DIY Thread - Let's see your "Inventions".

[aart]

Run Rafters. Came up with this idea from a variety of other devices. It worked as my run is only 8 feet wide, not sure it would work for larger structures.

More info on my coop page but here's the basics of the concept.

3/4" EMT electrical conduit clamped to T-posts. Clamp is 2" PVC with 1/4-20 T-nuts inside, screw tightens against base of nubs on T-post.


2" x 4" x 6' 14ga wire welded fencing clipped to T-posts and wired to EMT rafters set at 68" spacing.

 

[jmandawn]

Run Rafters. Came up with this idea from a variety of other devices. It worked as my run is only 8 feet wide, not sure it would work for larger structures.

More info on my coop page but here's the basics of the concept.

3/4" EMT electrical conduit clamped to T-posts. Clamp is 2" PVC with 1/4-20 T-nuts inside, screw tightens against base of nubs on T-post.


2" x 4" x 6' 14ga wire welded fencing clipped to T-posts and wired to EMT rafters set at 68" spacing.

Great job on your coop and an ingenious idea with the t-posts.

 

[Leahs Mom]

aart - on the conduit for the rafters - how did you bend them into shape?

 

[jimmywalt]

aart - on the conduit for the rafters - how did you bend them into shape?

I bet he used something like this
http://www.menards.com/main/electri...gben-conduit-hand-bender/p-1460326-c-6458.htm

 

[perchie.girl]

aart - on the conduit for the rafters - how did you bend them into shape?

You can purchase a conduit tube bender they have all the degrees marked on them. But I suspect he bought something already formed like a cold frame. You can use a carport and extend the rafters by adding length to them.

You can also buy components to create any structure you want Here: http://www.creativeshelters.com/

Its a pretty cool site just for getting ideas.... spent alot of time there trying to design a horse shelter....

deb

 

[aart]

aart - on the conduit for the rafters - how did you bend them into shape?

I bet he used something like this
http://www.menards.com/main/electri...gben-conduit-hand-bender/p-1460326-c-6458.htm

She did use a conduit bender ......and a magnetic angle finder with a swinging point because the angles I needed don't match the typical angles shown on the bender, I knew the angles I needed as I had designed the run on my cadd program. I had a template drawn out on the garage floor to make sure they ended up at 8' wide....but there's some fudge factor, they didn't need to be perfect to work like I wanted them to. I screwed up a couple pieces of conduit (bought extra just for that reason) before I figured it out.

Here's the stack of rafters I bent up.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Haha....Well I wish SHE lived near me and could do some fancy-pants rafters for me

(When it comes to math for me..might as well forget it.)

 

[aart]

Haha....Well I wish SHE lived near me and could do some fancy-pants rafters for me

(When it comes to math for me..might as well forget it.)

LOL!!

I'm not so hot at math either...but the cad does a lot of it for me.

The guys who I borrowed the bender from saw pics and asked if I wanted a job...lol.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote: From a manufacturing point of view you did a SUPERIOR job.... Bending angles is somewhat easy but Dang there is that whole spring back thing then coming up with the exact angle every time...... I bought a tube bender with the intention of doing something like this but chickened out.... no pun intended..... My application would be to add roof structure to my coop Now I see your application I definately will be doing it for the run too.

deb

 

[aart]

From a manufacturing point of view you did a SUPERIOR job.... Bending angles is somewhat easy but Dang there is that whole spring back thing then coming up with the exact angle every time...... I bought a tube bender with the intention of doing something like this but chickened out.... no pun intended..... My application would be to add roof structure to my coop Now I see your application I definately will be doing it for the run too.

deb.

By the time I was done, I could 'feel' one or two degrees of bend (not including spring back).
Was just barley strong enough to bend the 3/4 tho, had to use my weight more than I'd have liked to.

If they had had to fit between two hard surfaces, they would have been off tho...there's some give to the t-posts and the clamps cover some 'not quite right' angles.
If you look closely at the rafters stacked up you can see the legs are not of equal angles.