Download
Share
Print this page
  1. Manuals
  2. Brands
  3. Johnny's Selected Seeds Manuals
  4. Greenhouse Kit
  5. Quick Hoops 7300
  6. Instruction manual

Johnny's Selected Seeds Quick Hoops 7300 Instruction Manual

Gothic high tunnel bender
Hide thumbs

Advertisement

Quick Links

Download this manual
Instruction Manual for 7300
Quick Hoops™ Gothic High Tunnel Bender
Copyright © 2014 Johnny's Selected Seeds. All rights reserved.
955 Benton Ave., Winslow, ME 04901  Phone: 1-877-564-6697  Fax: 1-800-738-6314
Email: service@johnnyseeds.com  Web Site: Johnnyseeds.com
Overview:
High tunnels with a Gothic peak have long been the gold standard for shedding snow in Northern climates.
This is why Johnny's has developed the Quick Hoops™ Gothic High Tunnel Bender. In addition to shedding
snow, the Gothic-style peak allows for a wider tunnel; 14' to be exact. Within the tunnel, four 30" beds can be
prepared for growing. For those who grow in the winter, one Quick Hoops™ 6' wide Low Tunnel will fit over two
of these beds for another layer of protection. Even further, the addition of the peak sections gives the tunnel
more height, allowing more room for trellised crops. This added height also slows down the heat lost during
cool nights, preventing drastic temperature fluctuations. Finally, the taller tunnel allows small tractors and other
farm equipment to fit into the tunnel with ease.
August, 2014 Gothic Tunnel trial at 
Johnny's Research Farm, Albion, ME 
This manual has two main parts: It will illustrate how to pre-fabricate
1‐3/8" Chain‐Link Top Rail
your bows as well as show you how to build an entire tunnel such as the
one above, but at any length you desire. We will also give you some
creative options for end-walls and how to create roll-up sides for efficient
venting.
1-3/8" top rail for chain link fence is available in 10 ft. sections. 2-1/2
pieces are joined to create 14 ft. wide peaked hoops with this bender. A
10 ft. piece of 3/4" EMT conduit is also used to provide the main source
of strength for these bows.
1
www.johnnyseeds.com 
7300.999  Rev 2.2‐3/23/15‐AL

Advertisement

loading
Need help?

Need help?

Do you have a question about the Quick Hoops 7300 and is the answer not in the manual?

