You will need a measuring tape, a sledgehammer, and a sense of direction. Your Gorilla Hut must be aligned on a north-south access for maximum shade, so you will need a compass application on your phone. If you need to deviate from this axis, then try to deviate by less than 15 degrees.
Begin by selecting the corner of your hut that will be closest to the street.
Ensure the opening of the hut is at least 10 feet removed from the road.
Drive stake1 into the ground halfway (1ft).
Ensure it remains perpendicular to the ground by checking from multiple angles as you drive it in.
Measure 14 feet along an east-west axis and repeat for stake2.
The next two stakes are tricky.
Triangulating the position of the next two stakes may require two people to hold the tape measure.
Measure 20' from stake1 along a north-south axis and draw a short arc on the ground using a piece of rebar.
Repeat this process for stake2.
Figure D1. Setting the first two stakes.
Figure D1. Setting the first two stakes.
The tricky stakes continued...
triangulate stakes three and four. (Figure D2)
Tentatively set Stake3 (6inches).
Now measure 24ft5in diagonally from stake2 toward arc1.
Draw a new arc at this distance.
The place where these arcs intersect is where stake3 will go.
Drive it in partially.
Tentatively set Stake4 (6inches).
Measure the other 24ft5in diagonal from stake1 to arc2.
Draw another arc, and partially drive in stake4 where these arcs intersect.
Double check your work.
Measure to insure stake3 and stake4 are 14 feet apart.
After checking the rebar stakes, drive them halfway (1ft) into the ground.
In preparation for affixing the tarp, dig away 2 inches of dirt around the base of these (4) stakes.
This makes space to tie the tarp's rope to the rebar, and still have the PVC sit flush with the ground.
Figure D2. Triangulate stakes three and four.
Figure D2. Triangulate stakes three and four.
Now that you have the corner stakes in place, it is time to lay the rest of your foundation.
Place the next (6) rebar stakes. (Figure D3)
Use your tape measure to create a straight line along the 20 foot edge of your rectangle.
Place (6) rebar stakes, (3) along each of the 20 foot sides.
Place the stakes according to the diagram below or your monkey hut's ribs will not join with the spine correctly.
Measured along a tape, the rebar should be placed at 5ft4in, 10ft, and 14ft8in.
Drive the stakes halfway into the ground.
Ensure the stakes remain perpendicular to the ground by checking from multiple angles as you drive them in.
Figure D3. Placing the next (6) rebar stakes.
Figure D3. Placing the next (6) rebar stakes.
5. Construct the PVC skeleton.
The first step is to building your shelter is putting the ribs together.
joining rib sections with rib joints. (Figure D4)
Begin by placing (10) rib sections on the (10) re-bar stakes.
Place (10) rib joints over the rib sections and set the last (10) ribs sections inside the rib joints.
At this point you should have (10) 10' poles extending up from your (10) initial re-bar stakes.
Ensure all bolts face inward so they do not tear the tarp.
Figure d4. Joining rib sections with rib joints.
Figure D4. Joining rib sections with rib joints.
Next, join the ribs overhead to form arches.
Join the ribs to the spine sections. (Figure D5)
Have something portable to stand on while you do the next steps.
Pull down the first rib section, bending the whole rib like a bow.
Slide the spine segment onto the top of the rib.
Reach across and pull down the opposite rib, bending until it slides into the spine section.
Ensure all bolts face inward so they do not tear the tarp.
Repeat for the remaining (4) spine sections until you have (5) complete arches.
Figure D5. Join the ribs to the spine sections.
Figure D5. Join the ribs to the spine sections.
Join the arches using fat pipe wrapped in tape.
join the spine sections with spine joints. (Figure D6)
The fit should be snug enough that the pipes are held in place.
Have something portable to stand on while you do the next steps.
Join central arches with X-joints using 4ft6in fat pipes.
Join external arches with T-joints using 5ft fat pipes.
Figure D6. join the spine sections with spine joints.
Figure D6. join the spine sections with spine joints.
Attach the ratchet straps in an alternating pattern to reduce structural aberration.
strengthen the structure by adding ratchet straps. (Figure D7)
Attach (4) 8 foot straps.
Begin with your ratchet straps separated.
Swing the hook on the non-ratcheting side over the top of a spine section.
Attach the hook to the loop so that the strap hangs from the spine section about two feet from the X- or T-fitting.
Attach the ratcheting mechanism to the second loop on the strap by the hook.
Standing on a step, bring the strap over the adjacent spine section and feed it into the ratcheting mechanism.
Do not over tighten your ratchet strap!
Repeat as shown in Figure D7.
Attach (2) 15 foot ratchet straps with loops.
Repeat the steps above with 15 foot looped ratchet straps as shown in Figure D7
The strap can go above or below the skipped spine section.
Do not over tighten your ratchet strap!
Testing for stability.
With (6) straps in place the spine should be flexible yet stable.
If there are loose sections or bends in your complete ribs, tighten the ratchet straps.
Unless something looks really wrong, it is probably fine.
Give it a shake test.
Figure D7. adding ratchet straps.
Figure D7. adding ratchet straps.
Support columns give the Gorilla Hut additional stability in extreme wind.
Wrap a zip-tie around the knot and rebar and cinch it into place.
Wrap a zip-tie around the tarp rope and rebar in locations without guy lines.
Figure D12. anchoring lateral guy lines
Figure D12. Stakes and guy lines
Add final guy lines.
Axial guy lines. (Figure D13)
Measure approximately 10 feet perpendicular from the center of each 14 foot opening, and drive in a rebar anchor at a 45 degree angle.
Figure D13. axial guy lines
Figure D13. axial guy lines
Attaching Axial guy lines to t-joint. (Figure D12)
Attach 15 foot ratchet straps to T-joints.
Take your (2) 15' ratchet straps without loops and locate the non-ratcheting end.
Approaching from the anchor, toss the hook over the spine section, swing it under the spine joint, and back over the spine section on the opposite side.
Hook it to itself.
Attach the ratchet straps to the anchor.
Hook the ratcheting end to the 45° stake.
Do the same on the alternate side before tightening.
Figure D12. Attaching Axial guy lines to t-joint
Figure D12. Attaching Axial guy lines to t-joint
Cover exposed rebar stakes, and put some reflective tape on guy lines.
