Vintage Canvas Tents on playa

[fresh]

Screws or bolts with nuts?

[Bob]

You need to screw in a monkey hut? Rly?

[A-RockLeFrench]

Not that you NEED to screw in a monkey hut, but seeing as it's reasonably sheltered from the wind and sun it's as nice a place to screw than any other... You may need to worry about the whole screwing in public view thing being against the rules. Maybe hang some tapestries on each end to afford some privacy..

And on the subject of drilling holes in PVC, I have heard that a drilling holes creates weak spots and reduces the tensile strength of the the pipe, making it more likely to snap in situations of extreme stress. I have never bolted my MH together and it has always help up.

But then again we have testimonies that screwing in the MH was necessary to make it stronger...

[fresh]

And on the subject of drilling holes in PVC, I have heard that a drilling holes creates weak spots and reduces the tensile strength of the the pipe, making it more likely to snap in situations of extreme stress. I have never bolted my MH together and it has always help up.

But then again we have testimonies that screwing in the MH was necessary to make it stronger...

I was thinking the same about screws. Think it would make it more rigid and the holes would be a breakage spot...

[Bob]

It's not even remotely a structural material. I don't think there's a way you could not somehow fuck it up.

People do use it, though.

[gyre]

There is a reason the better tents use sleeves, not hooks.
Look at the best ones, then compare.

$600 is NOT expensive for a decent tent.
It's very cheap.

I wish it was too much, but it's not.

Anything might survive with enough shelter.

Good tents can withstand well over 100 knots.

[garyt]

I had a monkey hut last year as well and did some modifications to it to make it "stronger", although last year wasn't really a good test for any kind of wind test. There was somewhat of a dust storm like thursday/friday before gates were open and it did withstand it. The one thing I found with the monkey hut is it acts like a parachute with a tunnel design. So what I did was got a bigger tarp that would cover one end of the tunnel. On the sides, I put rope through the grommets from the front to the back and stake it down. I also added more ribs making the distance every three feet instead of five. On the inside, I tied ropes horizontally rib to rib on both sides of the hut and also several over the tarp from the outside. It helps with the "flapping" of the tarp which is really what kills the PVC. Lastly, I had probably guy the whole structure down at four different points internally and externally, wherever possible. Overkill? Not even close.

What Bob said is true in my experience. I found that PVC is really not a good structure material to begin with even if its schedule 40. So that's why I'm going with ONE inch conduit this year.

[wimala1]

So what would be better, $400 for canvas tent. Or nylon tent altered with blankets and swamp cooler?

i did the same thing with a 15yr old rei tent, some old flannel type material to cover it up for the dust and a monkey hut. i got more out of paying $80 on a sunblocker tarp for the monkey hut then paying big bucks for a new tent. shade is what really matters.

[wimala1]

i also had an absolute killer swamp cooler last year due to figjam's help - it rocked and was worth the effort. my son was the only one to take advantage of it though as he slept in. i was up by 10, and turned the swamper on when i left the tent.


lights, internal circulating fan, swamp cooler, charging station - all on solar!!

[wimala1]

monkey hut external strapping (100' rope, wrapped around rebar stakes that poles are on): rope (50' cut in two) thru bottom grommets and pinned to ground with 10" nail stakes





swamp cooler set up, OLD tent (remember to cover outside of it with old flannel or sheets)



front shade


man, i posted photos!!!

[fresh]

Thanks wimala! Great pics! I was hoping to post some pics of the latest test run, but the rain drove me inside before I could do more than bend some candy cane rebar. I'm thinking now of getting the kodiak online for under $400. I put up the tent I used my last trip in 06 and it is way smaller and shorter than I remember! Hopefully tomorrow I can put it up the hut!

[Ratty]

So I finally got around to looking at my weird canvas tent. It is 6 sided and about 8 feet across the bottom. It came to me with the 3-part fiberglass poles stored in the sleeves. Tent folded in thirds, stored in a duffle.
Connect poles.
Hook bottoms into brass grommets.
Stand up and spread out the floor.
Tie a rope,(or in this case just twine), through the grommet and around a stake.

[Ratty]

This strange old thing has a heavy series of metal on the top where the poles are attached and they swivel.
I only put it up half way because I just wanted to see how big it is and how the ropes attach.
I would have to use small rope to fit through those holes and even if I securely tied down the top piece to several rebars, I have a bad feeling about this making it through a breeze.
I feel like it should have a center pole inside.
I'm moving on to 'plan b'. Small, low to the ground back-packers tent for my extra gear. Easy to secure and cover.
Sad about the circus tent though.

