Awnings

[Papabear-SKO]

I Plan on putting a commercial unit on the "working side" of my bus. Also plan on getting one of the zip on screen rooms that you can get for them. Figure it would be good for extra sleeping arrangements and bug free barbi/eating place. Have seen a coulpe of busses with them and thought they looked alright mounted up. A home made one would work, but the ease of setting up a "store bought" unit, outweighs the cost. IMHO

 

[swinada]

Dont have one yet, but it is for sure in the plans. For now I think just a big tarp will have to do.

 

[swhite832]

4 easy ups (which sometimes are not easy) affords alot of flexibility.

 

[TygerCub]

I agree that the EasyUps are awsome! But sometimes they are a little too "easy" to float "up" in strong winds, so make sure to use weights on the legs (I use gallon jugs from milk with water in them for light wind, and sand for heavy winds).

In the meantime, I'm going to use the tarp method with wooden legs. May be a PITA to put up at first, but should do in a pinch to make a shady work station while building stuff for BOB.

 

[kamoo]

SJ - I may be interested in the awning, where are you located?

 

[the_experience03]

My "awning" cost me about $2. It's just a cheap tarp, some rope, some leftover 1x2's (sharpened with my angle grinder, no less), all tied and staked over the door. It is exceedingly flexible, cheap, and easy. I've seen too many of those commercial awnings folded up in anything more than a slight breeze. That said, I've toyed with the idea of making my own real awning.

 

[swhite832]

When I had an Airstream(sold it to buy the bus), I ran across a thread where a guy made one out of a tarp, a large PVC pipe and a small pipe, which was retractable via hand crank. It was a good simple design if you dont mind guy ropes at the end. Ill try to locate the thread.

Could not find it. In summary;

Wrap your material of choice around stiff small diameter pipe. Cut a kerf in large pipe. Slide rolled up material into large pipe with material hanging out of kerf. Cap each end with small diameter pipe protruding thru one cap with hardware to accept a removable crank of some sort. Now you have a retractable tarp that looks like a PT boat torpedo tube hanging on the side of your bus. With the right paint scheme it would look kinda cool.

one example
http://www.lcool.org/technical/sunshade/sun_shade.html

 

[kamoo]

Shoot, Im way too far to pickup. Wish they were east, I need an awning.

 

[trx]

When I had an Airstream(sold it to buy the bus), I ran across a thread where a guy made one out of a tarp, a large PVC pipe and a small pipe, which was retractable via hand crank. It was a good simple design if you dont mind guy ropes at the end. Ill try to locate the thread.

Could not find it. In summary;

Wrap your material of choice around stiff small diameter pipe. Cut a kerf in large pipe. Slide rolled up material into large pipe with material hanging out of kerf. Cap each end with small diameter pipe protruding thru one cap with hardware to accept a removable crank of some sort. Now you have a retractable tarp that looks like a PT boat torpedo tube hanging on the side of your bus. With the right paint scheme it would look kinda cool.

one example
http://www.lcool.org/technical/sunshade/sun_shade.html

I like that idea, it would look pretty good if you could find material other than your basic plastic tarps. Might have to go to a big fabric store to see what they have.

Chad

 

[Kirbystud]

Here is mine just got it done this weekend..

There are more pic. under my bus project with a new name post

 

[Kirbystud]

Well I have had it in a rain storm didn't do to bad I sloped it a little more so it didn't hold much water. But I wanted to test with the rain with it out. And I did set under it with beer no fishing pole. As for the wind there was some wind and it didn't do to bad but if it would have got much stronger I would have tied it down or rolled it up .

 

[C00LR]

FWIW... I'm in the process of collecting parts to put together a "store bought" awning. I scored an 18' footer for free. The fabric was SHOT but I found several sellers on E-Bay selling replacement awings for around $120. You just gotta ask questions. Some will have a pinhole or stain. The one I have coming has the valance with it too! You can fix or patch a pinhole and a stain?? WHO CARES??? Its gonna get stained somewhere along its life anyway right?? Mine is gonna be a Carefree of Colorado brand as soon as I find some arms for cheap enough. The awning arms I got with the awning looks to be Frankensteined together from spare and homemade parts and has a wierd way of locking in the rolled up/travel position and I dont like it. My awning front arm will be mounted just behind the front door and ahead of the side window on my bus. I would like to have it over the door as well but its not gonna come out that way. If I did, I would have to figure out a way to mount the lower part of the rear arm to my rear wheel! The rear arm will come out perfectly just behind the rear tire.