On tying off guy ropes. This is different than our method had been, where we would wrap the slack up the stake with a half hitch at the very top to protect the top of the stake from getting hit by ankles.
re 6:36 It is easier & quicker, to put the half-hitch on the top of the pole before you insert the tip into the grommet. (This way, you don't have to pull the entire line thru to form the half-hitch.)
Many clarification points: You want to use a drop cloth (4-8mil plastic usually 10-12' wide) under the tent to keep grass, dirt, etc. It is ok to align the corner stakes 10-degrees towards "straight out" from the corner. A 12lbs sledge is fine and easier to handle than a 16, which is unnecessary. Even 10 is ok if you know how to swing, or don't know how to swing! Sight down the line to make sure the stakes are directly in line, as straight as possible. Use a clove hitch around the tent stake, rather than the full hitch shown here. When installing the side poles, you want to push OUT of the tent rather than in to the tent, this prevents the side poles from potentially sticking into the slack of the tent. Tilt the side poles no more than 10 degrees in at the bottom before raising the center pole and set them right in line with where the tent pole will ultimately go. All of the lines should be evenly slack. When installing the safety line on to the side pole, you want to pull it down tightly, then put the half hitch just above the valance of the tent side. You then wrap the slack of the line back up around the pulled down line section and half hitch. Secure the end with a couple of half hitches leaving only 3-4 inches of "tail". This looks neater and keeps people from accidentally untying the line by pulling at it. On the center pole, the first half hitch should be around 3-6 inches down and again, all slack out so the tent is all the way down on to the pole. This is to ensure the that half hitch doesn't slip off the end of the center pole during the raising process or later. You then put a half hitch OVER that half hitch, tension both, and another half hitch a foot or so down. Pros will do those second and third half hitches by flipping from the ground. So three half hitches. When you tie off the slack, you want to make sure it is done similarly to the side poles, such that it is out of most people's reach and eyeline. Continued....
On folding: basically as done here (although with drop cloth). Before you roll, you may want to short fold one side in to protect that valance. It depends on the tent. I worked for several tent companies, all over the US, installing thousands of frame, pole and tensile structures up to 120'x300', on stage flooring, structures, in backyards, you name it. A one piece pole tent like this should take as little as an hour to an hour and a half to install for a skilled 3 person crew, depending on if you put on sidewalls. Tear down is about the same. YMMV. Lay down drop cloth, roll out and spread tent, lay down stakes and poles, sight stake locations, drive stakes, tie off stakes, install corners, install side poles, install center poles, straighten tent, tighten, check, re-straighten, re-tighten, wrap stakes, install sidewalls, remove drop cloth.
Sidewalls, again, you really want drop cloths to keep from tearing, damaging, getting dirt and grass on the sidewall. Don't drag them like these guys show. If it is dry, clean grass that hasn't recently been cut, you are probably going to be ok without a drop cloth. You want a drop cloth, of course, also when you are taking down the tent and when you are folding. The last thing you need is grass, leaves, dirt, etc, in your tent when you store it.When you roll, you want to make sure to inspect and brush off the tent.
On tightening: I don't like this method. Make sure the center pole is right where you want it by sighting. You will need to kick the drop cloth out of the way to set the pole. You also need a piece of plywood or block under the pole to make sure it doesn't drive into the ground, this may also be needed under the side and corner poles. Go to the corner most out of alignment, or most important, and set the pole straight up right where you want it based on the stakes, etc.. Take out the majority of slack, or put in slack if needed. Go to the next "critical" corner, or the corner on the SHORT side. Repeat the process for all four corners. At this point, the tent should be basically where you want it, and evenly tensioned, but just snugly at this point, but not really tight. The side poles should basically be slightly tilted in (from before). Then you tilt in the corner and side poles. All evenly tilted at 10-15 degrees straight in toward the tent from the line of the stake. Corners first, it usually won't matter order at this point, but similar process to above. One person will be on the knot and as one-two people tug the slack out, the person on the knot will take the slack out of the TOP PART of the clove hitch, hold it over the knot, and pull the bottom part of the hitch tight. The knot should be as close to the bottom of the stake as you can get. This is VERY IMPORTANT. After you have tightened the corners, you stand up the corner poles straight, but leave the side poles tilted. You then do the sides in a similar manner, long sides first. Do one side snugly, then the opposite side, then the short sides. Then go around again and remove more slack. Go around a third time if needed. Your goal is to take out slack in such a way that the tent is bone straight, evenly tensioned, and no wrinkles, BEFORE you stand ujp the side poles. When you stand up the side poles, that is when you get the remaining tension into the tent. If you have a loose or misaligned corner, tilt poles in and adjust tension as needed. To be continued....
On dropping; Again, DROP CLOTHS. You want to loosen as shown, but it is also ok to leave the side poles in, especially on a longer tent. Just make sure you DO NOT UNTIE JUMP ROPES. Remove the center pole, then the side poles, then the corners. ONLY UNTIE THE JUMP ROPES WHEN YOU REMOVE THE POLE. If the wind lifts your newly loosened tent and pokes a hole in your tent, you will know why you weren't supposed to untie the jump rope!
