tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922503085503427986.post8736784459873946346..comments2024-03-29T06:35:17.330-07:00Comments on Desert Home: Shade - Extremely Low Techdavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11608589214882334649noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922503085503427986.post-48144161729288741102021-08-01T11:20:12.278-07:002021-08-01T11:20:12.278-07:00Make sure you use a rope that can resist the sun. ...Make sure you use a rope that can resist the sun. My first try with cotton did not go well. Dacron polyester is the best one I've tried so far. It's been in about two years and still working well.<br /><br />If the pvc pipe flexes too much, put steel conduit inside it and secure that in place with the screws you use to attach the shade cloth to.<br /><br />I'm really proud of my shades and they work well. Have to roll them up in the wind though, but that's not much of a problem.<br />davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11608589214882334649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922503085503427986.post-50351851814892156332021-08-01T10:38:25.200-07:002021-08-01T10:38:25.200-07:00Thanks, Dave. Just the illustration I've been ...Thanks, Dave. Just the illustration I've been looking for to do my rollup sun shade. Mine is smaller, 52 inches wide by 84 inches high.I plan to use a 1 inch pvc pipe at bottom with a 48 inch snap on clamp, eyelet screws, about 50 feet of rope, and a tie down.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03037126303989707625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922503085503427986.post-71230033879836685542018-07-14T21:39:11.746-07:002018-07-14T21:39:11.746-07:00Thanks Dave.Thanks Dave.Andy Dwyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07851255803282137182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922503085503427986.post-29961334512454815262018-07-14T17:14:34.324-07:002018-07-14T17:14:34.324-07:00I used a big washer and a screw. I bent the washer...I used a big washer and a screw. I bent the washer a little bit to sort of match the PVC diameter and ran the screw through the washer and then the cloth. I used several of them down the length about a foot apart or so. They've lasted for years now.<br /><br />My problem is pulleys and cord. The cord rots in the sun and the pulleys jam up with debris. I haven't found any good commercial pulleys that will do the job, so I'm seriously thinking about making me some with some sheet metal and those bearings they use in those figits the kids play with or maybe some roller skate bearings. The cord is a problem I'm still looking for a solution to.davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11608589214882334649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922503085503427986.post-78391101588365357742018-07-13T07:16:22.994-07:002018-07-13T07:16:22.994-07:00Dave, thanks for putting this on the net, pretty m...Dave, thanks for putting this on the net, pretty much exactly what i’m looking for !!<br />I’m in Thailand and in the afternoon i get the sun straight into my double sliding doors in the lounge, not possible to fit anything fixed as the driveway is in line with the sun.<br />I bought and fit a blind fron IKEA ( 6 1/2 feet wide) which was good initially but now the sun is setting in a different position ( didn’t take that into account ��) and need a wider one .<br />Already bought the shade 13 feet wide by 8 1/4 feet drop which is ideal, it’s very lightweight so gonna put a 2” pvc tube in the bottom and try it exactly as you did yours . Hopefully 3 rope drops should be enough, if not i can probably squeeze in a 4th !<br />I particularly liked the bigger pulley arrangement instead of having 3 small pulleys together.<br /><br />One question, how did you fasten your pvc to the bottom of shade ?<br />I don’t think mine will sew very easily to make a loop so I’m thinking of glueing it around the pvc, if i do a decent job it should be easy to roll up ?<br /><br />Be interested to hear your thoughts .<br />Andy Dwyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07851255803282137182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922503085503427986.post-86155270327808027782016-12-29T16:27:52.941-07:002016-12-29T16:27:52.941-07:00I really, really want to see pictures of what you ...I really, really want to see pictures of what you wind up with. Look around for big pulleys; it makes raising and lowering the shades much easier. Basically, the bigger the pulley, the easier it is to work with. davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11608589214882334649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922503085503427986.post-52266196091379264922016-12-29T15:06:15.360-07:002016-12-29T15:06:15.360-07:00Hola Dave - I live in Costa Rica where we have ple...Hola Dave - I live in Costa Rica where we have plenty of sun! I bought shade cloth some time ago after finding your blog. I like the idea of the roll-up shade as there are certainly many hours in the day to enjoy ocean & mountain views.....just not during the heat of the day! I found a site that provides fairly clear instructions. I haven't started my project yet so I can't give it the thumbs up...but hopefully will share photos soon.<br />Pura Vida!Pathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08818933062712768411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922503085503427986.post-72376283434573859132016-06-14T17:19:35.528-07:002016-06-14T17:19:35.528-07:00Uh, er, there aren't any instructions other th...Uh, er, there aren't any instructions other than this page. I used shade cloth I ordered off the web, one half inch pvc tubing, some washers, screws, cord and pulleys from Home Depot. I just fastened the tubing to the shade cloth and rolled it up. I wrapped the cord around the roll and fastened the whole thing to a beam on the patio.<br /><br />You should be able to see how I did it from the pictures. If you can't tell, just look at some roll up shades at one of the big stores and you'll see how I did it.davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11608589214882334649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922503085503427986.post-86733196975542561782016-06-14T16:57:09.762-07:002016-06-14T16:57:09.762-07:00Am I missing something here or can you help me as ...Am I missing something here or can you help me as to where the instructions for making these are? I'm going to be moving into a west facing apt. and these look like they would be perfect to shade the balconyThrough Loopys Lenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15672834079349735885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922503085503427986.post-25069767540076568382015-12-10T14:34:17.248-07:002015-12-10T14:34:17.248-07:00Agree, Dave. That place costs an arm and a leg. Bl...Agree, Dave. That place costs an arm and a leg. Blatant ad.