Homeade/DIY Awning?

[One by One]

Anyone have some ideas or better yet pictures of any awnings you have built? I've seen some really nice permamently attached awning for sale as well as the Kelty type.

The theme I'm looking for is, ummm, inexpensive.
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'91 Carat

[Vanagon Nut]

Here check this out:

http://web.mac.com/tubaneil/iWeb/Site%205/AWNING.html

The notes I made are a little out of date as I have changed it a little.

I plan on making the jack point pieces a twist/turn lock kind of thing.

The neat thing is that whey you push out the struts (L/R) it puts enough tension on them at the jack point tubes that it doesn't slide *easily*. I plan on using bungees to help keep the struts "out". Just hook it on PVC piece and end of "beam" tube.

Not totally tested, but may give you some ideas.

Neil.
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1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA
(VW Gas I4)

1988 Westy DIY 50º ABA

VE7TBN

[jackbombay]

[Vanagon Nut]

[One by One]

[jalopyjockey]

ive been slowly collecting parts to do a cheapy awning setup....canvas is pvc backed painters drop clothes(theyre kinda heavy, but i also kinda like that theyre that way, from home depot for 14).....the support pieces are metal adjustable clothes line props also from the depot for 5/ea.....those will be welded to two springs that have conduit or somesuch welded to the other end to slip into the jack supports......the other end of the props will slip into grommets in the clothe and the poles will be kept apart with a fiberglass rod that slips into drill holes in the poles.....im not so sure thats easy to visualize but the way i picture it the springs will force the pole tips away from the van and the fiberglass will be kept away from the canvas so that it can be used to hang towels and also allow water to run off.....i still havent figured out how to attach the clothe to the gutter yet though.....hope some of that helps

[Vanagon Nut]

[Van Morrison]

I read all the posts and thought I’d give a try at the DIY awning. Here’s my take:

Bottom Line: VERY Cheap, very quick, won’t work for me.

Ingredients: 1.7meter x 1.7meter tarp, 4 spring clamps, two adjustable height laundry poles, and one plant stake (1.7meters long).

Without wasting any time sewing I just pinned the plant stake into one edge of the tarp. I then placed the plant stake edge of the tarp into my rain gutter and secured it with the spring clamps. Next I pulled the tops off my laundry poles and placed them through each of the outer corners of the tarp. I then extended the tarp and had each of my two children hold a pole in place (in lieu of staking the tarp off or embedding the poles into the ground). The 15 knot wind blew the tarp around extensively making it clear that this would be a sun shade awning on a still day ONLY.

All tolled I spent $12.34, about an hour shopping for the goods at the 100Yen Store (aka Japan’s Dollar Tree) and the local Home Depot type and about 15 minutes on the initial attempt. What I learned is that for my purposes (withstand wind and rain) I’d need something a lot sturdier. However, the plant stake in the edge in the rain gutter held by spring clamps held like a champ though!

the poles

the tops come off the poles

tarp and clamps[/img]
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'74 Transporter - Burnt to ground on I95. Cos Cob, CT.
'84 Westy - Totaled in freak drive-by while parked at repair shop. Monterey, CA.
'95 Mazda Bongo Friendee - Vanu Chau while in Northern Japan.
'81 Westy - New England

[syncrosimon]

This is my set up.

I have a rail screwed to and the same length as the hightop. Then I sewed together 3 army tarps and a length of kador gusset. This tarp now slides onto the rail, and is much longer than the rail, so can be arranged to provide shelter as required. Total cost £30. Just need some adjustable height poles for the front. I have sewed loops all around and the trap can be used in it's own right.

But we use a tent version when staying more than one night, or it is raining.

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1991 16" 2.1 DJ Syncro factory hightop ex Finnish Army Ambulance, now sold.
Thinking about Thing or 181 (182) ownership.

[PDXWesty]

Tarps and adjustable poles work remarkably well.

[climberjohn]

I get a "file not found" error on Vanagon Nut's post at the top of this page, so I am not sure what he refers to. But it sounds like electrical conduit.

I saw a pretty nice set up at the recent Wetwesty gathering on the Oregon coast. A guy from Seattle had a Syncro hardtop with a nice Yakima rack system, He rigged an electrical conduit awning frame and then put the horizontal ends into the already mounted Yakima bars, thus connecting the conduit frame to the van in a very fast and pretty sturdy way. A tarp, awning, camel skin etc. can then be tossed over the frame. This rig has apparently been field tested in the heat and winds of Burning Man several times, so that seems a pretty good endorsement.

[/img]
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'86 Westy, 2.5 Subaru power
Know your limits. Exceed them often.

[campism]

Not exactly homemade, but home-modified. This one works for us.

http://picasaweb.google.com/bike2vcu/AwningProject#

It also retains the ability to be used as the four-pole freestanding fly in its original configuration.

Stephen

[winkshog]

[Vanagon Nut]

[Timwhy]

[campism]

The BD awning has a perimeter frame in addition to the X supporting the dome so it may be sturdier, and is pretty fairly priced. Good luck with your project!

[campism]

For those of you using tarps as awnings, I found some interesting fittings. Go to www.leevalley.com and then click on Gardening>Leisure>Camping & Hiking.
They show several different tarp clips that might be handy for anchoring in different conditions. These things may also be available elsewhere but my gardening bride just got their newest catalog.

[dubstar]

I found this link:

http://www.vanagon.com/info/accessories/inexpensive-awning/index.html

and I tested mine for the first time yesterday:

it worked really well and I am happy with the results...total cost about $28, but I already had the steel pole for the rain gutter...

I think the tent rope lengths can be shorter and only one per side is necessary if it is not windy...with two lines coming off each pole, it is very solid...little flags or bits of ribbon on the ropes will also prevent people from running into them...I'm going to try to figure out a way to set this up on hard surfaces next...

[Bruce Wayne]

[buildyourown]

Here is the best one I've seen.
Guy lines were a deal breaker for me since I regularly camp in large parking lots. (ie, bike races)

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

Not homemade, but probably one of the cheapest especially since shipping is free.
http://campinglab.com/awning.html