Post #81333 by freddiefreelance on Wed, Mar 17, 2004 11:10 AM

I tried to think of a foldable version of the Waikikian's A-frame lobby:

What exactly do you mean by "I need to keep bamboo “aloft” to a minimum?" I was thinking a cargo netting A-frame covered with canvas or burlap "Palm Fronds" & Bamboo or PCV-boo supports (Instructions on how to make fake PVC Bamboo can be found here). You can get cargo/fish netting in sizes large enough to cover a semi truck from surplus companies like Major's in Gardena. Sew a canvas strip around the edge & another diagonally across from corner to corner to keep tie-downs from tearing the netting. Cut palmetto shaped "fronds" from the canvas/burlap & die varying shades of green/tan/brown with RIT, sew on tie-downs (4-6 inch strips of canvas, died to match it's frond or the netting). Attach the canvas/burlap "palm fronds" to the netting, "up" is the canvas diagonal, "down" the corners furthest from there. Attach bamboo/PVC-boo to all edges & 2 to the center with gardening twine (tie the boo to the canvas with twine or canvas tie-downs, cover the tie-downs with gardening twine lashings), the 2 attached to the center should be the same length as the sides & only be attached 1/3 of their length from the corner toward the center. Bolt & lash the "down" corners (the 2 away from the center diagonal) together @ a 60 degree angle (I think you should drill through both pieces of boo & thread a bolt through for strength, but I'm not certain how to keep the boo from cracking from the strain of repeated twisting, maybe a grommit? The bolt should then be covered with the lashing) using small diameter Manilla rope. Do the same with the "up" corners. position the 2 boo pieces attached to the diagonal so 1 end can be bolted & lashed to the "up" corner & the other ends can be bolted & lashed to each other, do the center then the outside (sorry, but my Solid G is too rusty to figure the angles, but it should work out to aproximately 120 degrees in the center). Tie a good lenghth od strong manilla to each "up" corner, stake down the "down" corners & the manilla attached to the "up" corners (it should reach out @ aproximately 30 degrees from a vertical line from the ground to the "up" corner). Cover the inside with reed fencing & you're up!

You can tweak the design to make it from a "down" corner to the 4 corners of the bar, with another short A-frame coming off each side to cover the booths, or however you want. This's just a rough idea, use it or not, but I'm going to keep it in my own head as a patio cover.

Rev. Dr. Frederick J. Freelance, Ph.D., D.F.S

[ Edited by: freddiefreelance on 2004-03-17 11:11 ]

[ Edited by: freddiefreelance on 2004-03-17 11:18 ]

[ Edited by: freddiefreelance on 2004-03-17 11:19 ]