Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Hi Loy
Your benders are a great piece of design work.
We have the same problem over here with tube prices, it has never been cheap though.
You guys have all the good stuff, we don`t have EMT or fence top rails either

VB, I picked up some trampoline frames (local ebay and freecycle) 2x 8ft and a 12ft`er with 38mm galv tube (1.8 - 2mm wall), total cost £1.25 plus some petrol.

Two 8ft`ers would make a very sturdy 6.5m3 compost roller.

Thanks Hex,,

Great Ideal and money saver, I would use trampoline frames here also, but we do have many used ones around. However we do have a lot of cheap tubing.

What do they build chainlink fences out of in Australia? Surely they build fences there also?

Hoopman

not down under, i`m just over the pond
Generally, its just galv wire and tensioners to support chainlink here but our fences aren`t usually that big anyway.
I was pretty surprised by the number of responses from freecycle, the current trend is if the trampoline jumpmat wears out (or the kids get fed up with it) they`d rather have the garden space back

Loy - we certainly have chainlink fences here, many using gal tube. When I made some basic inquiries though - I couldn't source a 1 3/8 inch tube (outside diameter I assume), so I'm not certain what size is normally used for the top rail.

I've not done all that much research, so I'm sure I'll find something suitable when the time comes (ie when I get the time). Will probably have a play with the DY100 first - do the small job of making the roller. Size of circle will not be critical, so any tubing will do the job for me :-). With some unit commitments at the moment, won't be playing with the benders for a couple of months I suspect

1 3/8" is 34mm.... standard Australian top rail used in fencing is 32mm.... surely not a problem???

Wouldn't have though so. Not sure ours has the flared ends - but this is also an obstacle that can be cleared.

A steel distributor here in the West had all the info in their online catalogue, however they have changed it. Lucky for me I down loaded a PDF of their catalogue. This file is 3.85 MB which I can PM or email to you or list it on the forum. It does however have their trading name plastered all over it.

What size capabilities is the ~ $88 bender from Hoopman?

I made a roller to suit 30 x 30 x 1.6 square tube and would fit 40 x 40. The 30 x 30 square is fine for a 6.5 m length but when joined to make an 8 m dia (about 12.5 in length) it is really too light. Depending on the size pipe or tube Hoopman's can handle, I would reckon the above price is very good.

No problem with 32 mm,....., the DY-12 bender will produce approx a 12 ft wide hoop, using two 10'6" sections of 17 or 18 gage wall thickness. The hoop would be 7 feet tall +or-, extra height is achieved by adding short sections of straight tubing to bottom of hoop or just make the ground anchor stakes a little taller.. The DY-20 of coarse builds a 20ft wide hoop using three of the same sections as above, however it should be 15 to 16 gage wall thickness. The 20 ft widehoop stands about 10 feet at the center when installed.

Hoopman

The DY series will bend tubing from 1/2" thur 1 1/2" OD,,, having 15 thur 18 gage wall thickness. Bear in mind that it comes with instructions for bending and building the greenhouse using 1 3/8", There is no problem bending perfect hoops using other sizes of tubing, excepting that different sizes and gages of tubing rebound or spring back more or less than the 1 3/8x18 gage tubing does. Therefore smaller tubing will produce a smaller width hoop. Not sure if I posted a link to some of our videos. but here is the link http://www.lostcreek.net/videoclipindex.html

I would love to see some examples and info on how best to attach the plastic and maybe also on ways to double skin.

Poly is stapled to wood strips that are bolted to end hoops as showned. A 2x4 wood band is also bolted around the bottom of greenhouse at ground level frame all four sides. Double poly covering is simple, Just staple two layers of poly, then use a small 2 inch blower to inflate air between the two layers.

Hoopman

Here is a pic of our first plant nursery business.

Hoopman

To save power you can make a simple flapper valve (just a flap of thin rubber more or less) for the blower output and use a differential pressure switch to control it.
The blower runs a few hours a day instead of 24/7, quite useful for greenhouses without any mains power handy

wow! that is a very very fine GH.

did you guys make the plant tables also?


i bet i could make tarp bows for semi trailers with one of those benders too