Not so grand design - a little off topic!

This weekend, I'd planned to go to Wagtail - but waiting for some Laser Cutting, the Jimny wasn't quite drivable! Instead, I decided to build a roof over my ramp.

Planning restrictions limit the height of a 'car-port' roof to 2.5m - which above a four post ramp, is fairly useless - so I made the support legs telescopic!



In the lowered position it is 2.47m tall and in the raised, 4.17m





The ramp can be locked in the upper most position with pins inserted through the holes or in any position inbetween with the screws shown.

The screws are also used to secure it to the ground to stop the wind turning it into a big kite!

The roof will be lifted by the ramp - and as such, it is very light to the extent that I could lift the whole structure on my own (without cladding). It's made from very thin walled 50mm box section plus tensioning wires to hold it rigid. According to the stress analysis, it should be able to support 1/2 Ton in the middle of the span - hopefully enough for the snow loading.

It will be clad (this evening) in 10mm twin wall polycarbonate sheet and I'm going to add a PVC curtain wall which will go up & down with the ramp / roof.

Now I'll be able to carry on welding in the rain - and it should improve relations with my neighbors!

Si

Si, That is bl00dy brilliant, I like your thinking.

Wish you were my neighbour! :laugh:

I piggin' love it!!!!

Brilliant!!

ace lateral thinking

Thanks chaps!
This evening while I was adding the polycarbonate roofing sheets, one of the people from the row of houses behind came and thanked me for obscuring my 'junk yard'! I quite like it myself - sitting in the lounge looking at the ramp and my used tyre collection! Now, I'll be the only one to benefit from the vista!

Si

X-Eng Simon wrote: Thanks chaps!
This evening while I was adding the polycarbonate roofing sheets, one of the people from the row of houses behind came and thanked me for obscuring my 'junk yard'! I quite like it myself - sitting in the lounge looking at the ramp and my used tyre collection! Now, I'll be the only one to benefit from the vista!

Si

put a nice little pirate flag up to keep the neighbour happy