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Replies

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  chris nangle February 9, 2012 at 8:04pm

  I use them lots and have found them too be great,i make a structure that has on in and I have one for my show stands and home.

  the best ones I have found are from this fella http://www.timberintent.co.uk/
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  Claire Brown February 9, 2012 at 9:25pm

  I had a client that I designed a garden for that used one. - she used and actual sail and used a hook and pulley system atatched to the house wall and a fence

  photos here http://blog.plantpassion.co.uk/2011/08/garden-design-concept-plan-f...
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  Jonathan Brewster February 10, 2012 at 8:24am

  Great product I have used them several times, first ones I designed in was in a 'home' and worked brilliantly only problem I found on first use was the amount of stretch and where to put the anchors. On further use I found it easier to guage the amount of stretch to get the exact distance apart for the torsion required.

  A tip would be to use turn buckles on each corner so that any discrepancy in fastenings can be taken up and keep a smooth uncreased sail. To stop any loosening of the turn buckles I put lock nuts in, be carefull with these as the turn buckles threads tend to be soft and can be stretched and crossed.
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  chris nangle February 10, 2012 at 8:56am

  I am sure that the timberintent site has downloads showing how too put them up. Its very easy but you need a lot of tension for the sail too work well, and not flap about ,here is an image of table I made with a mast and sail set up through it
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  Richard Boyd February 10, 2012 at 5:01pm

  |Great work as ever Chris, always impressed...!

  Spot on about the tension. A client who will remain nameless used about 30 of them at a festive in Manchester last year and got the tension wrong. Derig was very unpleasant as water pored through holes they had to cut in them to release the water.
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  Peter Woolnough February 10, 2012 at 5:37pm

  I only have experience of what goes on in the ground for the sail to be anchored down and tensioned correctly.

  We did the groundworks for one in our local park last summer.

  It was as a cover for a band stand.

  We were not involved in the erection of the sail, but we did dig some very big holes for the ground anchors to get bolted down to. The enginneer may have got carried away but they were 1.2 deep, 1.2 wide and in the shape of a 'T', i guess so that they couldn't get pulled through the ground with mesh in the pour and the sockets suspended within the mesh cages.

  There was no way the wind was ever going to pick that lot up and move it.
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  Roy Parker February 10, 2012 at 7:08pm

  started off with one to do looking like i got 3 now  first on is going next to a upvc conservatory so it got to go in the metal posts  think the lay out will be the tricky bit going to use turnbuckles on each corner and treaded eye bolts of extra adjustment .not sure if i can angle the posts away next to the conservatory as it look odd
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  chris nangle February 10, 2012 at 7:20pm

  you can use a rope fixing Roy ,its an easy knot and once you know how its great too tension the sail as it will shrink with the first rain.

  are you going for the hyper sail or a triangle one? dont forget you need too allow for run off and on the hyper sails you need too get the saddle shape for strenght
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  Roy Parker February 10, 2012 at 7:36pm

  first one is a square one to shade the conservatory, can not fix to conservatory  and the customer does not want guy ropes so need to be free standing . going to use steel poles and bury them well in the ground
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  John Cooke February 11, 2012 at 3:28pm

  I worked for a company that supplied and fitted sail awnings. Both static and retractable.   Chris' work, above, looks fantastic and the key bits to look at is the shape of the sail.  You have to get water run off when they are tensioned so they need to be cut and stitched properly to achive that, otherwise the sail will belly, fill with water and, at best stretch, at worst, pull the bolts out of the wall.

  Secondly, if they are left open on windy days, they exhert huge forces on the anchor points: I've seen a pub with huge cracks in a chimney where they have been fitted incorrectly (not by us).  Spreader plates should be used to ensure it wont pull the wall down if being attached to brickwork.

  Overall, I think they look great, are great as sun shades, but not that good as a  rain shelter.