[FIGJAM]

I would run 3 guylines from that metal top like a tripod and I don't think it could move.

[Ratty]

My concern is the design. All the tents I've seen that have fiberglass poles use the tension of the bent pole to stabilize the body. This thing reminds me of a 6 legged spider. It sure is different. I picture it lieing in a flat heap with splintered poles, (but still firmly tied to rebar stakes).

[gyre]

What make tent?

[Ratty]

Thermos pop up. The poles are solid. Not hollow. I easily have 10 nylon tents around here. This one is haunting me. I won't be happy till it's gone.

[gyre]

Do you think it's weak?

Looks okay.

My good tent had solid fibreglas poles.
This one probably isn't made for playa winds though.

Found this on setup-
I have one of these tents, here is how you operate it. When you pull down to set the tent, pull down on the larger fatter end. When releasing, pull down on the skinny side. I use the canvas bag to pull it down. That makes it easier on the hand. Or use work gloves.
_____________________________________________________________
I think the thing on top is supposed to lock somehow.

[Ratty]

So let me guess. I have to drag it out again. Agggg. PULL DOWN? On what?? How cool would this be? I pull down on the metal rings, It makes the poles lock, (sticking straight out), and I end up with a beach ball. Is a beach ball shaped tent aerodynamic? I wanted this to work. I have colorful fringed material to slip over all the ropes. Crap. A beach ball! Now I have to try again.

Thanks GYRE.

[gyre]

I hope you can figure it out.

[fresh]

Seems like it is suppose to be a beach ball instead of whatever that looks like now. Good luck!! Personally gonna buy that kodiak now. Still contemplating the fig jam cooler, already got fans from work. Just depends on how much space I'll have for all my crap....

[gyre]

I lean to springbar, if only for the warranty.

[Bob]

Looks pretty cool to me, and you could be the envy of your neighbors if all the parts are functional and the high-stress areas of the canvas aren't rotten. It's an early sleeved pole type of tent, and like any such tent works on tension in the fabric and bending & compression in the poles. Only diff between that and most current tents is the "pinned" structural connections at the peak. Found a blurb here:

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-1960-original-bill-moss-171027233

[Ratty]

Oh my, Thank you Bob. That is so inspiring. My tent is show-room new. No bag. No instructions but I get the general idea now that I've seen the picture and read the instructions given to me by gyre. I'm now thinking plan 'A' and make it work. Of course I will bring along that tiny backpacking tent in case this one becomes embarrassing moop.

[fresh]

looks like you got a score ratty!!!

looks like shipping dates for springbar would not get it here in time.

[gyre]

You could always call them and ask.

They will do custom work too, but there is a lead time for that.

[Hoolie]

Ratty, Moss tents are high quality and highly sought after. You have a real gem there.

[fresh]

mh1.jpg

So here is the second test of monkey hut. I created a longer middle spine piece to accomodate the longer tarp. I now have to take off about 6 to 12 inches off of that 7' middle spine piece. I also need to take about 3 feet off of the ribs to bring the tarp down to the proper level. Which leads me to my dilemma.

Should i just scrap the middle rib connector and the double spine system i am using? I think this would make it simpler both to put up and to reduce the points of possible failure. It would make the hut overall lower in height and width (i kind of liked the roomy height). The tarp would then go all the way down to the playa without any real gap and i would just probably stake the tarp directly into the playa.

OR

Keep the double spine system and reduce either the middle connector from 5 feet to about 2 to 3 feet, OR cut down all the 10' pieces by a foot and a half, thus leaving a 6" gap on both sides. This would give that airflow that i hear is key plus if i reduce the 10' to 8 1/2' it would be much easier for me to transport this either on the top or inside my SUV (i currently load the pvc inside my car and at 10' it just fits and a passenger would be difficult to have). Just wonder what opinions you guys may have!!! I am leaning towards just going simple since I rather be stress free over this!!! Once i get the tent (looks like the kodiak due to lack of available springbar) I can set it up and see how well it fits.

[fresh]

BTW, the tarp is not secured down by bungees on the ends to the ground, nor is a rope used to be a cross support in this picture. Mainly due to the fact that the candy cane rebar would not hold up in the dirt at the testing area. I somehow the rebar for the pvc stayed in fine since they were longer, but I was having an episode when everytime i drove in the candy cane, it would fly out of the ground when i attached a bungee. Plus i need to get more bungee balls. Plus i had to abandon ship as the rain came in....

[FIGJAM]

You are going to what the extra hight as the top foot under the shade will be HOT.