Lifting an awning.

[ARW]

So get a van with a bulkhead:-)

[The Medway Handyman]

No.

My van is only two seater.

Prolly not.

[The Medway Handyman]

Alas not.

[The Medway Handyman]

My thinking is along the 'Pyramids & Stonehenge' lines.

[Adam Aglionby]

Ah, levitation :-)

Failing mind over matter would look at hiring a Genie as and when, 100 quid a day at HSS, probably cheaper elsewhere, used by quite a lot of industries,

If the customer is purchasing an awning at this sort of size and height they are presumably prepared to pay for the fitting costs.

Falling things kill:

on_accident

Cheers Adam

[Nick Odell]

Ah! You mean something like a precision trebuchet to fling the awning onto pre-mounted wall-studs from one hundred yards away?

Nick

[The Medway Handyman]

Sort of......

[Sam Plusnet]

I think the design of the trebuchet post-dates the pyramids by a millennia or three.

But let's not stand in the way of a jolly fine idea - or indeed, anywhere near it.

[Nthkentman]

I've asked a similar thing before, but installing awnings has taken off like a rocket.

Up to about 3.5 metres - about 50kg - they are a two man lift. Much above that, its three. Problem being I can't get a third man in the van & many jobs are miles away.

So, any thoughts on lifting them - average height 2.5 metres from the ground?

Current method with the smaller ones is to lift them onto to the top of two step ladders, then lift into the brackets from there.

I have an angle grinder & WD40.

When I woz in the Hire Trade we could never get enough of these buggers out the door eBay 380566557999

Light, cheap, V easily maneuverer, and best of all simple

[The Medway Handyman]

Who did you work for AAMOI??

I have one of those, wonder how I could attach the awning?

[Dave Liquorice]

Why frames, plural? Just one, tall enough to lean against the wall at the center, pully 18" or so above the highest required lift, hand winch at bottom, strop around the awning to provide to provide two lifting points.

TBH though I prefer the sound of the two bits of 4x4 with holes and pegs. I'd have them as the hypotenuse of a triangular frame of some sort. The heights may have to be be adjustable as they have to stop just below the installed height of the awning. Go higher and they get in the way. Tied the tops off to the awning brackets to stop 'em falling over.

But can Dave's van transport 3m or so long bits of 4x4?

[Sam Plusnet]

That max weight capacity only applies if you have the thing _exactly_ vertical and no sideways forces.

In real life use I could see it collapsing like cooked spaghetti.

[polygonum]

They do not need to be single pieces but could be several pieces screwed together on site.

[The Medway Handyman]

'Bing'!

On the roof I can.

[ss]

I dont think you need the triangular format ( I am unscientific) just connect the 2 lots of 4 x 4 with say 2 horizontal pieces of wood (2 x 2) On the 2 x 2 pieces have a triangle of ply say 9x9x9 inches fixed to the

2 x2 in two places to stop it hinging (terminology) and pre drill to have the triangles then fit to the 4x4s that would make it stable enough, in my opinion. Even one piece of 2x2 attached midway on the 4x4 may suffice.

[Nightjar]

With two, you can adjust the height of each end individually, which would give much better control and make it simpler to position the awning exactly.

That is what roof racks are for.

Colin Bignell

[Dave Liquorice]

But you don't need to position the awning exactly. There are brackets already fixed to the wall, all you need to do is lift it up to those.

3 m is quite long not to over hang front/rear on a small van. Yeah OK tie a bright coloured flag to the overhanging bit but it's still not good.

[Dave Liquorice]

I think you mean stop it "parallelograming". But what stops the base of the 4x4 slipping outwards under load? With the triangular frame you have greater area in contact with the ground so less chance of it slipping. The vertical support for the 4x4 would need to be adjustable, adapted plaster board jack thingy?

[Dave Liquorice]

This is true but joints are weak points. This contraption is for supporting something expensive and over 50 kg. You don't want to drop it...

Another thing about the peg system is that you can "walk" it up an end at a time and you don't have to lift the full weight.

[Roger Mills]

So don't you then need a crane to lift it onto and off the roof?