On tying off guy ropes. This is different than our method had been, where we would wrap the slack up the stake with a half hitch at the very top to protect the top of the stake from getting hit by ankles.
re 6:36 It is easier & quicker, to put the half-hitch on the top of the pole before you insert the tip into the grommet. (This way, you don't have to pull the entire line thru to form the half-hitch.)
Many clarification points: You want to use a drop cloth (4-8mil plastic usually 10-12' wide) under the tent to keep grass, dirt, etc. It is ok to align the corner stakes 10-degrees towards "straight out" from the corner. A 12lbs sledge is fine and easier to handle than a 16, which is unnecessary. Even 10 is ok if you know how to swing, or don't know how to swing! Sight down the line to make sure the stakes are directly in line, as straight as possible. Use a clove hitch around the tent stake, rather than the full hitch shown here. When installing the side poles, you want to push OUT of the tent rather than in to the tent, this prevents the side poles from potentially sticking into the slack of the tent. Tilt the side poles no more than 10 degrees in at the bottom before raising the center pole and set them right in line with where the tent pole will ultimately go. All of the lines should be evenly slack. When installing the safety line on to the side pole, you want to pull it down tightly, then put the half hitch just above the valance of the tent side. You then wrap the slack of the line back up around the pulled down line section and half hitch. Secure the end with a couple of half hitches leaving only 3-4 inches of "tail". This looks neater and keeps people from accidentally untying the line by pulling at it. On the center pole, the first half hitch should be around 3-6 inches down and again, all slack out so the tent is all the way down on to the pole. This is to ensure the that half hitch doesn't slip off the end of the center pole during the raising process or later. You then put a half hitch OVER that half hitch, tension both, and another half hitch a foot or so down. Pros will do those second and third half hitches by flipping from the ground. So three half hitches. When you tie off the slack, you want to make sure it is done similarly to the side poles, such that it is out of most people's reach and eyeline. Continued....
these guys are good!
On folding: basically as done here (although with drop cloth). Before you roll, you may want to short fold one side in to protect that valance. It depends on the tent.
I worked for several tent companies, all over the US, installing thousands of frame, pole and tensile structures up to 120'x300', on stage flooring, structures, in backyards, you name it.
A one piece pole tent like this should take as little as an hour to an hour and a half to install for a skilled 3 person crew, depending on if you put on sidewalls. Tear down is about the same. YMMV. Lay down drop cloth, roll out and spread tent, lay down stakes and poles, sight stake locations, drive stakes, tie off stakes, install corners, install side poles, install center poles, straighten tent, tighten, check, re-straighten, re-tighten, wrap stakes, install sidewalls, remove drop cloth.
Sidewalls, again, you really want drop cloths to keep from tearing, damaging, getting dirt and grass on the sidewall. Don't drag them like these guys show. If it is dry, clean grass that hasn't recently been cut, you are probably going to be ok without a drop cloth. You want a drop cloth, of course, also when you are taking down the tent and when you are folding. The last thing you need is grass, leaves, dirt, etc, in your tent when you store it.When you roll, you want to make sure to inspect and brush off the tent.
On tightening: I don't like this method. Make sure the center pole is right where you want it by sighting. You will need to kick the drop cloth out of the way to set the pole. You also need a piece of plywood or block under the pole to make sure it doesn't drive into the ground, this may also be needed under the side and corner poles. Go to the corner most out of alignment, or most important, and set the pole straight up right where you want it based on the stakes, etc.. Take out the majority of slack, or put in slack if needed. Go to the next "critical" corner, or the corner on the SHORT side. Repeat the process for all four corners. At this point, the tent should be basically where you want it, and evenly tensioned, but just snugly at this point, but not really tight. The side poles should basically be slightly tilted in (from before). Then you tilt in the corner and side poles. All evenly tilted at 10-15 degrees straight in toward the tent from the line of the stake. Corners first, it usually won't matter order at this point, but similar process to above. One person will be on the knot and as one-two people tug the slack out, the person on the knot will take the slack out of the TOP PART of the clove hitch, hold it over the knot, and pull the bottom part of the hitch tight. The knot should be as close to the bottom of the stake as you can get. This is VERY IMPORTANT. After you have tightened the corners, you stand up the corner poles straight, but leave the side poles tilted. You then do the sides in a similar manner, long sides first. Do one side snugly, then the opposite side, then the short sides. Then go around again and remove more slack. Go around a third time if needed. Your goal is to take out slack in such a way that the tent is bone straight, evenly tensioned, and no wrinkles, BEFORE you stand ujp the side poles. When you stand up the side poles, that is when you get the remaining tension into the tent. If you have a loose or misaligned corner, tilt poles in and adjust tension as needed. To be continued....
On dropping; Again, DROP CLOTHS. You want to loosen as shown, but it is also ok to leave the side poles in, especially on a longer tent. Just make sure you DO NOT UNTIE JUMP ROPES. Remove the center pole, then the side poles, then the corners. ONLY UNTIE THE JUMP ROPES WHEN YOU REMOVE THE POLE. If the wind lifts your newly loosened tent and pokes a hole in your tent, you will know why you weren't supposed to untie the jump rope!
Can I get the tent