee walls along both sides, say out of 2x6's, tie them together across the bottom with 2x4's so that they can't topple over, and anchor the whole ten assembly on top of them. Use pressure treated for the bottom sill of the knee walls for a temporary solution.

More permanent solution? Dig two trenches down a bit, level, tamp gravel, and build up CMU block knee walls to set your tent garage upon.

I always regretted not laying a good gravel base (over a sand covered moisture barrier) under my temp carport. The ground moisture was drawn up by the solar effect on the tent and I think the gravel base would have helped prevent this.

$.02

[cracker39]

Before assembling my Squidget, I first determined that the top of the fan cover would be 4”-6” higher than the cross members of my portable garage. I did some calculations and saw that I could get the assembled trailer out from under the portable garage by removing the tires and wheels and rolling it on the hub flanges on “tracks” of plywood laid down to keep the thin edges of the hub flanges from sinking into the ground. That is what I did with an inch to spare above the fan cover.

Mine is constructed of galvanized tubing about 2” in diameter and has three frame sections that span the width and height of the unit. Each section has a vertical tube on each side with a cross member and the angled roof members (forming a truss) connected to the top of each vertical pole. Each set of three sections are connected to each other by five 10’ tubes running front to rear, at 1’ from the bottom and at the top of each vertical pole on either side, and at the peak of the “trusses”. Each vertical pole is set in the ground in some concrete.

Here is how I would attempt to raise the height of my portable garage if I had needed to raise the height. In this illustration, I am raising the height by 2’, the maximum height increase I would attempt using this method. I would buy 12’ of heavy cardboard tubing used for pouring footers for decks in a 6” width if I could find it that size, and 30’ of galvanized tubing just large enough to allow the vertical tubes of my garage to fit inside them. I would dig up the six poles and remove the concrete. Six pieces of the cardboard tubing, 2’ long, would be set in the ground, dirt packed around them, and a 3” pad poured in the bottom of each. A 5’ section of the larger galvanized tubing would be set in the hole on the pad and concrete poured around them, carefully aligning the galvanized tubing so that the six vertical poles would fit in them. I’d either pour concrete inside the galvanized tubing up to 2’ above ground level, or put a 4’ spacer of wood or PVC inside each pole, leaving a 12” space at the top.

With some helpers, I’d pickup the portable garage frame and put each vertical pole down inside the new pipes and secure them with two bolts as shown in the diagram below. I would also buy four ground anchors and rig some diagonal bracing of galvanized cable on either side to help secure the unit against the high winds we get here during hurricanes.

[jeff0520]

Good ideas both KC and Cracker. I ended up getting some electrical conduit slightly bigger than the original pipe, and cutting it into 40 inch sections. Then I drilled a hole 4 inches from each end of eack tube and put a bolt through to act as a stopper. then I pulled each leg apart at the center joint, and stuck my extension in. The conduit a little small, but a tailpipe expander fixed that right up. I don't know how well it will stand up to spring thunderstorms, but I am going to try to have the outer skin weathertight by then

[jeff0520]

Edge framing on right wall done today. Hopefully I'll be able to start some of the internal framing today too

[jeff0520]

I got my walls stood up today!




I also got my roof spars installed and my door cut








It's been a really good productive day. Tomorrow I start skinning the roof line, and front walls

[down under tech]

Hello Jeff: All I can say is "WOW". That looks very nice. The wall framing is nicely done too. You are going to have one BIG teardrop. Or is it a standy? Keep up the good work.
I will be following along as you go. I want to see this thing when you are finished with it.

[jeff0520]

Hello Jeff: All I can say is "WOW". That looks very nice. The wall framing is nicely done too. You are going to have one BIG teardrop. Or is it a standy? Keep up the good work.
I will be folowing along as you go. I want to see this thing when you are finished with it.

