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Old 08-31-2018, 11:19 AM   #41
Miles65
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I've decided I better have a continuous roof peak run of pipe to keep the tarp from sagging. That being the case, I needed to order a few new fittings that won't arrive until mid-September. Guess I'll take it easy for a bit. Pics attached of Level 2 completion. Working from the roof of my RV was OK, but I needed to pull forward and back to get close to the opposite sides.
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Old 08-31-2018, 03:20 PM   #42
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Looks good, and if anything breaks easy to repair. And I'm not climbing that ladder.

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Old 08-31-2018, 05:25 PM   #43
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Looking good Miles, thanks for the updates!
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Old 09-01-2018, 03:58 AM   #44
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Looks good, and if anything breaks easy to repair. And I'm not climbing that ladder.

Jack
I just shot that ladder pic to show what I was using to get up on the RV. I did climb it with it being braced only by the pipes, but the give in the system was a clear indication that climbing it like that might, in fact, lead to trouble.
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Old 09-08-2018, 06:29 PM   #45
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I now have all of the fittings/couplings I need to finish the project, and I just received the tarp. If it will stop raining in Austin, I should have this shelter completed in the coming week. Climbing up on the roof with some of the roofing pieces pre-glued, on the ground, should be "interesting." I will need to set the 45º elbows in the uprights to get perfect 90º angles from the plane of each wall. I will dry mount them and then mark them and the uprights when I have the right angles. The 4' roof rafter spans will be easily inserted. Then, I'll need to mark the T's to form the straight roof line runs, then insert the last straight rafter runs going up to the 90º 4-way couplings, which will have to be marked so the straight part of each piece is perfectly parallel to the ground giving a straight ridge beam. Fun times ahead, for sure.
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Old 09-10-2018, 01:59 PM   #46
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Added cost: I now have to rent a scissor lift rig to make the roof peak connections at nineteen feet. That'll add about $200 to my final cost. To date, I'm at $781. I will need a few more 20' sticks of 2" PVC. I was going to couple my remnants to keep to my budget and not have to buy more pipe, but I decided I was being penny wise and dollar foolish as the coupled pipe was going to end up forming the roof line, and I don't want to increase my chances of roof failure due to a extra couplings in the system. My final cost will sit at approximately $1030, which is only $30 over my budget. I'm happy.

Austin appears to be entering a monsoon season, of sorts. After months of drought, we now have daily, heavy rains. I cannot back my rig up to move the RV, because of the deep mud, so I can't move in a lift. I suppose I'll get to finish this project by around December 1st. Very bummed out.
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Old 09-20-2018, 05:14 PM   #47
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The roof is going up. As I close in on the end of this project, here are some helpful tips for anyone considering doing what I've done:
1. Put your pipes on tarps or raised platforms. Keep cut pipes on separate tarps for separate parts of your project. Label your piles. I grabbed a riser thinking it was a roof cross-piece, and now my roof is slightly off center because of the 4" difference in a small area. It's not noticeable, but I know it's there, and I'm sure my final run will take some adjusting.
2. When you set your dry mounts up, circle the pipe where it butts up into the coupling, using a sharpie or all-weather marker. In that way, you'll know if you've bashed that pipe far enough in, with your rubber mallet, once you spread your PVC cement.
3. Use a piece of plywood to distribute the weight on your roof, if you're using a step ladder to do your peak run.
4. Don't try to do your roof if you're not used to heights. I routinely hang from 1/2" rope, sixty feet aloft, gunning a chainsaw, working on trees. No big deal, for me. Your results may vary.
5. Don't use a ladder against your frame, unless you've verified, by marking with an "X", after cementing, that all couplings have been cemented. It only takes one dry mount, and the weight of you and your ladder against a cross-piece, to spell disaster/serious injuries.
I'll update as other tips come to mind.
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Old 09-20-2018, 05:25 PM   #48
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The roof is going up. As I close in on the end of this project, here are some helpful tips for anyone considering doing what I've done:
1. Put your pipes on tarps or raised platforms. Keep cut pipes on separate tarps for separate parts of your project. Label your piles. I grabbed a riser thinking it was a roof cross-piece, and now my roof is slightly off center because of the 4" difference in a small area. It's not noticeable, but I know it's there, and I'm sure my final run will take some adjusting.
2. When you set your dry mounts up, circle the pipe where it butts up into the coupling, using a sharpie or all-weather marker. In that way, you'll know if you've bashed that pipe far enough in, with your rubber mallet, once you spread your PVC cement.
3. Use a piece of plywood to distribute the weight on your roof, if you're using a step ladder to do your peak run.
4. Don't try to do your roof if you're not used to heights. I routinely hang from 1/2" rope, sixty feet aloft, gunning a chainsaw, working on trees. No big deal, for me. Your results may vary.
5. Don't use a ladder against your frame, unless you've verified, by marking with an "X", after cementing, that all couplings have been cemented. It only takes one dry mount, and the weight of you and your ladder against a cross-piece, to spell disaster/serious injuries.
I'll update as other tips come to mind.
I hope these are not all lessons learned from your project! [emoji16] Anxiously awaiting to see how things look when your done.
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Old 09-20-2018, 06:09 PM   #49
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I hope these are not all lessons learned from your project! [emoji16] Anxiously awaiting to see how things look when your done.
Some were reminders that I had put out of my mind, since I've not done any major pipe runs for quite some time. The labeling tip came from my experience of grabbing two wrong pipes as I hurried to get more done before the thunder that I was hearing became the downpour, ten minutes later. Again, the four inch shortage on the two cross pieces should not be too big a deal as long I adjust the final few cross pieces running to the back of the shelter. I did not have the two short pieces opposing each other, so the longer, correct cross pieces should help even things out. I'll know, by next Wednesday. If worse comes to worst, I can cut the short pieces in the middle and insert a regular coupling with a short piece of pipe and then a repair coupling to even the 5'8" to the correct 6'.
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Old 09-25-2018, 05:31 AM   #50
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Just about finished.

