Date:         Tue, 16 May 95 13:30:37 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         howard@aur.alcatel.com
Subject:      Awning (was Refrigerators, alarms, fans and other toys)

Gerry,

Here's a description of the parts and what I did. The legs are fairly
sturdy but because they're supported by tent stakes and rope, they could
get knocked over. The good news is that if they do, only one corner hits
the ground; the rest stays up. Hard to account for the children factor - 
only my girlfriend and I will use it. I like your idea of the room extender,
kinda like a slide-out in a motorhome. :)

Here's the details on the awning:

Parts:

2 wooden dowels, 3/8 inch diameter by 4 foot long (any hardware store)   $2.50
1 tent pole repair aluminum cylinder to join the dowels (camping store)    .75
1 8x10 tarp								  6.00 ?
2 spring clamps, I used plastic ones with rubber grips over the teeth.    5.00
	Home Depot sells these with the wood clamps
2 telescoping poles or equivalent					 34.00
4 tent stakes								  3.00
rope									  2.00 
4 S-hooks (hardare)						          1.00  
4 line tighteners (optional, camping store)		 		  2.50


Assembly:

Join the two dowels with the aluminum cylinder. Put this assembly about 
4 inches in from the edge of the 8 foot side of the tarp. Fold the tarp
over the dowels. Lift this up to the rain gutter and lie it in the gutter.
Secure the tarp with the dowels to the rain gutter by using the spring
clamps to clamp the tarp and dowel in the gutter. Now raise the far end of
the tarp by inserting the telscoping poles (or equivalent) into the
grommets at the corners of the tarp. Raise the tarp as high as you want.
Secure the poles by putting two s-hooks on top of the poles above the tarp.
Use the rope (attached to the s-hooks) and tent stakes to pull the poles 
away from the camper to keep them upright.

The telescoping poles from REI are nice because they're aluminium, have a
point on top that is made to fit the grommets in a tarp and come apart
into two pieces for easy storage. In place of these you could use any
support that is sturdy and that can attach to a tarp at one end.

Jeff H.
'87 Westy
howard@aur.alcatel.com