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922503085503427986.post-43407521807858550812015-07-17T12:38:46.576-07:002015-07-17T12:38:46.576-07:00http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/ They sell the ...http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/ They sell the stuff for covering greenhouses and such. Nice company to deal with.<br /><br />By the way, the shades are still going strong. I have to replace the ropes that I used, but the shades themselves work great.davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11608589214882334649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922503085503427986.post-59111435492757585952015-07-17T07:56:17.815-07:002015-07-17T07:56:17.815-07:00Dave, where did you order / purchase sail cloth? ...Dave, where did you order / purchase sail cloth? THANKS!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922503085503427986.post-55258005084042209032015-02-25T21:37:44.213-07:002015-02-25T21:37:44.213-07:00Folks, this is spam, but I'm leaving it up bec...Folks, this is spam, but I'm leaving it up because they really are a good idea in many instances, and the site shows some nice looking ideas.<br /><br />I usually trash these things because I hate advertising on my site that isn't paying me to be there.davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11608589214882334649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922503085503427986.post-60492343710112412632015-02-25T14:55:06.753-07:002015-02-25T14:55:06.753-07:00It's really good to know that shade sails are ...It's really good to know that shade sails are a good way to provide a large amount of shade on a tight budget. My wife and I have been wanting to have more shade in our backyard for barbecues and family parties. We like the look of shade sails, especially if they're surrounded by trees like the ones in the picture at the top of the article. From what you said, it sounds like they provide quality shade as well. <a href="http://www.shadesofblueshadesails.com.au" rel="nofollow"> http://www.shadesofblueshadesails.com.au</a>Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06500700087368270847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922503085503427986.post-41099836244464913142014-05-04T14:25:48.031-07:002014-05-04T14:25:48.031-07:00I can try. First, where I live, the wind will tak...I can try. First, where I live, the wind will take out a shade that is 25' long (assuming you mean feet here), and I would count on doing something to protect it from wind storms. In my case, I'd rig some way to roll it up when the wind came or fasten it down really tight with some straps over the top to keep it in place. <br /><br />A guy down the street has his stretched over pipe and a couple of adjustable straps to cinch it up as it stretches over time. He also has a couple of straps over the top that he can cinch up to tighten it as needed.<br /><br />Polypropylene is a really good material for survival in the sun; there are others also. Be sure to look at the sun resistance of the material you choose carefully. Otherwise, you'll be replacing it in a year and that's really annoying. If you get a material that doesn't allow water to pass through it, be darn sure to provide a good slope to the shade. Nothing is more annoying that a sunk in place in the shade that holds water for a week after the rain. If you get a partial shade material, the water will leak through and the shade will dry really quickly. This depends on what you want, full shade or partial.<br /><br />I lean towards partial because you still get light for plants and such, plus it make for a really nice cover in the evening with a gentle breeze.<br /><br />The grommets, rivets, holes, whatever they're called are hugely important. They are what you hook to to tie the thing down. If the pressure is too much and the grommet starts to tear the cloth, it's a pain to fix. I hate using stretchy tie downs. They work great for a week, then they start to fail in the sun and weather. It's better to get adjustable straps of some kind to pull it tight with. <br /><br />There are probably things I forgot, so feel free to ask a question. If I don't know the answer to it, someone else might pop up and tell us both.davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11608589214882334649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922503085503427986.post-24252164294734323952014-05-04T12:36:21.360-07:002014-05-04T12:36:21.360-07:00i found your article while looking for ideas on ho...i found your article while looking for ideas on how to make a shade to cover a patio that is 18 x 25.<br />any advice you can give me from this experience a couple years ago?<br />thanks!!!<br />federicoFedehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16721253366674722535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922503085503427986.post-18284283234842982542013-03-13T18:22:04.120-07:002013-03-13T18:22:04.120-07:00Sure, go for it. The whole point of putting it on...Sure, go for it. The whole point of putting it on the web is to share ideas. When you get it up, leave me a note so I can look too (and tell my friends)davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11608589214882334649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922503085503427986.post-46306223329045640172013-03-13T14:49:17.035-07:002013-03-13T14:49:17.035-07:00Can we get your permission to link to your artic...Can we get your permission to link to your article FRANK PACEhttp://www.garagedoorscreens.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922503085503427986.post-84122753119569666492012-05-13T19:14:08.855-07:002012-05-13T19:14:08.855-07:00I didn't know that. It would be easy to put a...I didn't know that. It would be easy to put a shade over the compressors. I have heard of people putting misters on them to keep them slightly damp, but that sounds like a possible mess. The shade idea is certainly worth a try.davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11608589214882334649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922503085503427986.post-59584788102872014052012-05-13T19:03:22.337-07:002012-05-13T19:03:22.337-07:00Just be sure that you leave enough space away from...Just be sure that you leave enough space away from it to avoid impairing airflow...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922503085503427986.post-56415433649595727682012-05-13T18:30:00.141-07:002012-05-13T18:30:00.141-07:00Unrelated, but you can supposedly get 10% energy s...Unrelated, but you can supposedly get 10% energy savings (maybe more in your climate) by putting some shade over your air conditioner. You might be able to use some similar shade sail cloth as an overhead covering for your A/C unit that is visible in the 2nd photo.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com