Tip 6. Have a couple of friends help you pull the tarp up and over the frame. I went solo, and it was far tougher than it needed to be. Using strong cords, I had to pull one corner, then the middle, then the other corner, securing the tarp in steps, over and over, until it was in place. It took about an hour. I still need to bungee all grommets to the frame. I'll get a pic up, in here, when I'm done. For today, I'm resting up. My back is sore, my legs the same, from all of the trips up and down my ladders.

Tip 7. Get a tarp that's about a foot to two feet longer and wider than you think you need. I got a 30X30, and it falls about a foot short of reaching the cross runs on the far side as I failed to take into account the inches added by all of the couplings in the frame. Next time, hopefully no sooner than two years from now, I'll order a 32x32.
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Old 09-25-2018, 06:30 AM   #51
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You best get on it today as it looks like rain for the next 40 days and nights in the Medina County area anyway... geesh! We have had some rain here in the Garden of Eden!
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Old 09-25-2018, 12:08 PM   #52
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FInished!

I may still guy it. I watched it sway 3" either side of center, and that was in 7 mph winds. Austin gets 20 mph gusts, and I'm thinking four guys would be a good idea.
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Old 09-25-2018, 12:48 PM   #53
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Why in the name of goodness did you build it so high? Don't they sell elbows that are more than 90 degrees? That thing must be the highest structure in Austin bwhahahaha Yeah, some guys would seem a good idea as that cover must have a tremendous wind load! Good luck.
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Old 09-25-2018, 01:15 PM   #54
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Why in the name of goodness did you build it so high? Don't they sell elbows that are more than 90 degrees? That thing must be the highest structure in Austin bwhahahaha Yeah, some guys would seem a good idea as that cover must have a tremendous wind load! Good luck.
I could only find 90's and 45's, in 2" PVC, initially. In searching, recently, I found 60's. I may retrofit, in the future, but it will be a tough row to hoe as I'll need to remove the whole upper level, since my 45's are socked up to my T's. I'll need all new T's and elbows, and the clearance height for my AC may get a little tight when I cut off the original fittings. Hopefully everything will be fine, as is. Time will tell.

Update: Two temporary guy wires made a huge difference. I'm keeping the high roof. It allows me to work on my RV roof without ducking down. Worth it!
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Old 09-25-2018, 03:05 PM   #55
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That high roof will probably let better air flow thru it in the heat of the summer also.
Looks like a good job!
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Old 09-25-2018, 04:04 PM   #56
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That high roof will probably let better air flow thru it in the heat of the summer also.
Looks like a good job!
Thanks. I appreciate it. Final cost was right around $800. If the tarp doesn't last at least two years, I will replace it with corrugated plastic panels or metal, depending on weight and cost. I will need an articulated lift to access the top side of the roof, to screw the panels to the pipe, and that will add about four hundred bucks to the project along with the cost of the panels. At some point, the cost gets goofy, as I know I could buy a kit, online, and, along with extra parts you have to get, the total runs around two G's. Still, I liked the challenge, this time around.
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Old 09-26-2018, 07:57 AM   #57
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Awesome job! My wife has became a PVC nut and has been presenting me with all kinds of things she wants done with PVC pipe, clearly this is another one that I may have to add to my list. Thanks for sharing this with us!!
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Old 09-26-2018, 08:06 AM   #58
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Here in the Northeast you either need a peaked roof like yours or a rounded roof to shed the snow load.

After seeing your project I'm wondering if it would be worth it to go to 4" pipe for the legs to give it more stability and strength?

I have tried a 10x20 portable shelter over an older small trailer and I used 1" metal conduit for the pipes. Needless to say it wasn't strong enough to survive the snow load and some of the roof pipes bent over the winter.
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Old 09-26-2018, 11:39 AM   #59
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Gusseting the top of the uprights with tee-wyes should take most of the sway out. Picture shows 1 1/2" but link is for 2". 2 inch pvc wye
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Old 09-26-2018, 03:53 PM   #60
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Gusseting the top of the uprights with tee-wyes should take most of the sway out. Picture shows 1 1/2" but link is for 2". 2 inch pvc wye
You'll need to explain this to me. Go ahead:
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