DIY 270° Awning. To keep me busy during winter....

[Firewout]

Once upon a time somewhere in France. It's raining !
Anita refused to leave the truck, not even to get me a beer and above all, she ordered me to do the cooking. :

It became clear to me that this unbearable situation had to change ! I won't tolerate it anymore !
I won't be ordered to do the cooking in the rain again !
I'll make myself an awning!
And I guess I'll have to stop drinking as well...

 

[stumog]

That's is called a English bbq

 

[Firewout]

I start with a plan

next : buy materials

 

[Firewout]

setting up for some welding

 

[TALAMAN]

Great idea, I am thinking about an awning but perhaps not as posh as that! Please post lotsa details shots!
Watching with interest.
Geoff

 

[Firewout]

some dimensions :
the 'arms' : 220 cm x 2 cm x 5 cm and 2 cm x2 cm 2mm thick aluminium.
hinges : alu rod 22 mm x 15 cm + SS tube 10 mm diameter + 8 mm ss threaded rod + nylon bushings
support : 15 cm x 5 mm x 220 cm alu

 

[GeekOKent]

Very nice.

If you can, store the vertical poles inside the box section of the horizontal ones. It will make deploying the whole thing much much simpler

 

[Firewout]

good idea GOK, but I wonder if 16 mm poles will be strong enough.
got some more work done.
I found a cheap saw blade in a dutch shop for my festool plunge saw to cut aluminium. only 11 euro and it cuts amazingly well. For this blade, festool would charge me 160 euros!!
I used it to cut the 5 mm plates for the hinge support.

 

[Firewout]

I welded the plates onto a 150x2200X5 mm alu strip.
as you will notice on the photos, my TIG aluminium welding skill can be improved. I find it quite tricky stuff to weld and I'm happy to have invested in a power pedal to adjust the welding current while welding.

 

[karl webster]

I'm liking it.

As in says. The poles on the ostrich hinge up from the outside of the awning into the rails. Works really well and a fair bit better than the fox where you have to add the uprights.

 

[stumog]

Looks amazing

Are you using anything as a bearing on the pivot points?

 

[Firewout]

Are you using anything as a bearing on the pivot points?

yes, I made nylon bushings which pivot on 10 mm ss tubes. 8 mm ss threaded rods inside the tubes to bolt everything together.

 

[StarCruiser]

Nicely done Wout. Ally is not easy to weld. The key I think, is cleaning/scraping off the weld area immediately before welding. It always pulls like crazy when it cools.

 

[stumog]

Thanks for that been thinking of making an awning when u get a new welder.

I found that cleaning the area with a stainless wire brush helps with Ali.

 

[Xena]

I welded the plates onto a 150x2200X5 mm alu strip.
as you will notice on the photos, my TIG aluminium welding skill can be improved. I find it quite tricky stuff to weld and I'm happy to have invested in a power pedal to adjust the welding current while welding.

View attachment 139778 View attachment 139782 View attachment 139783

WOW jaw dropping work !!!

 

[Gasmanjc]

Amazing project mate! Im no welder but the welds look ok. im flat out getting 2 bits of paper together with some masking tape. Check out the Drifta 270° Awning for some inspiration. It is very well built also. They have made the rear section square with the vehicle which gives more cover/protection at the rear. I have modified your drawing to show what I mean. Im not sure how difficult it would be to achieve this.

 

[Firewout]

Check out the Drifta 270° Awning for some inspiration.

the drifta is 30 cms longer and thus providing more cover at the rear of the truck. your suggestion will need another pole which hinges from the other side. this will make things too complicated.

update : this is where I got until now

 

[Firewout]

Last week I got myself a nice present :

The PO used it for one week and left 2 pairs of socks in it (clean ones)

plans for today : get the load bars and tent on to the truck and start fitting the awning.

 

[Chris]

Sweet! I love my JB.

 

[Firewout]

update : fitting the tent
the tent has to come off the truck in between trips, so I need a system to lift it on and off.
I found those in a shop in Holland :

cut some flat steel and fabricate a bracket :

fitted the brackets against the roof and did the test:

to be on the safe side, I secured it with a rope

it makes lifting the tent onto/off the truck a really easy job!