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applestar
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Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Making hoops

In the past, I've made hoops from PVC just by sticking them in the ground or over rebar and arching them -- pretty easy to do in the hotter seasons. After a while, they take on the arched shape and won't spring back.

A couple of years ago, I started securing these pre-arched hoops on top of T fence posts to make trellis support with zip ties for pole beans that got out of hand, raised support for plastic sheeting to keep a banana plant out a little longer in the fall.... But the plastic hoop can be flimsy in strong winds for supporting plastic. So I asked my BIL to get me some metal conduit pipes.

I've been eyeing the bender kit sold by Johnny's since I'm often perusing their catalog and website, but I couldn't afford it, really.

So I was looking around the garden thinking about this, and what that kit does to make good hoops... and all of a sudden my eyes saw this pile of rocks, which my DD and I randomly placed here after acquiring them. They had settled into the ground over the last couple of winters, so I will need to lift them out and move them over to the pond when I'm ready for the bigger rocks, but -see- there is a gap between two rocks that would hold one end securely, and then the biggest rounded rock would be perfect for bending the metal conduit on... Wouldn't it?

...so I tried out my idea :D
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HoneyBerry
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Posts: 1216
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2015 1:10 pm
Location: Zone 8A Western Washington State

So you made a bender tool out of the rocks. That's ingenius. I can usually justify buying tools. But if I'm only going to use the tool once or twice, I try to find a work around. I didn't look it up, but I suppose the pipe bender tool is expensive. I would be celebrating not spending money on the pipe bender tool if I were you.
I want to design and build a hoop house car cover, but that's another story.
Hoop houses are great until the wind comes along. I don't know how the farmers keep the wind from blowing those big hoop houses apart.
I'm working some OT today. I'm going to donate the money I make to the bird sanctuary April fundraiser. There are so many homeless exotic birds. Sanctuaries are popping up everywhere.

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applestar
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Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Thanks! :() ...and your bird sanctuary donation is a worthy and generous act of kindness. Thank you on behalf of the birds. :wink:



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