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Old 09-26-2018, 04:02 PM   #61
Miles65
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I am now playing around with the guy rigging. Too much tension, on the ropes that hold the bottom tier, is causing the top tier to bend a bit much, for my comfort level. Tomorrow, I'll buy more rope, and try guying from the top tier, below the roof run. The way it stands, now, I have enough tension in the system to keep the pipes from contacting my RV, but not enough to stress the top tier to the point of detaching (hopefully). Sway is inherent in any structure that gets any wind exposure (ask any structural engineer about highrise sway), but I'm not sure how much I want in my system, or how much it can stand. With an 8' wide RV and a 12' wide RV shelter, I should be fine except in very strong winds which Austin hasn't had in the forty years I've been here. Also, my site, by design, is in a corner of my yard that is sheltered by heavy understory trees and brush, with very little wind exposure.
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Old 09-27-2018, 03:30 PM   #62
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Done and - - - - DONE! My friends, here, have told me I was smart to have built it with a high roof, for maximum airflow during our hellish summers here in Austin. (Not so funny, now, "wiredgeorge.") The top guy rigging took care of 95% of the sway. I'm very happy with it.
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Old 09-27-2018, 03:47 PM   #63
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Miles, whether your project is what the rest of us would build or not makes no never mind. The appropriate phrase is "Ya done good, fella!"
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Old 10-15-2018, 09:01 AM   #64
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EPIC FAIL! While it pains me to write this, write it I must. To not do so would be irresponsible and unconscionable. PVC sways nicely in warm weather. However, as I found in the last hour, at 45ºF, with 20 mph wind gusts, PVC snaps and cracks, mid-pipe and at various joints. My postmortem revealed that the cracking started at the cross joints. There were jagged remnants at the joints themselves. It was not a case of the glue releasing. Then, the weight of the wind-blown tarp began cracking the roof peak pipes. After that, the sides started going, down to the second level, which is still standing, intact. I put on rain gear and boots and put my ladder up to the roof, while the tarp threatened to whisk me right off. I had to release all of the bungee cords so I could get that tarp to ground, which I did. Now, I need to get rid of 660' of 2" PVC. I am out the money for this project, and now sadder, but wiser. I will get the metal RV shelter kit when I can afford to do so. C'est la vie, right? (No pics. I can't motivate myself to take any. Sorry.)

Note: Miraculously, there is no damage to my RV. I was expecting to find cracked skylights and windows, and dents in the RV. Nada.
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Old 10-15-2018, 09:36 AM   #65
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Miles, I am so sorry to hear that. I know you worked hard and were excited as you brought the project to a close. Thankfully it did not damage the RV. Although I know it was hard to post I think all on the forum will appreciate the update. Good luck on getting something else in its place when you can.
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Old 10-15-2018, 12:27 PM   #66
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cover

Miles new member yet I have been keeping up with your project.
I have been in the building supply business 40 plus years and I am
very impressed with your build sir. It matters not that todays cold
front blew in and caused damage. What I look at is your integrity
and ability to put together such a project. I suspect you will have
many more successes in the future with your type of attitude.
thanks also for sharing in your fun and pain sir.
south texas
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Old 10-15-2018, 03:03 PM   #67
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To make you feel better, we've bought 3 or 4 of the portable picnic gazebos, first 3 were inexpensive & blew down quickly in the wind, #4 we paid some serious $$ for, had steel legs not aluminum, very steep pitched vented roof & the 1st little rain shower collapsed that sucker like it was made out of drinking straws. Didn't/won't ever buy another one!!
Sorry to hear of all your hard work & $$ blown down! Was a great idea & kept you out of the bars for a few days.
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Old 10-15-2018, 03:28 PM   #68
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Life is a gamble, you win some you loose some. I applaud your effort and attitude. I am sure you will succeed the next time. JM2¢, Hank
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Old 10-15-2018, 03:53 PM   #69
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I am both humbled and deeply gratified by the kind words that have been expressed, here, and in messages I received. I will spend a few days cutting the pipe into clean lengths, and then sell it, if I can, on Craigslist. I have to wonder if I would have met with the same results with Schedule 80 pipe. The trouble with that was, the fittings I needed were not available in Sch 80, although I could have come up with a work-around, I suppose, with what was available. My cost would have increased a great deal, though. I will shoot for an all metal structure, next. With a long structure that has to sit fairly high, I am now wondering if anything other than a major building will be able to stand the strong wind gusts we have here, occasionally. My screen house, that I built from scratch, still is in fine condition, fifteen years later, but it's all wood, with a polycarb roof, and the screens do not give much wind resistance. Maybe I'll simply give in to the fact that my RV roof will cook, every summer I'm here. We are looking at getting out of Austin for 3-4 week trips, in the summers to come.
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Old 10-15-2018, 05:14 PM   #70
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Quote:
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... I will spend a few days cutting the pipe into clean lengths, and then sell it, if I can, on Craigslist...
Exactly what I was going to propose.

“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”
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Old 10-15-2018, 06:26 PM   #71
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Looks like a metal RV port is going to be expensive.

