Lost Creek Tubing Benders

Vonsgardens

Dow and Crew,
I built our poly houses using a hydraulic jack based tube bender, it put's an 18 degree bend at each point tou set so 10 bends get you the 180 degrees of bend you need for the structure.

We use chain-link fence toprail (it comes in 10'6" precut lengths with fitted/swiaiged? ends). Attaching the hoops to the purlins can be done either by drilling the tubing (not recommended as it weakens the tubing in the structure for wind or snow load (I know Southern Texas doesn't get much snow)) or you can use two piece purlin clamps ( I got mine from a company called growers supplies.).

We built our houses with 3 piece hoops (requires 30' plastic from side rail to side rail), so they are approximately 20' wide and 11-12 feet at the peak. We have also built them on 4' (48' long) or 8' (64' long) spacing between hoops. Nice thing is that they hold up the shade cloth well in the summer and then convert to poly tunnels in the winter.

John

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"Wiring is simple; However, it is not easy to do it right" Boon

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irene_b

Come on John you know the rules.......Pics! Where are the Pics!!!
Irene

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Vonsgardens

Well,
since I am 700 miles away from home right now, is a little tough to get pics. let me see if I can find some elsewhere, a number of folks on this site have seen the structures (OKbonsai once helped me put up some plastic....). John

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"Wiring is simple; However, it is not easy to do it right" Boon

irene_b

Can you explain this better?
Irene

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tree bender

How bout some tips on hanging plastic? I'll be hanging some on mine in a few weeks, hopefully. It's 30x40. All I know is to do it when its cool (early morn) and not windy. But I hear when you start the wind kicks up no matter what..

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Vonsgardens

We staple one side the whole length of the building using nylon tape and a pneumatic stapler. then, tie a piece of rope to the plastic (scrunch the plastic film over a rock or tennis ball then tie around the base) with a hammer tied to the end and through the hammer over the frame (note to self: be sure that rope is not so long as to go into neighbors swimming pool...). The start attaching from on end to the other. When done, attach the ends.

As to construction, we designed a shape that we liked- and then calculate how to bend three pieces of top rail to get a hoop, essentiall you end up with two side pieces and a spanning piece. The hoops are then bolted to a wood base frame (2x6) using U-bolts with straps (I ordered from an internet bolt and connector company)once all off the hoops are attached to the frame, we put up the purlins (the horizontal steel pieces that provide the second component of strucutural rgidity). One purlin goes down the center of the structure (the "apical" purlin, or ridge (but it goes on the inside of the frame- hanging from the hoops not set on top)), and then one purlin goes down each side at the point where the hoop pieces (side and span) join to give a compression fitting that holds the frame together without drilling through the tubing. On the 4' hoop sppacing this was all that I did, except to attach a 1x6 or deck board nailing board at 4' above ground- this too is held in place with either J or U bolts. On the 8' spacing between hoops, we add an additional purlin on each side at approximately 5' and attach with the frame compression clamps. On each end we have piut up 4x4 posts set in gravel or concrete that go up to the frame and are used to anchor the frame and the end walls. We have not placed additional frame components inside, the span is open internally.

Our frames have been up for 6 years (4' spacing) or 5 years (8' spacing). We have had good snowloading, but using a padded 2x4 or brrom we have pushed up on the plastic from the inside to reduce snow on the frame.

This help?
John

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"Wiring is simple; However, it is not easy to do it right" Boon

tree bender

Yea, I think I know what your saying. So you throw the hammer over in the middle of the GH? Then pull the Poly over one time? I know that stuff gets heavy.

__________________
Holding pasts in ash black earth
Bound by roots
Roots into sand
Grow towards the giver

Vonsgardens

You got it. Be careful to not let it snag on the frame. John

__________________
"Wiring is simple; However, it is not easy to do it right" Boon

irene_b

Anybody got any pictures showing this?
Irene

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