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Cole_Robbie · October 18, 2014

Chain link top rail is much sturdier than pvc and lasts decades instead of years.

1 3/8" top rail will fit inside 1 1/2" metal conduit elbows. Use one 90 for the top, and chop another 90 in half to make two 45s. Each 45 will sit into a chain link top rail ground post. Then you have an a-frame rafter in whatever dimensions you want. I am building a 4,000 sq ft structure after the first of the year using this plan.

Cutting the metal pipe and conduit goes a lot faster if you have a reciprocating saw. The conduit elbows need to be clamped to a table when being cut.

You can also bend top rail by hand with a bender, which costs about $100. I spent more money building the table to mount it to than the bender. Here's a pic of the last high tunnel I built: http://i.imgur.com/vkpzF0r.jpg It's 18 1/2' by 48'. Total cost was less than $2,000 for everything, which is 1/3 what a kit would have cost. To be fair, it did get smashed by a foot of snow in the following winter, but fixing it cost me about $40. I am hoping the A-frame structure will shed snow better.

October 18, 2014	#4
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Chain link top rail is much sturdier than pvc and lasts decades instead of years. 1 3/8" top rail will fit inside 1 1/2" metal conduit elbows. Use one 90 for the top, and chop another 90 in half to make two 45s. Each 45 will sit into a chain link top rail ground post. Then you have an a-frame rafter in whatever dimensions you want. I am building a 4,000 sq ft structure after the first of the year using this plan. Cutting the metal pipe and conduit goes a lot faster if you have a reciprocating saw. The conduit elbows need to be clamped to a table when being cut. You can also bend top rail by hand with a bender, which costs about $100. I spent more money building the table to mount it to than the bender. Here's a pic of the last high tunnel I built: http://i.imgur.com/vkpzF0r.jpg It's 18 1/2' by 48'. Total cost was less than $2,000 for everything, which is 1/3 what a kit would have cost. To be fair, it did get smashed by a foot of snow in the following winter, but fixing it cost me about $40. I am hoping the A-frame structure will shed snow better. Last edited by Cole_Robbie; October 18, 2014 at 12:45 AM.