I have searched around, online, and have found that I'll be shelling out about four G's for a major installation. When I look at the construction, I'm having a hard time feeling like that, too, won't fly apart in stronger wind gusts. I imagine that with a metal structure, I won't be as lucky when it comes to no damage to my RV, should a metal RV shelter come apart over it.
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Old 10-15-2018, 07:01 PM   #72
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I have searched around, online, and have found that I'll be shelling out about four G's for a major installation. When I look at the construction, I'm having a hard time feeling like that, too, won't fly apart in stronger wind gusts. I imagine that with a metal structure, I won't be as lucky when it comes to no damage to my RV, should a metal RV shelter come apart over it.

Look around. I don't know what your specs are. I built a 24' "carport" at our mountain home (24' L x 22' W) for 3200 with both sides enclosed along with the front and back down to an 8' height. The specs for the RV cover would be different but I would think, if you don't run the sides to the ground, that price would be somewhere in the ballpark. I had them install large screw in anchors into the ground to anchor it along with the normal anchors, heavy duty framing and 26ga steel. It's not cheap but you just went through an exercise that cost you a pretty penny and did it yourself; on mine I did nothing but watch and advise.
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Old 10-15-2018, 08:20 PM   #73
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Miles, Sorry to hear about your construction! Weather went from summer to winter in one day! Nothing like a cold rain on a day in the low 40s to make a person down. Yesterday, after church, we had a bbq picnic outside and it was really pleasant. Today was as crappy as can be with a strong north wind. I guess someone has to say it... in Texas, if you don't like the weather, just wait till tomorrow! Anyway, sometimes education can get expensive but if you look at it as learning, it was worth the cost and pain. Others likely learned a lot from your experience as well.
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Old 10-16-2018, 02:29 AM   #74
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Gkainz quoted Thomas Edison, who was a truly inspired human being. Thomas Jefferson said "Five percent of people think. Ten percent think they think. Eighty five percent of people would rather die than think."
You, sir, are a five percenter.

I might as well throw in a little humor also. I had to look this one up because I just couldn't remember it verbatim. Jefferson also said "To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk"
I believe you have both.
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Old 10-16-2018, 12:32 PM   #75
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I am now considering constructing a building made of wood, for my RV. I have built a free-standing building, before, and it's still around, and looking good, thirteen years later. Pouring piers, as I did for the other building, may work, but this RV shelter might be too big, and weigh too much, to go that way. I need to do some research.
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Old 10-16-2018, 01:28 PM   #76
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Sorry for your loss.

On a lighter note, this quote from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" ...
"Listen lad, I built this kingdom up from nothing. When I started here, all I had was swamp! Other kings said I was daft to build a castle on a swamp, but I built it all the same, just to show 'em! It sank into the swamp, so I built a second one. That sank into the swamp, so I built a third one. That one burned down, fell over, then sank into the swamp. But the fourth one stayed up! And that's what you're going to get lad, the strongest castle in these islands!"
~ King of Swamp Castle (Prince Herbert's Father)
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Old 10-16-2018, 02:08 PM   #77
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... When I look at the construction, I'm having a hard time feeling like that, too, won't fly apart in stronger wind gusts. ...
I know there are hurricane-rated structures available; we have these kinds of shelters all over Florida. Our neighbor has his boat under one (the 5th wheel isn't under anything) and it has held up to Matthew- (gusts upwards of 60 mph) and Irma-strength winds (gusts upwards of 90 mph).

So I know there are some sturdy shelters out there. But you are correct, they are pricey for what you seem to get.

Best wishes in your new project.
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Old 10-16-2018, 05:53 PM   #78
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So sorry to hear about your loss Miles. You worked your *** off for that building and it looked good too! That is a major bummer to hear. Live and learn I suppose. As far as schedule 80, I also doubt that would have worked; PVC just gets brittle in cold temperatures. The schedule 80 may have made it survive somewhat longer than the schedule 40 PVC did, but I suspect that would have met the same fate by spring 2019.

Since you are clearly a skilled builder, I would consider building a wooden structure. My grandfather built a wooden carport for his trailer before I had conscious; it was still standing until 2016 when my father tore it down. You could look into round telephone poles or piers as the posts and look into 2x4 stringers and attach vinyl siding to them as side material to protect the sides from UV. Just a few thoughts. Good luck in your next endeavor (once you acquire the funds).
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Old 10-16-2018, 07:11 PM   #79
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Can you please post some pictures, or am I the only one that wants to see what happened.
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Old 10-16-2018, 08:08 PM   #80
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Can you please post some pictures, or am I the only one that wants to see what happened.
As I had previously posted, I was too heartsick to take any pics. In examining the ruins of the roof, I found that the PVC cross couplings had simply cracked at their joints as the wind gusts hit into the tarp on the roof. After that, the pipes, now free to move, were whipped around, smashing into each other and shattering. The structure is still standing, fine, up to the roof level, but all of the cross couplings are cracked and/or in pieces. I could rebuild in a few days, reset the tarp and bungees, but the same thing would happen, with another bad storm, and there would be more couplings in place from the repair work, making things even weaker. As another poster had chided me for the high roof, I could use different angle couplings for a lower rise, but I'm now PVC shy: It simply gets too brittle when the temperature plunges. I never knew that. Again, it's a case of live and learn, for me.
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