Questions and answers

Related Manuals for Johnny's Selected Seeds Quick Hoops 7300

Summary of Contents for Johnny's Selected Seeds Quick Hoops 7300

  • Page 1 Instruction Manual for 7300 Quick Hoops™ Gothic High Tunnel Bender Copyright © 2014 Johnny’s Selected Seeds. All rights reserved. 955 Benton Ave., Winslow, ME 04901  Phone: 1-877-564-6697  Fax: 1-800-738-6314 Email: service@johnnyseeds.com  Web Site: Johnnyseeds.com Overview: High tunnels with a Gothic peak have long been the gold standard for shedding snow in Northern climates. This is why Johnny’s has developed the Quick Hoops™...
  • Page 2 Construction Options: We provide instructions on two main methods to build your tunnel: Modular, Moveable 'Cathedral' Tunnel Traditional, Fixed 'Gothic' Tunnel Eliot Coleman is credited for the conception of this hoop design as he incorporated it into the plans for his modular moveable 'Cathedral' tunnel.
  • Page 3 Materials: This Excel spreadsheet calculator has been developed to allow you to custom design a tunnel to meet your own operational and financial needs. It may be downloaded from the product page for the 7300 Quick Hoops™ Gothic High Tunnel Bender or from the Growers Library on our website.
  • Page 4 Contents for Part# 7300:  Curved bender and long lever bar (for “finishing”         the bend) *  Peak Jig and (2) short lever bars  Hardware for mounting to wood surfaces: (4) 1/4" x 5" lag screws, (4) 1/4" x 6" carriage bolts, (4) 1/4"...
  • Page 5 Bending the Side Hoops: After determining how many bows your high tunnel will have, set aside twice that many pipes to be bent. Insert the swaged end of a pipe into the holding strap at the end of the bender. Insert just past the swage to prevent canting or kinking that portion of the pipe.
  • Page 6 Creating the Peak Sections: 1. Prefabrication: a. From the calculator, determine the number of peak sections you will need for your tunnel. Set aside half as many pieces of 10’ top-rail. b. Cut two 5’ sections from each piece of top- rail, excluding the swaged ends.
  • Page 7 2. Bending: a. Place the first 5’ section of top-rail on the Quick Hoops™ Gothic High Tunnel Bender, inserting the 1/4" bolt on the bender into the pre-drilled hole in the center of the underside of the peak section. This will both center it and keep it from slipping.
  • Page 8 Creating Collar Ties: 1. Collar Ties are made with 10 ft. lengths of ¾” EMT electrical conduit. These will be placed on every bow. Insert ¾-1” of one end inside a bench vise with the mark positioned as shown. Fully compress the vise. Remove and repeat for the opposite end.
  • Page 9 Assembling the Bows: 1. Use two pieces of top-rail as part of the jig for assembling the bows. On a flat area of ground, arrange some small stakes to create the jig around the top-rail as shown above. 2. Place one side hoop in the left side of the jig, as shown.
  • Page 10 6. Secure the peak section to the hoops with #10 x 3/4" hex self-drilling tek screws. 7. Slip a 1 3/8” brace band over the end of each bow and slide them up toward the peak section. 8. Secure the collar tie loosely to the brace bands on the bow with 5/16”-18 x 1.25”...
  • Page 11 Creating ground posts from fence posts: Ground posts are made from 1-5/8” chain link fence "line post" material, which is commonly available in 8 ft. lengths. 8 ft. fence posts may be cut in half to produce 4 ft. ground posts (with 2 ft. in the ground and 2 ft. exposed), which results in a 9-½...
  • Page 12 Hints on setting the corner ground posts: Use the following diagrams to help you set the corner posts in a perfect rectangle.                           4. Lay the notched end  6. Adjust the un‐notched  of the gauge at that  end of the gauge to that    measurement spot. ...
  • Page 13 Site preparation and setting the ground posts: 1. Prepare the footprint of the tunnel as if you would open soil in a field. 2. Create a gauge for setting posts by using one 5/4" x 6” x 14’ piece of wood, and simply cutting a small notch in one end.
  • Page 14 g. Using the long tape measure as a guide, set the rest of the posts for this side of the tunnel. JSS #9482  Ground Post Driver  h. Repeat steps 4.f. and g. for the other side of the tunnel. Inspect the orientation of ground posts and adjust as necessary: Pre-drilled bolt holes (near the ground) should be facing outward from the tunnel to minimize adjustment later on.
  • Page 15 5. If you do choose to use weed barrier, proceed as follows: a. Perform steps 4.a. through e. to set and square the four corner posts. b. If you have a pair of D-handle garden forks or spades, you can quickly set up your weed barrier on a makeshift spool such as this.
  • Page 16 g. Run a long tape measure down the center of one of the pieces of weed barrier fabric and secure to the corner posts with clamps, etc. h. Make 2" slits with a razor knife for the rest of the ground posts on that side of the tunnel.
  • Page 17 Framing the Tunnel: Bows: make a mark on each of the bows about 6” from the end. This will be used as a guide for insertion into the ground posts. a. Clamp large vise grips or spring clamps onto each side of the bow just above the marks to keep it from slipping into the ground posts.
  • Page 18 2. Ridge Pole: pre-drill a 5/16" hole through the non-swaged end of a piece of 1-3/8" top rail for chain link fence at about 9/16" from the end. Drill through both walls. This will serve as the first piece of ridge pole. Note: if you intend to install scissor doors on this end of the tunnel, you will need about 4"...
  • Page 19 3. Angle Ties: at this point, angle ties must be installed so that all successive bows are vertical and plumb. Slip a 1-3/8" brace band over one of the side hoops of one of the end wall bows, two 1-3/8" brace bands over the next bow, and one 1- 5/8"...
  • Page 20 4. Ridge Pole (continued): continue adding sections of ridge pole and securing to the peak connector of each bow every four feet as before until you reach the end of the tunnel and have a section of ridge pole protruding out over the opposite end wall.
  • Page 21 5. Hipboards: we are using 5/4" x 6" x 16' decking for our hipboards and baseboards. You can choose to use any material you like. First, determine what height you would like your hipboards to be. Ours were about shoulder height and offered very good ventilation.
