Tent takes flight

[jcg31]

A word to the wise from the not so. When using an enclosure to extend the building season use every hole and loop provided by the manufacturer to tether the structure to earth. I had grown a bit cocky having survived some fairly significant storms with only the four corner ties staked to the ground. Beginning of January we had another storm that ripped all but one cord out (the only thing that kept this thing from going into the trees).

8:17am Wind was brutle and sub zero temps, looked out and noticed tent was lifting up by about 6". Need to get out there to get some block on the feet. Probably time for a couple more emails.`

8:37am Too late... Tent lifts up and comes smashing down on top corner, bending a fair amount of corner structure.

9:07 All hands (my wife), all flaps open, tent now upright with block on feet (50 minutes too late) and temp tethers in place. Wife asks if I really need to be taking pictures, I say a real photographer never gets involved or influences news as it plays out. She leaves shortly thereafter.

9:30 All is restored, a cleat in every hole, a tie to every loop. I decide to just let thing blow through until wind dies down. Frame is quickly straigtened out via a series of bar clamps. All is well with the world (sorry, suffering a bit of Jean Shepherd overload from the holidays).

Jim

[RTflorida]

Re: Tent takes flight

Glad to hear all was not lost (referring to the tent).
I especially like your reference to Jean Shephard and the hands down greatest Christmas movie of all time - A Christmas Story (my twisted opinion)

RT

[dmun]

Re: Tent takes flight

great story, and great new avatar. OK!

[gjbingham]

Re: Tent takes flight

Ha! Had a great laugh. Thanks for the pics.

We had a tornado just south of here a couple of days ago.... an unheard of event for WA. That would have made my canopy fly like a kite!

[dusty]

Re: Tent takes flight

Been there. I feel ya.

dusty

[Frances]

Re: Tent takes flight

Ha! I just wanted to say the same thing :

Been there, done that. (On another project)
Didn't take any pics though...

Good save though!

[Acoma]

Re: Tent takes flight

OK. I think I am the only one to get away with tent security. Now we know that for the low temps, do not trust those little stakes they supply. I saw those when my tent came, and I just about died. I figured what you guys and gals went through, that I did not want it. That is why I used the inside horizontal frame at the corners to rope down to cinder blocks. And with the big winds we had a week ago, I decided to double the support, this time on the outside tied down to the extra cinder blocks and vertical support. Trust me, winter is not over, try this and you should be VERY happy. Must say that I am quite displeased with the zippers, crappy ones at best. May get assistance with a good break in weather and have them redone with better zippers. Jim, now I know your progress, looks very nice!

[jcg31]

Re: Tent takes flight

Must say that I am quite displeased with the zippers, crappy ones at best. May get assistance with a good break in weather and have them redone with better zippers. Jim, now I know your progress, looks very nice!

Yeah as you can see from my first photo, my front zipper fell victim to an earlier ice storm (held together with clamps in pic) the good news is that ez-up has now replaced the entire front panel, they have a great guarantee attached to their product.

Jim

[huxley]

Re: Tent takes flight

I enjoyed your whole story of taking plunge into air via tent along with the exclusive display of pictures here. Thanks for sharing these fantastic photos with us. It is really an amazing story. which branded tent and its clamps are used by you. it is really great experience on your side.

[dmun]

Re: Tent takes flight

Welcome to FB. What are your links? They look like google ad fishing sites to me.

Also, I thought first posters couldn't post links.

[waynebergman]

Re: Tent takes flight

Sorry to hear about your tent taking off there. I have the same delema. I have now put my tent on skider blanks so I can drag the whole thing out of the way for fires but it s a bit of a pain and I am always wondering how much wind will it take to raise this thing up and maybee hurt my stack. On the Sunshine Coast here in BC Canada we get a lot of wind in the winter. 70 to 100k every other week it seems. Still very glad I got the tent though as I started in August to build and winter has def set in here. Thanks for the pictures I noa will drive a few extra hold downs in place....wayne

[Acoma]

Re: Tent takes flight

Wayne et all, please head my advice. Using 4 blocks for the corners inside works great! For those 60+ winds, use 4 additional on outside corners, this way your tent will not move. Lastly, you may want to use those snapable o rings and pierce the middle bottom exterior of tent walls, then rope, and stake that down. This way winds can't lift and rip the walls. Trust me, you save time and energy now by doing it.

[jengineer]

Re: Tent takes flight

DMUN -

They can't post links/photos, but you can get around this by having them in your signature.
Another hole for James to plug.

Yes they are advertising sites and not advertising FB

[Acoma]

Re: Tent takes flight

If this coward that lives in the dark of someone's anus is able to grow a spine, maybe they will contribute to society in a productive manner. For now, they live at Grandma's, married to a blow up doll, and try to date their cousin.

[jcg31]

Re: Tent takes flight

Seems like James took care of it.