I keep eyeing those little tents every time I go to IKEA, but then I tell myself that it would break easily, and be a pain to store, and it's not really big enough to do much in, so it will only last a few months, etc. I go on and on and just don't buy one.
I was thinking about how cool it would be to build my own. With a basic google image search, I found a lot of wooden A-frame type tents. Sooo me and tools? We don't get along very well, so I thought PVC pipe might work out. I found a tutorial I liked, and changed some dimensions and stuff, and went to Home Depot with a list in hand. I WOULD link you to that tutorial, but it took me about an hour to build this thing because the instructions on that tutorial were SO bad. Here are mine instead.
First off, bring this list to Home Depot, and ask one of the workers there to cut these to size for you. They do it for free, and most of the workers enjoy doing it!
3/4 inch white pvp pipe cut in the following sizes:
5 pieces cut 50 inches long
4 pieces cut 40 inches long
3 pieces cut 42 inches long
4 pieces cut 34 inches long
4 pieces cut 1 3/4 inches long
As far as connecting pieces, you will need:
2 3/4 inch pvc schedule 40 slip elbows
4 3/4 inch pvc schedule 40 slip tees
8 3/4 inch pvc schedule 40 slip slide outlet elbows
(my home depot didn't have the last one, as one of the ends was smaller than 3/4 inch, so I bought what they had that was most similar, and then bought 8 "male" pieces to fit in the end, making each end 3/4 inch...see the pic)
I was thinking about how cool it would be to build my own. With a basic google image search, I found a lot of wooden A-frame type tents. Sooo me and tools? We don't get along very well, so I thought PVC pipe might work out. I found a tutorial I liked, and changed some dimensions and stuff, and went to Home Depot with a list in hand. I WOULD link you to that tutorial, but it took me about an hour to build this thing because the instructions on that tutorial were SO bad. Here are mine instead.
First off, bring this list to Home Depot, and ask one of the workers there to cut these to size for you. They do it for free, and most of the workers enjoy doing it!
3/4 inch white pvp pipe cut in the following sizes:
5 pieces cut 50 inches long
4 pieces cut 40 inches long
3 pieces cut 42 inches long
4 pieces cut 34 inches long
4 pieces cut 1 3/4 inches long
As far as connecting pieces, you will need:
2 3/4 inch pvc schedule 40 slip elbows
4 3/4 inch pvc schedule 40 slip tees
8 3/4 inch pvc schedule 40 slip slide outlet elbows
(my home depot didn't have the last one, as one of the ends was smaller than 3/4 inch, so I bought what they had that was most similar, and then bought 8 "male" pieces to fit in the end, making each end 3/4 inch...see the pic)
Alright. We're home with our cut pieces, and ready to build. Ready? No? Okay, here we go anyways..
First take 2 of your 50 inch pieces, and on one end, put your 2 slip elbows. On the other end, put 2 of your slide outlet elbows.
Attach another 50 inch pipe to connect your two pipes through the slide outlet elbows you just attached.
You should now have a 3 sided frame flat on the ground.
First take 2 of your 50 inch pieces, and on one end, put your 2 slip elbows. On the other end, put 2 of your slide outlet elbows.
Attach another 50 inch pipe to connect your two pipes through the slide outlet elbows you just attached.
You should now have a 3 sided frame flat on the ground.
Take your 4 40 inch pipes, and have them stand upright coming from all 4 corners now.
Attach 4 of your slide outlet elbows to the tops of those 40 inch pipes.
Take the last 2 of your 50 inch pipes, and attach it between the two slip elbows in the back of your frame and the front of your frame.
Attach 4 of your slide outlet elbows to the tops of those 40 inch pipes.
Take the last 2 of your 50 inch pipes, and attach it between the two slip elbows in the back of your frame and the front of your frame.
Take 2 42 inch pipes, and slide a slip tee on each end.
Slide a 1 3/4 inch pipe on each end of the slip tee
Connect the weird looking pipe you just made, to the sides of your frame. This should complete your upright standing box frame. Right? Oh gawd I hope so!
Slide a 1 3/4 inch pipe on each end of the slip tee
Connect the weird looking pipe you just made, to the sides of your frame. This should complete your upright standing box frame. Right? Oh gawd I hope so!
For the top part of your tent, place your last two slide outlet elbows on each side of your last 42 inch pipe. Making an A-frame type shape, connect your 4 34 inch pipes to the elbows.
Take that whole piece, and connect it to the top of your frame. (There should be slip tee's sitting open, ready to connect it to!
YOU DID IT! Go celebrate with an enormous glass of wine. ;)...or two.
Another update to come when I make fabric sides for this!
Take that whole piece, and connect it to the top of your frame. (There should be slip tee's sitting open, ready to connect it to!
YOU DID IT! Go celebrate with an enormous glass of wine. ;)...or two.
Another update to come when I make fabric sides for this!