  • Page 22 h. Repeat step 5.c. for each of the remaining bows the first hipboard is attached to, as well as the first bow the second hipboard is attached to. Continue on down the tunnel, repeating steps 5.c. through 5.h.. until the last hipboard is in place and a section of hipboard is protruding outward past the opposite end wall.
  • Page 23 Repeat step 6.b. for each of the remaining ground posts the baseboards are attached to. g. Continue down the tunnel, repeating steps 6.c. through 6.e. until the last baseboard is in place and a section of basboard is protruding outward past the opposite end wall. Before attaching, cut the last baseboard to length so that it is flush with the outside of the end of the opposite end wall ground post.
  • Page 24 8. Collar Tie Adjustment: at this point, the collar ties must be adjusted so that they are somewhat level (with respect to the tunnel) and secured in place. These are not really meant to be truly level because the tunnel may not necessarily be built on level ground.
  • Page 25 Traditional End Walls: There are a great many ways to go about this, few of which could be considered wrong. We are illustrating how we decided to craft a traditional end wall for our 14' x 200' trial tunnel. There are no rules.
  • Page 26 3. Door Frame: a. Measure across the endwall baseboard, find center and mark it on the baseboard. b. Make a mark on the baseboard 32" to the right and 32" to the left of the center mark. These will be the door frame's bottom inside boundaries.
  • Page 27 Repeat steps 3.a. through 3.e. for the opposite side of the door frame. g. Clamp the inside door frame boards constructed in steps 3.a. through 3.f. in place so that their inside edges are aligned with the outer marks on the collar tie and baseboard.
  • Page 28 Cut two more pieces of 2" x 4" to a length of 64". Place one at the top of the door opening so that the wide edge is facing the end of the tunnel. Secure at each end with a couple 3" bugle head wood screws. Place the second one under the first with its narrow edge facing out and flus with the outside edges of the door frame.
  • Page 29 4. Doors: these will be built in-place for best fit. The measurements below are approximate, since the boards will be cut to fit. See diagram on the following page for the sequence used for assembly. a. Lay some type of spacer that is about a 1/4"...
  • Page 30 Using the wood screws supplied with them, install hinges about 1' from the top and bottom of the left side of the door as shown in the diagram. Do not pre-drill. g. In the middle opening of the door, pre-drill and install screw-eyes near the top of board #1 and the bottom of board #2.
  • Page 31 m. Cut two 1" x 4" to span the insides of each of the doors as a bit of extra bracing. Level these with another piece of board as shown to the right. n. Cut to length as needed an install Poly Latch Wire Channel around the open holes in the doors, around the door frame, and along both sides of the...
  • Page 32 d. Fold the excess side plastic around the endwall bow and over the area between the first and second bows, below the hipboard. Poly Latch wire the plastic tightly into this area. This will serve as an overlap panel to prevent drafts caused by the roll-up sides.
  • Page 33 h. Trim off excess plastic along the outside edges of all the Poly Latch wire channel, leaving about an inch or so excess. When you are done, the endwall should look like this: 6. Door hardware can be anything you dream up. a.
  • Page 34 Scissor Doors for an End Wall: This is another way to do an end wall that has been developed by Eliot Coleman and is in use extensively at his Four Season Farm. It is a very low cost method, but the beauty of it, especially for a tunnel this size or larger, is that it instantly allows small tractor access, which can be a huge labor saver.
  • Page 35 d. Slide the brace band on the end of one of the rails over the ridge pole protruding over the end-wall. Add the second rail in the same fashion. They should hang freely and be able to rotate out to the sides of the tunnel easily. They should also just touch the ground or come close to it.
  • Page 36 c. Cut to length just shy of the top of the hipboard and finish off. d. Cut to length and install a section below the hipboard on that side that finishes just above the footboard. e. Repeat steps 1.a. through 1.d. for the opposite side of the bow. 4.
  • Page 37 Poly Latch wire the other side of the plastic sheet to the channel on that side of the end bow. Adjust Snap Clamps as necessary to remove any wrinkles in the door plastic. k. Install self-drilling tek screws through the Snap Clamps. Fold the excess side plastic around the endwall bow and over the area between first and second bows, below the hipboard.
  • Page 38 Skinning the Tunnel: This is an "all-hands-on-deck" evolution that is best done with little or no wind. If possible, postpone this portion of the procedure if the weather is not cooperative or if you feel you do not have enough people to control the plastic.
  • Page 39 3. Pulling the plastic: a. When everyone is ready, give the word, and raise the plastic up and over the tunnel, aligning it evenly on both sides. b. Install a section of Poly Latch wire (maybe 2 ft.) at the peak of one end of the tunnel.
  • Page 40 4. Roll-up sides (part 2): a. Lay the assembled EMT on the loose plastic at the bottom of one side of the tunnel. Wrap it around the EMT evenly and secure in place with Snap Clamps every two feet or so. Adjust the Snap Clamps as necessary, removing any wrinkles in the plastic and ensuring that the EMT is parallel to the baseboards.
  • Page 41 5. Poly Latch Wire: a. Roll the sides up so they are each about 12" off the ground and putting tension on the main sheet of plastic. b. Starting at one end, have two workers install Poly Latch wire concurrently on the hipboards at both sides of the tunnel, working opposite of each other as they make their way down the tunnel.
  • Page 42 h. Repeat steps 6.a. through 6.g. for the opposite side of the tunnel. A Trucker's Hitch is used to tension lacing on the roll-up sides. The 14' Gothic High Tunnel is now complete! www.johnnyseeds.com    7300.999  Rev 2.2‐3/23/15‐AL...
  • Page 43 The Gothic High Tunnel in Operation: www.johnnyseeds.com    7300.999  Rev 2.2‐3/23/15‐AL...