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Old July 5, 2012   #39
janezee
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Whidbey Island, WA Zone 7, Sunset 5
Posts: 931
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Nativeplanter, I have the same dilemma as you. I decided to go with a bender, two sticks of 1/2 inch conduit, and a joiner. I bent the two pieces of conduit at 3'7.5"to make the top bar 8'1" so the legs will clear the wood. to join them, I drilled 15/16ths holes on the bottom of the arch using the joint as a template for the placing of the hole. The joint helps you hold the drill in the right place for the pilot hole, which you will need with a hand drill. Be careful to line them up for the set screws to go through. The joints come in packages of 5 for a couple of dollars. I figured the money I saved on the joints alone, rather than the corners, would pay for the bender. ($32) and the netting that I won't tear on those corners, either.

I thought that the arches might need some strengthening for the heavy tomato rows, so I have plans to cut rebar to put in there before I join the arches.

I got 10' sticks of rebar and cut them into thirds, 3'4", and drove them halfway into the ground just outside the boxes. Slipped the trellis over the rebar, and ran twine for my peas and pole beans.

jane
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