Tent / Marquee as medium-term workshop?

[Spearmint Wino]

I just watched this vid from Charlie DIYte: where he's intending to use a heavy-duty pop-up workshop for the next few months.

I have to do anything power-tools and most things hand-tools outside and am always at the mercy of the weather, so it piqued my interest. Having an mft / bench and mitre saw permanently set up would save having to set up and take down every session. Having said that I can't believe moisture wouldn't be an issue and cause anything you left inside to warp, and then there's the issue of security.

Has anyone on here used something similar successfully?

 

[robgul]

I saw that video - the whole plan seemed to be flawed to me for all the reasons you suggest - to me the only upside was that he got the tent for free!!

 

[clogs]

that one is certainly not big enough.....
easy to tear when swinging bit stuff around.....
provided u can take ur equip outside when u want to work...fair enough.....
here the problem is the sun.....or keeping out of it.....lol.....

 

[Sandyn]

here the problem is the sun.....or keeping out of it.....lol.....

You really know how to make people jealous!!!

I have used a large tarpaulin for rain cover, so a tent like that would be useful for some of the larger things I make. I wouldn't leave any tools/benches in it. It would just be for rain cover during the summer month, which can be any one between March and August, or split evenly between the six of them!

 

[Cirks]

While building my summerhouse I’ve had to do loads of work and store things under two gazebos so a tent would be a luxury. Advantage of the gazebos is lengths of wood can be swung around only needing to avoid the legs rather than sides of a tent. The mitre saw on stand has been stored outside under the gazebo but also covered with an old bbq cover. Not ideal at all but no way can it be moved every day. It will get stripped and cleaned properly before going back to its normal storage! Couple more workbenches also left out plus some timber (also covered by tarps). Tent would be impractical in comparison.

 

[Doug B]

I’ve read of someone who did something similar though they took there tools out every night, obviously there are drawbacks but needs must.

 

[Ollie78]

Don't go there. We used to use various gazebos and pop up tents while on site,
Without fail a total pain in the ***.
My dad had one of these temporary garages for his old car, it was an expensive sturdy one too. A bit too much wind and some of the legs bent beyond repair luckily the car was undamaged but it was close.
Also I have seen that DIY guy before and I am not sure his advice is particularly good...

Ollie

 

[Robbo60]

Is it as good as a permanent workshop? - NO.
Have you got a permanent workshop? - NO
Is it better than being outside in the rain - YES
I know a couple of contractors who have pop up gazebos in their vans. JIC

 

[Rorschach]

Long term, no, but for the job he is doing I would say it's a good solution. You obviously want to bring in tools overnight and you want to minimise the materials being store out there but with good ventilation I doubt it is any worse than most garages that people are using as workshops.

I watched the video and it looks to me that he is using it as a place to lay out and cut materials ready for final assembly in the house. In that situation it is much better than doing it in the open air.

 

[Cirks]

Wind is certainly an issue. Both of my gazebos are reasonably well sheltered by house yet still need ballast tied to each leg and that has stopped them moving much but not stopped the better quality one from getting the extending top parts buckled. The cheaper (simple pole assembly) has stayed perfect.

 

[NormanB]

I think Charlie has the perfect solution for his needs and as it is not a bad price, of course his was even better value.

He has a good channel and makes interesting and useful content.

 

[thetyreman]

it doesn't seem heavy duty enough to me, I'd be worried about it blowing down, probably better than nothing though, security would be an issue.

 

[Jelly]

Having said that I can't believe moisture wouldn't be an issue and cause anything you left inside to warp, and then there's the issue of security.

I store some timber outside, using bearers to keep it off the ground, stickered between layers then roped and sheeted.

By and large, well seasoned hardwood is absolutely fine in those conditions, kiln dried material (almost all softwoods, and the odd bit of hardwood) does have some movement, but not excessively much...

However if it's not sufficiently off the ground, or the sheeting isn't perfect then there's a risk of liquid water on the boards at which point significant movement can happen if it's allowed to sit wet.