New High Tunnel - Page 7

Worth1 · February 7, 2016

I already had this drawn up and could see how close the were I think.
I believe if you put these end supports on each end and two spaced in the middle you will be okay for side load.
They can be good wood posts sunk in the ground and you could use lumber instead of pipe on all of it.
This would be an internal support for the entire structure.
You could even put the posts on the end of this frame but I dont have them drawn in.
The truss would still be pipe.
The lower line is just for me to draw to it isn't anything.

Worth

Cole pictuer a.jpg

Cole_Robbie · February 7, 2016

If I use top rail, how do I attach everything in the middle? Would you drill and bolt it? Or try to clamp or wire it together?

Worth1 · February 7, 2016

Hard to see in the pictuer but that skinny line is the top ridge rail it isn't attached to the truss.
There are two on each side too just a ways down.

I would use the carriage bolts.

But make them as small as you can so the holes you drill dont weaken the pipe.

This way the whole structure can act as one.

Hellmanns · February 7, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

We do need a drill press; we're figuring that out. Probably the extent of my metal-working skill would be to hammer the end of a piece of pipe flat and drill a hole in it so it can be bolted to a band clamp:

This is what I did to add bracing. Very simple and efficient.

Cole_Robbie · February 7, 2016

Ohh, ok, those are the long runs of top rail. I thought they were these things:

Worth1 · February 7, 2016

That one is nice.

My idea of the internal wood posts and framework have a reason other than supporting the side walls.

Once they are in you can then run tension cable or wire from the rafters down to them at angles to support them.

I will draw a pictuer leaving out as much as I can so it wont be cluttered.

pecker88 · February 7, 2016

I'm going to be starting a similar 14x32 high tunnel soon, I'm using this guide:
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/assets/in...ion-manual.pdf

It explains all the bracing really well, and how to fabricate everything.

Worth1 · February 7, 2016

I like the Gothic idea but since I have already drawn up the guy wire thing I am going to post it.
What is going on is the wires are going from the top down to the sides.
It is a top view.
Cole guy wires.r.jpg

Hellmanns · February 7, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by pecker88

I'm going to be starting a similar 14x32 high tunnel soon, I'm using this guide:
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/assets/in...ion-manual.pdf

It explains all the bracing really well, and how to fabricate everything.

That is a good manual, I've used Johnny's Info for decades. I've been growing in tunnels for decades too. Saying that certain designs will shed snow better than others is true, but not always. I've had tunnels just like Robbie's with a foot of snow on them! The early snow will shed when the ground is still warm, but in winter when the Temp's get low snow will stick and build up. I promise.

Cole_Robbie · February 7, 2016

I'm going to tell Stepdad he has to go out there in the blizzard and knock the snow off.

Hellmanns · February 7, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

I'm going to tell Stepdad he has to go out there in the blizzard and knock the snow off.

That will work too!

pecker88 · February 8, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellmanns

That is a good manual, I've used Johnny's Info for decades. I've been growing in tunnels for decades too. Saying that certain designs will shed snow better than others is true, but not always. I've had tunnels just like Robbie's with a foot of snow on them! The early snow will shed when the ground is still warm, but in winter when the Temp's get low snow will stick and build up. I promise.

With the price of propane these days, I'll just hang an old LB White heater and keep it set at 40.

Cole_Robbie · February 8, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

I like the Gothic idea but since I have already drawn up the guy wire thing I am going to post it.
What is going on is the wires are going from the top down to the sides.
It is a top view.
Attachment 56200

Anchoring those cables to the frame is daunting. I'm not sure how I would accomplish it.

Worth1 · February 8, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

Anchoring those cables to the frame is daunting. I'm not sure how I would accomplish it.

If you are inclined to do this you can use those clamps Hellmanns showed or at the top just wrap it around the the rafter where the ridge pipe meets.
The also have pipe strap that has holes in it all along the strap it comes in a roll and is cheap.
You can buy a big roll of heavy gauge wire to do this too.
It doesn't have to be fiddle string tight either.
The way it works is all of them have to be in for it to work.
You might even get away with just the two on each end.
What it is, is internal guy wires with the posts acting as an anchor for them and support for the bottom of the frame.

Worth

Worth1 · February 8, 2016

Going back and looking at you pictuer I see you put the top ridge pipe under the frame.
This would be easy just connect the cable to a post with an eye bolt take the wire up over around and back down to the other side.
They dont even have to be in the middle as long as they are there.
But here is a rule of thumb when doing this.
I will try to explain and it is hard.

It is stronger the farther away from straight up as it can be.
This is due to leverage.

February 7, 2016	#91
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I already had this drawn up and could see how close the were I think. I believe if you put these end supports on each end and two spaced in the middle you will be okay for side load. They can be good wood posts sunk in the ground and you could use lumber instead of pipe on all of it. This would be an internal support for the entire structure. You could even put the posts on the end of this frame but I dont have them drawn in. The truss would still be pipe. The lower line is just for me to draw to it isn't anything. Worth Cole pictuer a.jpg Last edited by Worth1; February 7, 2016 at 03:23 PM.

February 7, 2016	#92
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	If I use top rail, how do I attach everything in the middle? Would you drill and bolt it? Or try to clamp or wire it together?

February 7, 2016	#96
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	That one is nice. My idea of the internal wood posts and framework have a reason other than supporting the side walls. Once they are in you can then run tension cable or wire from the rafters down to them at angles to support them. I will draw a pictuer leaving out as much as I can so it wont be cluttered.

February 7, 2016	#97
pecker88 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Lincoln, NE Posts: 192	I'm going to be starting a similar 14x32 high tunnel soon, I'm using this guide: http://www.johnnyseeds.com/assets/in...ion-manual.pdf It explains all the bracing really well, and how to fabricate everything.

February 7, 2016	#100
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	I'm going to tell Stepdad he has to go out there in the blizzard and knock the snow off.

February 8, 2016	#105
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Going back and looking at you pictuer I see you put the top ridge pipe under the frame. This would be easy just connect the cable to a post with an eye bolt take the wire up over around and back down to the other side. They dont even have to be in the middle as long as they are there. But here is a rule of thumb when doing this. I will try to explain and it is hard. It is stronger the farther away from straight up as it can be. This is due to leverage.