Temporary shelters for tractors

newbury · Aug 19, 2009

I want to put my ride under a temp shelter (portable garage? canopy) for maybe a year or so.
Northern Tools and others have many choices starting around $300.
Any recommendations?
Wind is only an occasional problem, as is snow load.
/edit
I'm looking for something that has the mix of portability, ease of puttin' up, structural soundness, and cost in order of importance.
The picture shows the ideal, except the cost is prohibitive

Lil_FarmerJim · Aug 19, 2009

I've had an Instant Garage (Now Shelter Logic) for years. Its worked out great for me. Especially in the harsh winters we used to have in NE PA back in the mid to late 90's. I got mine in the rounded roof style with 5 year fabric. The steel frame has held up very well and so has the fabric, it only just started really leaking. Currently its housing my ride down in SE PA. It's easy to assemble and easy to maintain. I would buy direct from them rather then through a 3rd party as you can get more options. But of course with more options the price goes up.

The only caution I would give you, as it's been given to me several times, you will need to put some kind of vapor barrier under it and your ride to help cut down on moisture. Else it can cause rust and pre-mature rot.

HTH,

jimmyj · Aug 19, 2009

I have used shelter logic units for years and have been happy with them. The only caveats I have are:

- I knock the snow off regularly on the "gable end" shape units
- I have one "dome style" unit that the snow falls off of on its own
- Anchor anchor anchor. These will blow away in a bad storm unless very well secured.

Farmerford · Aug 19, 2009

I have two of the cheap ($225) Shelter Logic 10' x 20' models and think they are a good buy. On the second one, I put 4"x4" treated posts in the ground that stuck up about 2' to mount the legs on. Then I pushed up a mound of dirt inside the posts about 1' high. That accomplished two things: one, it kept the water that runs down the sides from running under the shelter; two, it lets air blow in through the 1' gap around the bottom, so that moisture does not accumulate inside. It also gives you another foot of headroom. That works a lot better the a mount directly on the ground, and it keeps the sidewalls from becoming a muddy mess.

You have a choice (on the 20' model, anyway) between three frames and four frames. Get four frames, which divide the roof and sides into three panels of about 7' each. Even at 7' if the roof membrane is not stretched tight it will sag enough to form a dip that catches and holds rainwater. On one of mine I ran a 2x4 longitudinally down the middle of each side of the roof to stop that from happening. I think a three frame model with 10' panels would be even more prone to sagging and catching water.

radioman · Aug 19, 2009

I had a shelter logic shelter and it worked for a while. unfornuately for me, I live in a very high wind area and even though I had it anchored, it pulled it out( ground was very soft from rain) and blew away. It was a mangled mess and in pieces. I ended up taking it apart and put it back in the box. The poles are ok, but there seems to be half of the connecters in twisted mess. for 300 bucks, I didnt think I got my money worth as it wasn't even one year old.

Carykong · Aug 19, 2009

my luck with temp shelters has been mixed. I would save your dollars and just tarp your tractor until you can afford a permanent shed. I know handling your tarp a lot can be a nuisanse. Really depends how often you use your tractor. Daily? Weeklly? Seasonally?

JoelD · Aug 19, 2009

I've got two of the portable garages up and a third in a box. I buy them at pepboys for under $200 a piece, the last was $179 at thanksgiving time. I've gotten over 4 years at least from them and they are just starting to leak, not much though. I clear the snow off each heavy snow. The metal frames are very strong, the covering is very durrable in my opinion as I live in a very harsh environment. For $200 I can replace every 5 years say and I am way ahead.

Ultimately I'd like to build a small barn, but just too much money. I'm thinking ultimately a steel building may be my answer.

Joel

boatyard · Aug 19, 2009

I put up a 12 x 20 Shelter Logic Garage for the tractor last month. It's nice to have it out of the weather. Because of the rocky soil up around the barn I was unable to get any 30" anchors in the ground. I had a pile of pressure treated 2x6 that I was able to create two 20' long 6"x6" beams out of. The garage has six 24" anchors in the ground [they recommend eight 30" anchors] and the beams well attached at the bottom to hold it down in the wind. Is this enough? My gut is concerned that this will not work if we get a good blow. Any ideas?

carpenter383 · Aug 19, 2009

boatyard said:
I put up a 12 x 20 Shelter Logic Garage for the tractor last month. It's nice to have it out of the weather. Because of the rocky soil up around the barn I was unable to get any 30" anchors in the ground. I had a pile of pressure treated 2x6 that I was able to create two 20' long 6"x6" beams out of. The garage has six 24" anchors in the ground [they recommend eight 30" anchors] and the beams well attached at the bottom to hold it down in the wind. Is this enough? My gut is concerned that this will not work if we get a good blow. Any ideas?

Yes! cut something like a 4x4 long enough to lay on top of your 6x6's, then rest the fel bucket on top of it when you park your tractor

newbury · Aug 20, 2009

After looking over all the offerings from shelter logic and rhino I decided to wing it and build my own.
I've got trade offs between size (I don't really need one as wide as what is offered for the length I need) portability and zoning.
So I'm planning on building a "skeleton" of 1" plastic pipe held together with X or cross pieces and T's. I've spent about $50 on the connectors, will need about $30 of 1" pipe, about $20 of flexible 1" pipe, and a 30x20 HD tarp (which I already have). That with judicious application of duct tape and nylon rope and a bunch of grommets shouuld do for the upper structure.
I plan on basing it on a bunch of PT 2x6 deck boards which I'm "recycling" from a deck I built 24 yrs ago.
This will also let me easily modify it for size in the future, and move to "job sites".
If I get 'er done pictures will follow.