5. TRUSS SIZES:  On the inside truss pipe you would deduct 8” instead of the 6” because  of  the way the pipe  meets the hardware tarp fitting.  If you are adding sides some of the tarp sections  will be hung with 6" ball bungees and the 9" will also be used  when going around the fittings or the corner. The tarp should just touch the edge of the pipe so the 6" ball bungees should be long enough.
The bottom of the  right triangle horizontal to the ground  will be smaller than the roof part of the triangle.
The last  piece you cut in the truss is the vertical strengthening piece that  is inside the  big triangle to make two right triangles. The size is determine by trial and error as you lay it out on the ground. Usually all pipe should be cut with the peak exactly in the center so that all of  the lower connections will line up.

Assemble all of  your trusses at one time so you can visually see them side by side. ALL TRUSSES SHOULD BE IDENTICAL.  After this is done  you can assemble two trusses to make the first section of your tent.  Keep several step ladders handy to rest the frame  if  you are short of help.

6.FITTINGS:  All fittings allow the pipe to be seated at different positions. Some fittings do not allow the pipe to go to the end. The fitting pipe may be welded over another pipe. Double check your measurements after you cut your pipe and adjust the pipe with the locking bolts. A little  shorter pipe allows you to move the pipe either way inside the fitting so it lines up identically. An exact cut pipe does not allow you any adjustment room.

7. THE TRUSS TRIANGLE. In a right triangle "A" squared  plus " B "squared = C squared. The tent angle is 12 degrees. The horizontal reinforcing pipe in the triangle will be shorter than the opposite roof  peak pipe in the triangle. Pipe can be adjusted in the fitting and secured in place with the locking bolt. If you are using an oversized tarp like a 20x 24 size on a 20 ft. frame you can seat the bottom part of the triangle all the way in but the upper part of  the triangle will not be inserted all the way into the end of the connector so as to extend the peak pipe longer than 10 ft by using the 3" of extra space in each port of each fitting. This is why you don't have to cut the pipe to make the length different if you purchased an oversized tarp.
The connector adjustment area helps make a 10 foot pipe actually about 10 1/2 feet so the bottom pipe does not have to be cut. If you do not have an oversized tarp this method will not work  so you will have to cut all the pipe sections in the truss.

8.THE FIRST 2 TRUSSES. After all trusses (roof triangles) are built exactly the same, assemble the frame with the full 10 ft. expanding  sections between the trusses.  You can lay the first triangle flat on the ground and insert all of the 10 ft pipe in the open ports. Be sure your locking bolt is unscrewed so the pipe will seat against the end of the connector and not against the bolt hanging down. Lock the pipe down by tightening the eye bolt so the pipe doesn't fall out when you raise up the frame. When you tilt the structure over you will be able  to attach the 2nd truss. Lock these pipes by tightening the eye bolt now so it doesn't fall out when you raise it up.

 9.  TRUSSES 3, 4, ETC.: When you  have the first 2 trusses connected and up you can inset the 10 ft sections of pipe in the completed section and then add the 3rd truss. Be sure the first two have weight on the foot pads to counter balance weight of the pipe until the 3rd section of the support legs. When you are ready to attach the last truss you  will have to be cut the 10 ft pipe so that the final edge of the  tarp just touches the pipe. Do this with a tape measure since you know the exact length of the tarp.  

10. WHEN TO ATTACH THE TARP.  Only on 10 ft wide tents can you attach the tarp to the roof frame while it is on the ground.  Anything larger than that requires that you assemble the frame and adjust the frame with the locking bolts. Bolts should be snug.  Do NOT exert extra pressure on the bolts as it could strip them. It will strip the bolts and then they won't be able to lock the frame down.
 The tarp should be snug touching the frame and not stretched. The larger tents should be assembled with one section at a time placing the tarp over the  frame only  when the frame is completely built and re-measured to be sure that it will meet the pipe  exactly the way it should.

Tent questions? Call me now. Brian Nelson  713-467-3025  M-Sat. 7am-9pm CS
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11. WIND: You want plenty of help so the wind doesn't grab the tent as a kite until you can get it locked down securely. Ropes can be used to  pull the tarp over the frame. Extra ladders of different sizes  on the work site are always helpful. Once you get the first section up you have to get to the top of the tent to tighten the locking bolt. 

12. SUPPORT LEGS:  The support poles are usually  6.5 to 7.5 ft. unless you absolutely need a higher covered area. If you are using side tarps the support poles may have to be about 3 inches longer due to the position of the foot pad. A side tarp hardware usually goes just  above the top of the foot pad. The higher your support poles the more you expose your  tent to the wind.  All tiny pieces in the truss triangles can be the pieces left over from cutting the support legs.

