πŸŽͺπŸš›

The Dining Shade

Visual build guide β€” the 75'Γ—90' Aluminet wing that flies off the semi trailer and shades the whole dining zone, kitchen trailer included. David's design, 10 illustrated steps. 🐒

Keder rail INSTALLED βœ… (Jarrett, week of 7/20) Β· hardware staging in progress
75' Γ— 90'
fabric
13–13.5'
keder rail height
2Γ— 20'
poles, 75' downwind
60Β°
side flap angle
4–6 🐒
raise crew
1

Understand the Shape

10 min Β· everyone
BIRD'S EYE β€” the whole structure SEMI 51' Β· wall = north anchor pole 1 (20') pole 2 (20') 75' downwind ~50' MAIN BAY β€” dining + kitchen trailer side flap β†’ ground @60Β° side flap β†’ ground @60Β° 🐒 wind hits the SEMI side Β· fabric flies downwind off the top
  • One piece of Aluminet, 75 ft Γ— 90 ft. The 90' edge: 50 ft clips into the keder rail on the semi + a 20 ft flap on each side.
  • The fabric flies from the semi top (~13–13.5 ft) out to two 20-ft poles 75 ft downwind, then 20 more ft of fabric slopes from each pole tip to the ground.
  • The two side flaps anchor to the ground at ~60Β°, closing the wings. The pole-side face stays open.
  • Underneath each wing: an equilateral triangle with 20-ft legs β€” big enough to drive the kitchen trailer through (~8Γ—11 ft needed; do the geometry per David).
David's mental model: "your two hands are the lines of poles" β€” semi is the tall anchor, poles hold the far edge, everything else is tension. πŸ™Œ
2

Mount the Keder Rail on the Semi

1 day Β· 2–3 🐒 Β· DUE 7/15
SEMI WALL β€” section 13mm keder rail, 90Β° single (64 ft total, sections butted) 13–13.5' FASTENING β€” drill & tap 1. #7 bit (13/64") pilot β€” fluid always 2. 1/4-20 tap: Β½ turn in, ΒΌ back 3. 1/4-20 SS screws + washers, snug SPACING fastener every 12–16" per keder spec ⚠ practice on scrap steel FIRST β€” a snapped tap at 13 ft = bad day 🐒on a ladder, spotter below 🐒
  • Rail: 13mm single keder rail, 90Β° profile (Keder Solutions, 64 ft ordered). Mounts as high as the semi's top rail allows β€” target 13 to 13.5 ft.
  • Snap a level chalk line the full 50 ft first. Butt rail sections tight, keep the channel opening aligned so the fabric bead feeds through the joints.
  • Drill & tap: #7 bit β†’ 1/4-20 tap β†’ stainless screws. Cutting fluid on every hole. Half-turn in, quarter-turn back.
  • Two ladders, one turtle drilling, one spotting/passing tools. Rotate β€” 40+ holes overhead is real shoulder work.
⚠ The videos first: the drill & tap reviews are in the "Never Break Another Tap" homework. Watch before hole #1.
3

Prep Pole Bases & Welded Stakes

Β½ day Β· welder needed
THE STAKE MOD ΒΎ"Γ—18" concrete stake οΌ‹ big washer β†’ welded = giant nail Γ—70 with tops Γ—10 no tops (locator pins) POLE BASE (yellow, from David) ← welded-washer stakes pin the base through its holes 🐒grinder+weld
  • Weld a big washer onto 70 of the 80 concrete stakes (4" cut-off wheels + flapper discs: βœ… received). The washer-top turns each stake into a giant nail that pins the yellow pole bases.
  • Leave 10 stakes topless β€” they're locator pins under the 4Γ—4 wood posts (other structures).
  • The big aluminum poles + yellow bases come from David β€” count them on arrival: 2 needed here, more for the dormitory shade.
Assembly line it: one turtle grinds mill scale, one welds, one quenches & stacks. 70 stakes β‰ˆ a podcast-length session. πŸŽ™οΈ
4

