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Hi, late last year we inherited a frame tent from someone who is sadly no longer with us. We stored it away for the winter and have just recently got it out to assemble. We have a 4 birth sunncamp frame tent of our own and compared to ours this tent we have inherited is massive. We have taken the canvas part of the tent out and cannot find a name on it but the bag which it comes in says "HOTEL" on it. So we got all the frame parts out (poles) and have spent 2 days so far trying to work out how to put it together and we have not got a clue. We have looked at loads of frame tent websites to see if their instructions look like they could be ours but no luck.

This really is my last chance to find out what tent it is and how to put it together. I have taken loads of pictures of the poles and have put them on my website. The address is

http://golcar.org/

On page 1 there are 8 lengths (which I have numbered)

No 1 appears to be the complete roof length from one side

No 2 appears to be the middle section from the roof?

No 3 appears to be a roof length plus extras?

No 4 is a straight length all sprung together, I have no idea what this is for

No 5 is 2 pieces which have a right angle coming off them - No idea

No 6 is 2 pieces with bits coming off part way down - No idea

All pictures on page 1 are the same poles. A couple have numbers on but nothing to match to.

Page 2 again is a variety of poles

There are four small poles which have small bits on the end which I would assume are for a small canopy and one of the poles has a clip and some string!

I also have 12 legs which are seperate and I have not photographed (I know they are legs)

I am really at my wits end. I have no idea what the tent is or what it looks like or how to assemble the frame. If anyone can help I will be eternally grateful.

Even a hint would be terrific. Thank you

Ok, This is something I love to puzzle out!!

I'm assuming there will be some canvas to go over this lot!!

If I'm right, it looks like the tent will have a similar layout as the cabanon Espace.

So you will have 4 short ish legs to go on the long back poles  (No1 poles)

Middle pitch poles (no2)

Front poles (no3, switched round so the short sticky out bits point forward to the front of the tent!)

The little poles with the spikes at the end will be on the front of the canopy part (I think the slightly bent ones will be the ends and the straight ones to the middle.

I think poles 5 & 6 are going to be roof poles that connect the front (or back - no1 or no3 - not sure) long pole to the middle pitch with supporting legs that drop inside the tent (Assuming you have 4 really long legs approx 2+m in length)

There will be 4 more long roof poles (1 looks like the spring has broken -  they should all be the same length) that connect the remaining long edge pole ( no1 or no3) so you have the basic shape.

I think the long sprung pole could be a front support pole for the canopy along the front (iyswim)

The pole with a clip is a wardrobe hanging rail.

I think that leaves you with about 3 or 4 poles which I've really got no clue!! (|as always there will be random peices left over!!)

Sorry if this sounds vague, if you were near me I'd love to help you get it set up...

Let us know how you get on.

Emma xx

You might of course have extra roof poles there. 12 uprights isn't actually an excessive number for a big frame tent, without going into marquee territory.  Do you know the actual dimensions of the canvas ie if you measure the width and length of the roof, does it tally up with any of these poles?

Also, what's the tent actually like? Door layout, kitchen area, extension sections, sun canopy, windows etc? Any clues might jog someone's memory as to the brand and model.

Try and put the frame together without worrying about the canvas - as this comes easy once the frame is together.

Lay the poles on the floor, roughly where you think that they should go.   If there is a nuumber 4 on the left side, then there will be a number 4 in the corresponding place onthe right side.

The roof will slope slightly to front or back to allow for rain to run off - this is why some of the leg poles are slightly longer/shorter than others.

You will find as you play there is only one right way for the thing to go - the only thing that you may switch the front and rear poles, and this becomes obvious when you put the canvas on, as it will not peg out properly.    

Once you have sussed out the frame, then put the canvas on.     Kneel the tent - the leg poles will be sprung, so you can put the tent to half height.   With regard to putting the canvas on - different people perfer to work in different way - front to back, back to front or out from the middle.    Once you have the canvas over the roof section then lift the tent up to full height leg by leg.    Either working both back legs, and work you way to the front, or all of one side and then the other.     Once the tent is at full height you can make minor adjustments to the canvas.      Make sure your door(s) are zipped up, and then peg out.

If need be post your locations, and ask if anyone on here in there area could give you a hand.

How did you get on???

Emma

Hi, Thanks for the advice. To be honest I have not even looked at it again, we have been tied up for the past couple of weeks.

We are in the Huddersfield area and if the weather holds we may be having a go this weekend.

If we fail I will take some more pictures and will let you know how we get on regardless.

Thank you

Cool, I love solving puzzles like this!!

Just had a look at your pic's and I agree with Mumshadenough..you have a tent similar in build to the Cabannon Espace which has a central apex pole and you build two sides of the frame off this..This apex(or roof frame) will be the longest bit of frame you have...and will have angled spigots on both sides of its length to take the front and back roof sections.. and a spigot pointing downwards to take the interior supporting legs...Of the two roof sections..one will be slightly shorter than the other and the front section may be slightly more angled than the back(On my Espace the front section has holes or spigots to take the 4-5?? short(8ins) poles with a pin in the end(these are for putting through the small holes at the top of the canvas to tighten (or stretch) the small awning or overhang at the front of the tent..On the back section where the roof meets the sides of the frame there will be no such holes..

So basicly you have a central frame with two frames that need to be built off it the front section(living area) slightly longer and more angled than the back section(sleeping or inner tent area)...Im no good at posting links..But if you find the Cabannon web page and find the tents section there might be a plan of the layout for the Espace there...that will give you a better Idea of what Im trying to explain(if they still do Espaces...) pretty hard the 1st couple of times you try to erect it..but once you do...and Im sure you will...you can number...and colour code all the sections to aid in further erections...Hope my babbling helps in some way...

Jelboy.

I reckon the easiest thing to do is to put all the legs on one side (easily identifiable, should have a plastic foot (prob with spike). on bottom of each. Also put aside any wardrobe bars etc  (prob will have string going through them, and clips at each end) and any intermediate roof poles (which will be long bars with clips at both ends).

Now concentrate on sorting out the roof poles, which are spring-linked (don't worry about any of the others, at this stage.

When you have assembled the spring-linked sections you should be able to work out which is the roof apex and which is the front (which will have open-ended poles for the three short stub canopy poles to slot into), so join those bits together.

You should now have a rear roof section, so join that on now.

You can now fit your intermediate roof poles (the ones with the clips at either end, remember?). These just clip in-between the fixed roof bars at the FRONT of the tent.

Now fit the legs, but leave them broken at the spring-linked joint, so the tent is on it's 'knees'.

Put your canvas over, lining up the seams with the legs etc. then fix in the three short poles for the front stub canopy.

Let us know if it works, and if you need any more help, just shout!

I was looking on Ebay and found this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Cabanon-Espase-8-Berth-frame-Tent---Enormous_W0QQitemZ110397081484QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090601?IMSfp=TL090601141001r39740

2nd pic shows tent frame, looks like your poles.

P.S. Cabanon frame tents are far more simple than your frame, since the main poles are all spring-linked which makes it much more simple, but you clearly do have three main roof poles, which will just be the apex, the front and the back, so it should be fairly straightforward to then work out which are the legs etc.

When you have sussed it out, suggest you mark adjoining pieces with different coloured electrician's tape, to make things easier next time!

That second pic on Karens link should give you a fair Idea of your frame layout when erected...exactly what I was babbling about in my earlier post.

Jelboy.