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  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Wisconsin
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    WhoopieSling - UCR
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    Canopy parts stand (carport tent parts) (bipod stand)

    Having seen mention of using the 1 3/8 inch canopy fittings from tarps.com but not having actually seen the results, here is my version and the story to go with it.

    We have used a 10x20 carport canopy tent in our yard for a nice shady space since we do not have many mature trees, we figured this was going to be its final year as the canopy was starting to get very thin in spots. Well, mother nature decided to help it along, in July we had a major storm come through town while we were on vacation. My mom made daily visits to the house to check on our cat, she called me up one morning to report the storm damage. She also sent a photo of the canopy.
    IMG953387.jpeg
    Several of the posts and connectors were severely bent, and more tears in the cover as well.

    So, I ordered some fittings from tarps.com, specifically the "1 3/8 High Pitch Peak Center with Centerpole" and "1 3/8 High Pitch Peak End with Centerpole." They do have an extra leg portion that is unused, though you could use it if you wanted to use a more structured porch mode, but that would be a few more poles to use.
    I wanted it to fit in the trunk of the car, so didn't want any parts longer than 4 feet. The canopy posts that had the swedge (swaged) end are about 41" long, and there were more than enough of them in good shape for my project. 2 for each leg at the ends and 4 between the ends for the ridge pole. The canopy we had listed "heavy duty 1 3/8 steel"
    it was this model: Menards carport shelter
    There were non swaged poles that I could have also used, but its nice to not have to think about which pole you have in your hand when they are all the same.

    My first setup in the yard used the "end" fittings, and a 10 foot chainlink top rail. It worked pretty good, but wasn't enough space to add a tarp. 4 of the leg connector though provide enough space for my Kelty Noah 12 in A Frame mode.

    Packed everything up in the car to go along on a trip to Gunflint Lake in the Boundary Waters of Northern Minnesota. I didn't get a chance to make my under quilt before the trip, so just used it for napping (had temps in the 50s overnight all week) while we stayed in the cabin overnight.
    The pictures show with one end set up as a closed door, not to block wind or rain, but to block the sun. I could have moved the stand, but it had nice trees to tie the corners to where it was, and it was also out of the way. I haven't attached tie outs to the tarp yet out of laziness.
    DSCN0185.jpg

    DSCN0187.jpg

    DSCN0188.jpg

    I was napping at the time of the photos and you can see that it really doesn't have much flex at all. It does have some wobble when getting in or adjusting position, but I never felt like it was going to come down. I think I could resolve the wobble by tying the fittings down to an anchor point inside to help prevent them from tipping out.

    One nice option with the "center" fitting, is that all you have to do for suspension is put the loop over the end, no larks head required.
    I have a friend that does metal work, and I may have him trim off the extra side connection and maybe shorten the end. Though you could use those connections for expanding the stand for another hammock or two.

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Norfolk, VA
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    Looks good, nice job on the repurpose.

  3. #3
    joe_guilbeau's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
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    San Antonio, Texas
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    Quote Originally Posted by lxzndr View Post
    One nice option with the "center" fitting, is that all you have to do for suspension is put the loop over the end, no larks head required.
    I have a friend that does metal work, and I may have him trim off the extra side connection and maybe shorten the end. Though you could use those connections for expanding the stand for another hammock or two.
    Or use it for a 2nd Ridgepole, add a third center fitting with two legs...now we get to talk about wobble!

  4. #4
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Gresham, OR
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    63
    Nice stand, lxzndr. Good use of the fittings.

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