Survey the Footprint

1 hr · 2 🐒
MEASURE TWICE, STAKE ONCE 75' 0" (square to the semi!) pole base 1 pole base 2 ~50' check diagonals equal = square survey flags at: 2 pole bases · flap anchor lines · guy anchor points (~20' past poles) 🐒 🐒
  • Pole bases sit 75 ft downwind of the semi wall, in line with the trailer's ends (~50 ft apart). Two turtles + the 100' tape.
  • Square it by equal diagonals from the semi's corners β€” a skewed layout fights you at tension time.
  • Flag every anchor point with survey flags (on the inventory βœ…) before a single stake goes in.
Playa note: at BRC, do this the morning after placement β€” before neighbors' guy-lines start crossing yours. At the Gulch test-raise, anywhere flat works. 🏜️
5

Feed the Fabric into the Rail

1–2 hr Β· 3 🐒
FEEDING THE BEAD keder bead slides IN from the rail end β€” never forced sideways fabric bundle, accordion-folded on a tarp 🐒feeds at the rail 🐒carries slack 🐒walks the bundle
  • Accordion-fold the 75Γ—90 fabric on a ground tarp with the keder bead edge on top, centered on the semi (20-ft flap overhang each side).
  • Feed the bead into the rail from one end and walk it down the 50 ft β€” one turtle feeding, one managing slack, one walking the bundle along.
  • Wind rule: dead calm or early morning only. 6,750 sq ft of Aluminet is a spinnaker.
Lube trick: a spritz of dry silicone in the rail channel makes the bead glide. Never hammer a stuck bead β€” back up and clear it. 🐒
6

Raise the Two Big Poles

1–2 hr Β· 4–6 🐒
THE TIP-UP β€” per pole guy A guy B 🐒walks it up hand-over-hand fabric corner + guy ring on tip BEFORE raising FOOT = pinned base staked w/ welded- washer stakes so the foot can't kick out 🐒🐒 on the guy lines, taking up slack
  • Pin each yellow base with the welded-washer stakes before raising β€” the foot must not kick out.
  • Attach at the tip while the pole is on the ground: fabric corner, guy ring, 2 guy lines (ratchet straps or heavy guys to anchors ~20 ft past the pole).
  • Tip-up: one turtle walks the 20-ft pole up hand-over-hand; two on guy lines take slack; one stabilizes the foot. Nobody under the pole line, ever.
  • Stand it just past vertical (leaning ~5Β° away from the semi), snug the guys.
⚠ Crew minimum is 4 for each pole raise. Wind above ~10 mph = wait. The pole always wins the argument. πŸ’¨
7

Tension the Main Span

1 hr Β· 3–4 🐒
SIDE PROFILE β€” the flying wing semi 14' 20' pole 20' of fabric grounds ~20' past pole gentle catenary sag is CORRECT β€” drum-tight rips in gusts 75' 🐒kitchen trailer drives under here (fabric dips to ~13')
  • Tension the fabric from the pole tips via the guy lines/ground ratchets β€” firm with a gentle sag, not drum-tight. Fabric needs give for gusts.
  • The tail 20 ft of fabric runs from each pole tip down to ground anchors β€” circus stakes (1"Γ—40" double-head) + 2" ratchet straps.
  • Even tension left/right: sight down the ridge from the semi roof β€” the fabric edge should run straight between pole tips.
David's spec: fabric dips to ~13 ft mid-span β€” the kitchen trailer (8'Γ—11' profile) drives under through the triangle wings. "If it touches, loosening the fabric to accommodate is allowed." 🚚
8

