Make your own Awning Track Hangers

Can be used to hang tarps, lights, hang rope, or make your own awning. Strong as HECK



for each one you make, you'll need 10 inches of paracord (ends melted), 1 inch of 1/4 inch rigid aluminum tubing, one M10 washer.

If you cut the rigid tubing with a pipe cutter you'll end up with a piece that's exact and easy to de-burr, but you can cut it with whatever you have. Cleaning up will vary in time required with other methods. An easy way to do this is to chuck the piece into a drill and turn it on a piece of sandpaper or pinched in a scotch brite pad. Remove all burrs and polish the ends and there won't be any risk of of scratching the inside of the awning track.

Lets begin with assembly.

1. pull paracord through the rigid aluminum tubing, hold ends together and tie a knot close to the ends.

2. slip the M10 washer over the rigid tubing with the cord pinched alongside the length of the tubing (pictured below) The washer is not necessary if you'll not be hanging a tarp.



3. slide the assembly can be slid into the awning track and hang away!


Now, if you want to hang a tarp-- pinch the cord again against the tubing and push it through the grommet hole. The washer will prevent the knot from pulling through the tarp grommet.



If you want more length to hang something at a lower height, knock yourself out-- cut the rope longer. Leave the washer off if you'd like, make more knots or whatever blows your dress up.

 

And here's a finished assembly all by it's lonesome.

simple, effective, inexpensive, customizable, lightweight and better than the one's I can buy at the local RV supply store.

 

Good point missing from the tutorial. Those of you with iPads can easily zoom in and see, others not so much, that the inside of the tubing has a nice rounded polished edge. This is to keep from sawing through your cord. To do this, while it is chucked in the drill for deburring push a folded corner of sandpaper onto the end while spinning for a few turns. To speed it up, you could also use a 3/8 inch drill bit. Push it lightly into the end while spinning... Drill is spinning the tubing, other hand holding the drill bit, light pressure. Other tools work... A countersink, razor blades, deburring blades, hole deburring tools. Most people will have larger drill,bits sandpaper, and other simple tools though. Good catch though.

 

You just did. Twice. Now I'll add DIY awning and do it yourself awning.

 

Pull up a seat at the fire... class is every day.

I have a little refinement for the hangers too. I'm going to try these from microplastics available through grainger.com

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/MICRO-PLASTICS-Round-Spacer-3ZMF7?Pid=search

I'm not sure how the assembly will go, but I'll keep the group posted.

 

Here's an update.

nylon spacers work great and without the cutting, deburring, and polishing.

Cheap woven core "paracord" works well with a single knot. The better, stronger, and more expensive 550 paracord needs a bigger knot to work with the M10 washer.

Patent pending.

 

Now add these, a tarp, some rope, and you have a canopy. Watch out Dometic, Carefree, and Fiamma, here we come.

http://www.cabelas.com/tent-accessories-cabelas-adjustable-height-tent-poles-2.shtml


borrowed from Cabelas-- they've got my endorsement... your welcome Cabelas.



I like these but they're out of small ones. I'll have to keep using my white one.

http://www.tarpaflex.com/acatalog/red-striped-tarps.html



Do you guys want more?

 

I've got that... but I've got to work today, more on the way.

 

It's more expensive than I thought, but you miss 100% of the chances you don't take