Thanks so much. It's nice to hear an encouraging word. It's a standy, in most places at least.
The ceiling gets mighty low towards the back, but there is going to be a couch back there that lays down into a queen sized bed, so that's a sitting/lying down area anyhow. Up in the front where the fridge and all the galley storage will be, the ceiling height is 6 feet 4 inches. I shouldn't even hit my head on the roof vent knob. We did decide on wall mounted light fixtures just to prevent accidents though,,,I'm a big ol' boy

[down under tech]

Hey Jeff: What are the dimensions of your trailer. My next build will be something like yours but a more rounded style. I acquired most of my supplies today from an old cab over camper. It will be a while before I start building it though, maybe next spring.

Your work shows that you will have a nice standy when it is done. Be sure you install the inside ceiling before you put the roof on it. It will be much easier to put the inside ceiling panels through the spars from the outside in. It is easier to insulate the roof this way as well.

[jeff0520]

Hey Jeff: What are the dimensions of your trailer...
. Be sure you install the inside ceiling before you put the roof on it. It will be much easier to put the inside ceiling panels through the spars from the outside in. It is easier to insulate the roof this way as well.

Hello again,
The floor deck is 6 feet 1 inch wide and 10 feet long, but the front and back coming to a point adds 3 feet to the total lengthso it comes out to be 13 feet long.The overhang areas are going to be filled up with cabinetry.
As for the roof and ceiling, I hadn't even considered doing it that way, but it's an idea that may have a lot of merit. I'm doing my interior in an unusual style to help with maintenance. I'm going to cut all my interior panels in the same shape as the framing, and secure them with screws. The I'll cut pieces of moulding to act as batten boards to cover the seams. I'm using nice looking 1/4 inch hardwood plywood for the interior stained a light color, and I'll stain the batten boards either a little lighter, or a little darker. (haven't made up my mind yet) The batten boards will be secured with pan head screwscovered with chrome snap caps http://www.pro-dec.com/Chrome-Snap-Caps-8-8-CHR then I'll use bright chrome cabinet latches, hinges, and other hardward in the interior to match.
I can see where it woulf be a LOT easier to have gravity help with the insulation though. I'll probably end up doing both the ceiling and roof at the same time, making the parts for each secion and installing as I go.
Thanks for the tip

[cracker39]

Boy, does that cabin look familial...::D

Great job, Jeff. Couldn't have done it better...and didn't.

[jeff0520]

Boy, does that cabin look familial...::D

Great job, Jeff. Couldn't have done it better...and didn't.

Thanks Dale. It's coming along very good so far

[Martiangod]

Looking great so far
Should be close to the same size as mine, about the min for a standy

Build On...

[jeff0520]

thanks. I'm having a blast building it. My friends are beginning to make fun of me for being obcessed with it. We;ll see what they say come the spring camping trip when I have a comforaable bed

[jeff0520]

I got the first two pieces of skin on the nose done today






I needed to rip a long piece for filler on the back of the trailer to start applying the skin to the tail, but my table saw switch was acting up. I took the darned thing apart, and tiny spring loaded bits flew to the four winds.
Oh look, time to call it a weekend before I start throwing things around the shop.
Important note...If you feel the urge to buy a table saw, and you are looking at the low price on the ryobi...Save up some more money and buy a better one. I have NOT been happy with this one. It worked good for the first project, but it's been going downhill sharply since.

[cracker39]

Oh look, time to call it a weekend before I start throwing things around the shop.
Important note...If you feel the urge to buy a table saw, and you are looking at the low price on the ryobi...Save up some more money and buy a better one. I have NOT been happy with this one. It worked good for the first project, but it's been going downhill sharply since.

My first table saw was a Grizzly, one of their lower end models--nothing fancy about it. That was in the late 1980s or early 1990s and I'm still using it. I did replace the original fence with a Shop Fox fence in 2002, that cost at least half as much as the saw itself. It made a world of difference in cutting accuracy. I finally replaced the worn drive belt a couple of years ago with a Rockler Twist Plus Link adjustable belt which resulted in a quieter and smoother operation.

http://woodworking.rockler.com/hardware/Adjustable-V-Belt