Ideal materials for metal/conduit shade structure

[Bob]

With any stake you intend to drive flush with the ground surface, you can attach a short loop of cord first, pound the stake, then tie on with your taut-line hitch to the loop. Assuming it has a hook or hole you can loop through.

Straight pieces of rebar are a hazard as guy line stakes, but you could try attaching a short loop w/ a Prusik hitch.

[naked larry]

I camp alone (in a 200person theme camp) so my space and structural needs are small. I prefer 1/2" emt conduit and I braze 3/4" conduit into corner braces. They work, but guying is important to keep the whole thing from blowing away. My rule for such flimsy conduit is to have no shade member longer than 8 feet and no tent wall longer than 6 feet. I can bundle ALL of my structural members with duck tape and carry them without trouble. Larger structures will hopefully have more people and bigger vehicles to help and transport the structure so larger conduit is appropriate for larger structures. Keep in mind that the 1/2" emt is much stronger than the commercial pop up shade structures.

[Trishntek]

Hi Larry! Welcome to ePlaya! Naked Larry is a great supporter of Retrofrolic and it is good to see him on here!

As-far-as "conduit" shade structure goes, I use the 1 3/8" top rail for chain link fence which is purchased in 126" lengths. The last 3" are tapered to join another length. In 2011, I had 10'X15' spreads on my 30'X60' roof and did fine. For 2012, I pushed it to 15'X15' spreads and ended up bringing home some bent poles.

So to answer one of the questions:
For top rail, 10'X15' seems to be the maximum spreads. Mind you, I also had diagonal braces on the corners and welded fittings for all the joints from http://www.canopiesandtarps.com/

RetrofrolicDaySM.jpg

I'm planning to slope the other side to the ground next year so it will have more of a "barn roof" shape to it. The posts are nailed to the playa with 12" spikes and the bottom of the slope is a pipe "stapled" to the playa with a 3-foot, U-shaped rebar every 5'.