Building a shelter with PVC pipe and some tarps

[spidey07]

Me and some buddies are going fishing and will be outside all weekend, and it's supposed to pour. We had this idea of a large shelter that seemed like it would work pretty well.

Take some 10 foot PVC pipe sections with male/female ends and put 3 of them together. Bend this into an arc and put each end onto some 2 foot sections of rebar we would pound into the ground. Do this 3-4 times to form semi circular ribs. Use rope to form a basic spine to keep the ribs from moving. Then just toss a big tarp over it.

What do you think? I think some duct tape on the pvc junctions would help to keep them from coming undone because there's going to be a good amount of stress on them.

 

[her209]

Like this?
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_L-de...Q/s400/playhouseb4.JPG

 

[JulesMaximus]

Or you could just buy a tent...

 

[waffleironhead]

This should work fine, when I worked for menards we built this type of shelter all the time for displays and storage. Personally i would do a 4 way connection at the top joint and run small pieces between the ribs. What size diameter pipe you planning on using?

 

[calvinbiss]

How would you negate the effects of the wind? Do they even makes tarps that large? You might have to figure out how to piece multiple tarps together. Do you plan to glue the fittings together?

Seems like it would work.

 

[her209]

Wow, some very creative stuff.
http://www.pvcplans.com/pvc-pipe.htm

 

[mugs]

Huh... well I don't really see any fatal flaw, but from experience I know that any sort of ingenious plan will not work nearly as well as you had hoped. What size PVC? I'm thinking 2"? The giant tarp you're going to need to cover that thing will be expensive.

 

[WA261]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Or you could just buy a tent...

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Yep, we go camping with folks who use that style of tent all the time. They attach the sections with bungie cords hooked through holes drilled near the ends of the pipes. The system is very flexible and holds up in the wind very well.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: her209
Wow, some very creative stuff.
http://www.pvcplans.com/pvc-pipe.htm

Heh, I'm actually already there looking around. The goal is something quick and easy to setup/take down.

We also though about using 4-way junctions to make a much more ridgid "spine" at the top. Don't know what diameter we'll be using, need to see how well each size bends. I'd assume the smallest size that would still allow the bend radius we need.

 

[dman]

Some neighbors build arcs like that around here during the holidays and hang lights from them. Not quite as large in scale, but, it seems to work. They use the really narrow pipe's , likely for the price and it seems to be more flexible.

 

[SonnyDaze]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: her209
Wow, some very creative stuff.
http://www.pvcplans.com/pvc-pipe.htm

Heh, I'm actually already there looking around. The goal is something quick and easy to setup/take down.

We also though about using 4-way junctions to make a much more ridgid "spine" at the top. Don't know what diameter we'll be using, need to see how well each size bends. I'd assume the smallest size that would still allow the bend radius we need.

Sounds doable. I'm thinking nothing more then 1/2-1" PVC. Too big and it won't bend well.

 

[Oceandevi]

Its used for greenhouses all the time. I think you should be fine. Even 1/2 inch pipe is strong if its the thicker schedule stuff.

 

[alkemyst]

can it be brokeback mountain time nao?

 

[Modelworks]

doable . PVC is one of the great off purpose building tools. I know someone who made a bunk bed for his kids out of the stuff. Kids like it and it looks cool when painted.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Modelworks
doable . PVC is one of the get off purpose building tools. I know a famous celebrity that made something you wouldn't believe out of a piece...