Anchor the 60Β° Side Flaps

1 hr Β· 2–3 🐒
END VIEW β€” one side flap 20' flap 60Β° paracord loops + stakes pin the edge (per David β€” metal loop trick) β‰ˆ equilateral β–³, 20' legs this triangle is the drive-through gate + wind-shadow zone 🐒stakes every ~5' along the grounded edge
  • Each 20-ft flap folds down and anchors to the ground at ~60Β°, rising to meet the semi-top height.
  • Edge fixing: paracord loops with metal-loop ends (David's technique) nailed with stakes every ~5 ft along the grounded edge.
  • The wings kill the low sun from the sides and turn the bay into a wind-shadowed room with one open face.
Leave a gate: plan which triangle is the kitchen-trailer driveway BEFORE staking the flap edges β€” re-staking a 20-ft edge in the afternoon heat builds character you don't need. 🐒
9

Harden for Playa Wind

1 hr + daily checks
THE CHECKLIST, DRAWN 1 every shackle moused (safety-wired) β€” .032 wire βœ… on inventory 2 ratchet handles zip-tied closed β€” gusts un-crank loose handles 3 chafe guards (split hose) where cable/strap crosses fabric or edges 4 morning walk: tug every anchor, re-tension after first night's stretch 🐒 the daily shade patrol
  • Aluminet stretches after the first night β€” re-tension everything on morning two, then it settles.
  • Safety-wire (mouse) every shackle pin; zip-tie every ratchet handle closed.
  • Add chafe protection anywhere hardware touches fabric.
  • Assign a rotating shade patrol β€” 5 minutes each morning, tug-test every anchor.
⚠ Storm protocol: in a serious blow, the fabric survives by NOT fighting β€” if a stake pulls, re-set it bigger (longer stake, deadman anchor), don't just pound the same hole. πŸ’¨
10

Move In β€” the Dining Room

the payoff πŸŽ‰
THE FINISHED ROOM kitchen trailer 8' folding tables 🐒🐒🐒🐒🐒 🍽️ patio lights on blanket pins along the fabric edge ✨ · 40 turtles, fed, in the shade 🐒
  • Drive the kitchen trailer in through its wing triangle, level it, chock it.
  • Set the 8-ft folding tables (Γ—4 βœ… on inventory), serving line by the kitchen trailer door.
  • Hang patio string lights along the fabric edges with blanket pins (Γ—10 βœ… received β€” this is literally what they're for).
  • Then: dinner for 40 in deep shade while the playa cooks outside. The shell dines. 🐒🍽️
Document the raise: photos + timing of every step β†’ the playbook improves β†’ next year's turtles (and every camp that forks us) raise it in half the time. 🎁

🧰 Hardware at a Glance

ItemQtyStatusUsed in step
Aluminet fabric 75'Γ—90'1Ordered via David5–8
Keder rail 13mm 90Β°, + 1/4-20 SS fasteners64'βœ… INSTALLED (Jarrett, week of 7/20)2
Taps (1/4-20 Γ—2), #7 bits, tap handle, fluidsetHarbor Freight run βœ…2
Big aluminum poles 20' + yellow bases2 (this shade)From David3, 6
Concrete stakes ΒΎ"Γ—18" + welded washers80 (70 topped)Stakes bought Β· welding pending3, 6
Circus stakes 1"Γ—40" double-headper parts listShippers supply order βœ… 7/47, 8
2" ratchet straps w/ loops Β· ground ratchetsper parts listShippers supply order6, 7
Shackles Β½" + thimbles + .032 safety wireper parts listOrdered6, 7, 9
Paracord loops w/ metal ends~500' rollTo fabricate (David's homework)8
Survey flags Β· 100' tape3 bundles Β· 2On inventory4
Stake puller (Pioneer/big) + lightweight1+1FLAG β€” sourcing (David may lend)strike

Full parts detail lives in the Inventory Command Center and David's Shade Parts List. Raise order: rail β†’ stakes β†’ survey β†’ feed β†’ poles β†’ tension β†’ flaps β†’ harden β†’ dine. 🐒