13. NO FOOT PADS. When you want your side tarps to go all the way to the ground you have to order Not-Thru Valance fittings that allow  you to attach the side tarp to the  frame which sits on  the ground eliminating the need for  ordering the footpads. This is a little harder to install than a tent on foot pads because it has to be very exact.

14. ATTACHING FOOTPADS: Attach the foot pads to the poles before you attach the support legs to the frame. Position all support poles about where you will need them when you start to raise the frame. Insert the support pole into the down piece of the frame triangle. Lock the pipe down so it doesn't fall out when you raise it up.

15. COLOR CODING YOUR TENT:  Once you have finished putting your tarp canopy together mark  or color code all your pipe and fittings  with tape or a felt pen  so you can quickly reassemble the tarp the next time you use it. Ex. A goes with A. and BB goes with BB,  1 with 1,  etc. Red with Red, Blue with Blue, Green with Green. etc.   We sell  7 rolls of different colored electrical tape ( which is hard to find ) for $10.

16.ATTACHING THE TARP TO THE FRAME: When your frame is  rock solid you can tie ropes to the tarp and slide it over the  frame or hand it over using stepladders. If you have cut your pipe correctly  you should use mostly 6" ball bungees .
 Use the 9” ball bungees when the tarp does not touch the pipe.

17.TAKING THE TENT DOWN. When you  are taking  the frame down it can be just as dangerous when you install it. Remove the tarp first and roll it up dry and clean.  Anticipate anything that may occur  when you remove support  leg from a support pole when you are disassembling  the tent. Keep children away while you dismantle your tent.

19.  PIPE LENGTH.  When a customer first gets his tent  the question always comes up on how many of the 10 ft pipe have to be cut. In general most of them  have to be cut. Because no 2 tarps are exactly the same I will NOT be able to tell you how  long to cut the pipe. You will  cut a lot less pipe if you order an over sized tarp for a 20 ft wide tent.

22. WIDER TENT. If you are buying a tent with a valance or sides you can purchase a oversized tarp like a 24x20 on a 20x20 tent,  a 24'x30' tarp on a 20x30, and a 24x40 on a 20x40 tent, you  will have a larger footprint or over all size of the tent  Because the wider tarp will be used to make a valance without shrinking the size of your tent which occurs when you lose footprint size because of
 A.  Tarps are not as big as they say they are.
B. The 12 degree incline use up.
C. The Valance uses up some of the tarp.
The oversized tarp allows you to cut less pipe on  20 ft models. The oversized tarps 12 ft wide are also available for the 10 ft wide tent models.

23. SAME SIZE PIPE.  If you want the distance between your trusses to be all the same you can just cut the first truss to truss sections shorter and the last section longer making them all the same for easier reassembly.
Color code and mark all pipe and connectors as soon as you have finished.

24.  VALANCES. Valances  are handy in that they slide up and down the support pipe and keep the top tarp tight.  A valance will make your tent stronger, look nicer and help you to keep the roof tarp adjusted taut. If your tarp is NOT taut and has a loose area where rain water may pocket it could bend the pipe and collapse the tent. See Photo above in no. 10.   If tarp is NOT taut you will have to refit the tarp to the frame so there is  very little chance of the roof  tarp pocketing water.

25. 4 SIDED VALANCE :  If you planned for a 4 sided valance, the section between the last two triangles 3 and 4 has to be cut so the over-hang is  EXACTLY  the  same as the side valance since  they use the same fitting. Be sure you understand this before attempting a 4 sided valance. A valance and sides will be assembled different from a tent without a valance. It is best to call me 713-467-3025  on assembly of a 4 sided valance.

26. PONDING. :One of the problems you  should really watch out for is a loose roof tarp. See photos  10 & 11 above. If the tarp is  not tight it  will pocket, pond water, collect and store water. If your tarp will be unattended and up for a long time we suggest you  purchase additional trusses so that the opportunity for the tent to pond water will be significantly reduced. This reduces the roof span area from a 10x10 space to a 5x10 space. This makes it about 3 times stronger.     We want you to not  have a problems with  accumulating rain.  You  do not have to have a supporting leg under the additional truss. It is recommended that as soon as you  are almost finished with the roof tarp that you take the garden hose to the top of the tent and let water run down over the tarp. If it starts to collect and does not run off then you need to adjust the tent so the water does not collect on the roof of the tarp. Consider using a dome tent.  See the red box above or below. Consider color coding your pipe to help you set up your tent the next time. It will be a lot easier if you use our color coded tape.  
 54 of 99 WATER Ponding & Pocketing. WHAT NOT TO DO!  
      
Keep your tarp taught (tight) Water Ponding, 'puddling' and pocketing with loose tarps on tents can cause your tent to be loaded with water and cause your tent to  collapse.  On long term set ups  we highly recommend extra trusses which triples the strength  by reducing the fabric span from 10 ft span to 5 ft.