Coroplast greenhouse! :)

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Xist

I hosed off Chorizo and wanted to finally put the cover on the garage, but I couldn't find the instructions, so I came inside to look up them, and they are unclear, so I started watching videos, and it looks complicated.

Instructions are for those weaks who don't know the Brazilian tradition of gambiarra

[Xist]

I got the cover up. I thought of the ends as like being a smock, but then it seemed more like a tank top.

You disconnect the corner pieces for the top and shoulders--the apex and top corners--and toss the straps over, like putting an apron over your head--and over your shoulders.

One guy said that as soon as you open the box put the ratchets on the straps, but I did not have any idea what he meant, and the instructions did not make any sense.

There are drawstrings in the edges of each end.

You pull the edges around the end and draw the strings tight, but if you don't have the ratchets on, the drawstring may come through, and then you have issues.

One guy said he had some long rigid wires he used to fish it through.

Another guy used fish tape on the bottom rails, but I still do not have any idea what he was doing.

It turns out you are not supposed to install the bottom rails until after you put on the cover--the rails slide through sleeves.

The fish taper seemed to use rope through those sleeves instead of removing the rails and running them through the sleeves.

The corner pieces curve under the frame and have three holes. Apparently you hook a ratchet on each side and then you strap a ground anchor to the middle hole.

The anchors are like long screws with 360° of thread.

Everyone put something through the hole and twisted it a bunch of times, but when I needed to drive a hook screw into the shed I used an I-bolt, and I used an I-bolt to drive a hook screw.

I just put it in my cordless screwdriver and let it do the work.

I thought it was genius, but everyone said it would ruin the chuck, which has worked perfectly since, but I was trying to think of how I could get a hook bolt without the thread.

I could lock-tight a sleeve onto the bolt.

I could cold-chisel the threads.

I could grind the threads.

Well, where can I buy a hook without threads?

Google shows no-drill hooks on Etsy, but Etsy only showed adhesive hooks.

What about breaking the plastic off some $3 crystal hangers and just using the hook?



I am sure there is a bit of metal on or near the end keeping it in the plastic, but I am sure that will be easier to remove than all of the threads.

I just don't know that this will hold up well.

How hard is it to bed 1/4" rod?

For some reason I thought the ends went over the sides.

Guys used different methods to drag the cover over, but I just pulled it over the shoulder rails, stood on a step ladder in the middle, pulled it over the apex on the other side, pulled it over the other shoulder, and then all of the way to the ground on each side.

I realized that it was longer than the frame and went over the ends, so I rearranged it, and pulled the drawstring around the frame.

Someone mentioned that you could order replacement canvas, but that says $140, and more importantly: Unavailable.

The entire kit is $180 right now.

I wish that I could walk through it to the shed and thought that if I could just reorder a door side I could put one on both ends, but I cannot have nice things.

Well, it is up, I can move the rest of the things from the shed into it, and finally finish drywalling.

[Xist]

I thought this was pretty cool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzmVpFmqvvw

My friend with cancer keeps talking about her late father.

[Xist]

Last night I removed the bottom poles, slid them into the sleeves, and reattached them to the rest of the frame, and it became harder and harder to use the half-width nuts that came with the kit.

Based on the picture, I thought the poles were supposed to go further than they are supposed to.

The corner feet curve around 90°, so you really cannot secure the poles lower. I tried anyway, or started to, but I realized that you needed to tighten the cover first, and before that you need to properly attach the ends.

You tighten the drawstrings around the frame and tighten the cargo strap.

I need to take one of the nuts to Cal Ranch to buy a full-sized replacement and secure the back side. The cover is pretty tight. It was too late to run the sprinklers, so I threw about a gallon on it, and none of it really collected, so hopefully a heavy rain will not result in a 6-pack of alien udders!


I will run the sprinkler in the morning and if everything checks out I will replace those nuts, drive the ground anchors, and secure them to the corners with cables.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Xist

I thought this was pretty cool

Sure it is. Do you think you would be able to make a good structure for your greenhouse with that workbench, or even a shed/tiny house which you could use as an office?

[Xist]

I am sure that the workbench would work great for any of those things, plus tons of project videos that I have seen lately, like planters from cedar fence boards, but I am positive that I will not have the time for any of them with grad school--if I can find a place to live!

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Xist

if I can find a place to live!

Sometimes I must confess I feel tempted to downsize and spend most of the time living in a full-size van... Would be much easier to spend some time with some family and friends who live in other cities.

[Piotrsko]

Should consult with freebeard about the joys and travails of small bouse living. Or even redpoint about his early single lifestyle.

Not as practical as it appears, imho.

[freebeard]

I only lived out of the panel van for thirty days.

I'd recommend two vans parked front to back with a canopy stretched between them.

[Xist]

Chris Farley never seemed to enjoy living in a van down by the river.

When I am finally able to look at places to buy, if I still need to worry about Mom's junk--or let's say that I buy a house with an RV gate and want a shop for all of my woodworking tools, with room for more, as well as a space to work on a car, and to store all of my automotive tools, with room for more.

Since cities often limit sheds to 200 square feet, about 14x14, I wondered about building two sheds and then stretching a canopy in between, but how long would that last?