[Illustration: FIG. 6.]
THE braces are intended to serve the same purpose as the guy-ropes of
the ordinary wall tent, and are three in number on each side. They
consist of stout sticks (two by four inches is a good size) long enough
to reach the ground from the top of the wall (five and one half feet
in the present case) at an angle of forty-five degrees. At the upper
end, underneath, which is beveled to stand flat against the face of the
wall, the brace is armed with a strong hook. This hook sets into an eye
inserted into the top of the outside cleat, just as the rafters are
hooked to the ridgepole. At the lower end, which also is beveled off
to fit the ground, is fastened a large ringbolt. This is on the upper
side, so that when the brace is in position, the ring lies flat on the
ground beyond it, and through it is driven a barbed pin of iron. These
braces not only hold the wall from sagging out, but equally prevent it
from pulling in, which is just as great a danger. How they are arranged
is seen at a glance in _fig. 7_.
[Illustration: FIG. 7.]
There is also another brace which goes across from the corner of the
side wall over the doorway to the upright, where it is hooked into an
eye placed six feet above the ground. This cross-brace forms a lintel
to the door, and serves to make solid the otherwise somewhat shaky end
of the right-hand siding.
Now comes the setting up and roofing; but before you can do that you
must provide fastenings at the corners of your walls. I have reserved
this for the last, since it is the most difficult bit of mechanism.
[Illustration: FIG. 8.]
[Illustration: FIG. 9.]
Go to a blacksmith and have him forge for you six pieces of iron of the
shape shown in _fig. 8_, each about an inch and a half wide, and an
eighth of an inch thick; the shafts, or straight ends of three of them,
should measure six inches from the point marked _a_, while the shafts
of the others should be nine inches in length, the elbow being alike in
both cases. In the shaft should be punched two holes big enough to pass
stout bolts through; but in both sizes these holes should be within six
inches from the straight end. Having provided yourself with these bent
irons, bolt one of the _short size_ upon each end of the _outside_ of
the _rear_ wall of your house six inches from the lower border, and
in such a way that the bent end which is to be turned _upward_, shall
project beyond the end of the wall just enough to leave a space of a
quarter of an inch between the inside of the curve and the edge of the
cleat to which it is bolted. Draw the nuts on your bolts very tight.
Now take your remaining short one, and put it upon the lower corner of
your front wall, so that its lower edge shall be just seven inches from
the bottom of the wall, and with the elbow projecting as before, but
_turned down_.
[Illustration: FIG. 10.]
[Illustration: FIG. 11.]
[Illustration: FIG. 12.]
You have now left your three longer pieces of iron. One of these must
be placed on the lower rear end of your right-hand side-wall (as you
face the door) at seven and one half inches above the bottom, and with
the elbow turned _down_. The other two go on opposite ends of the
left-hand wall, that at the rear end turned _down_, and that in front
turned _up_, the former seven and one half, the latter six inches
above the bottom edge. But _all these long ones must project_ three
and one quarter _inches_, because they must reach past the edge of the
adjoining wall, as you will see when you stand the walls up; the edge
of the rear flush with face of the sidings, and lock them together, as
shown in _fig. 9_.
Though I have seen the same arrangement at the top, yet a better way is
as follows: (_Figs. 10, 11 and 12._)
[Illustration: FIG. 13.]
Have your blacksmith make three flat pieces of iron, each six and one
half inches in length, having a closed loop turned up at the end, which
carries a link six inches long, as in _fig. 10_. Bolt this piece of
iron near the upper corner of each of the end walls—that is, above
each of the _short_ hooks, allowing the loop in which the link hangs,
_and no more_, to project. Get at the same time three squarely bent
hooks of round iron (_fig. 11_), with a thread and nut at the long end,
and the bent-up point no longer than the inner diameter of the link,
lengthways, so that it will freely pass through the link. Set these
hooks in those unprovided upper corners of your remaining walls that
come opposite your links when the walls are set up, at such a distance
that when the link is bent around the corner it will snugly fit over
the hooks. In order to do this, however (and you can see what I mean
by a glance at _fig. 12_), you must set your hooks so loosely that you
can turn their points backwards. The link is then slipped over, and the
reversion of the hook to the position shown in _fig. 12_ binds the two
walls cornering there as securely together as the interlocking hooks
hold them at the bottom.
[Illustration: FIG. 14.]
You will notice that I have no clamps or link at the front end near
the door. There is no chance for any. Instead we trust for solidity to
the outside brace, which is specially important, and to the horizontal
brace which extends across from the top of the wall to the forward
upright. (_See fig. 13._)
[Illustration: FIG. 15.]
The next thing is your canvas. Measure how much you need for your roof,
and determine how far down your walls you want it to extend. If you are
going to camp in very cold weather, you would do well to have it all
the way to the ground. It would add greatly to the warmth. As a rule,
though, you will only want it to come well over the top of the siding,
with some lapping in front and rear to keep out driving rains. When it
is sewed into a big sheet you must attach to it at frequent intervals
a short stout strap. Opposite these straps (_fig. 15_) nail to the
outside of your walls straps containing big buckles (_fig. 14_) whereby
you can buckle down taut your canvas roof. I know of no more secure
and convenient method of holding the tent cover than this; but I would
advise you to experiment on the reach and “full” of your cloth before
nailing the buckles to the wood work.
[Illustration: FIG. 16.]
Now comes the setting of your tent-house up. The first consideration is
the position. I can only say that it should be level, and where water
will not drain into it in case of heavy rains. The next thing to be
decided is, Will you have a floor? If so, lay it a few inches larger
than your building, set your house on it, and nail down a narrow cleat
all around inside close to the wall; an upright bolt dropping into the
floor in the centre of each side, will be well also.
First set up the centre poles and ridgepole, placing the latter on top
of the former, and sliding the iron pins down through the eyes. (_Fig.
3._) Then place in position the _rear_ wall. The side walls will come
next, their clamps dropping easily at the corners into those of the end
wall, and holding them firm while you slip the links over their hooks
and twist them tight. Then set up the braces at the door end, and put
up the front wall, turning down the tent pin on the ridgepole, to hold
it firm, and locking the whole structure with the last link. Next, hook
on the rafters, bolt the triangular gable walls to the upper part of
the ridgepole, and set your braces at the sides. Nothing remains but to
draw over your canvas, put your door upon its hinges, and hang up your
hat. You are at home; a home you have put together at leisure hours in
your barn or woodshed during the winter, have taken to the woods in a
lumber-wagon, and set up with the help of a single companion; and when
you are done with it you will carry it back to town and store it away
in the woodshed or stable again.
In respect to the cost, I can give no estimates so good as in a few
moments you can compile for yourself. It all depends on the price of
materials and the cost of blacksmithing in your own neighborhood. The
weight and breadth of the canvas purchased is also to be estimated
variously, according to your selection, and the expense will be
increased according to the degree of finishing, painting, and
decoration put upon the structure. If I should make one for myself in
New York or New Jersey, I should not anticipate its costing me more
than twenty-five dollars ready for setting up; but this includes no
floor and no painting. The interior furnishing of cots, cupboards,
tables, stoves, _et cetera_, I presume you will understand as well as
I. Also that you can contrive to put in windows as you want them, and
provide a means of carrying your stovepipe through a tin ring in the
canvas roof so as to be safe from ignition. I only wish I might help
enjoy all the fun you will have!