Say goodbye to tent pegs

DavidC · Member

Say goodbye to tent pegs

dabbler · Guru

I've been using screw in pegs for a few years now. My preference is Whites from Bunnings. They're a lot lighter weight and cheaper than bolts and coach screws. I carry a small number of larger pitched sand screws but never used them.

Are We Lost · Guru

Here is a link to the Bunnings set mentioned by dabbler ... 15 in a plastic case for $19.95. The socket driver is included.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/whites-wires-screw-in-tent-pegs-15-pack_p3042468

Aldi had a similar set for half the price last month but you would be unlikely to find any in store now.

-- Edited by Are We Lost on Saturday 3rd of April 2021 02:04:21 PM

Cupie · Guru

A number of years ago I purchased four extra long gal Coach Bolts/Screws from a specialist Bolt place. Much longer than the Bunnings ones but a bit dearer. Another forum member kindly sent me a couple of brackets that he made made from aluminium molding that are very good too. I also use a couple of brackets made from folded over gal iron strapping that thread thru the guy rope shock spring eyelets & the coach bolt threads through a large hole in the doubled over strap.

The whole arrangement of Screw, bracket shock spring and guy rope fit neatly in to & wrap around a piece of white conduit that when installed sits over the spring to help avoid tripping over the guy ropes.

Oh yes, I also fitted strong clips to the end of the guy ropes to make quick connects to either the awning roller clips or to stainless steel saddles bolted permanently to the awning strut.

I use 2 of them at each end of the roll out awning.

To install I just bash them in with the back of an axe & when dismantling, wind them out with the same extended socket spanner attachment that I use with a battery drill for my corner steadies. I suppose that an impact driver/rattle gun might do a better job.

Very quick to set up & dismantle and strong too.

Long Weekend · Guru

I also have been using long coach screws for about five years now. As a matter of fact, I do not even carry a hammer nor any standard straight pegs.

While David C mentions that the screws go straight in, the reverse is the same - they come straight out no matter how long they have been in the ground. Ordinary pegs seem to 'grow' into the ground after a considerable time and can be very hard to get out. In fact, there have been several gadgets around to pull/lever them out.

Some time ago I posted a photo on this forum about using large washers to anchor the spring strainers when using screw pegs. A very low cost solution as opposed to several specialized accessories available - one I can think of at the moment is bent from heavy guage wire sold by somebody over in Perth. Anyway, my cheap 'system' is a 50mm flat washer, with a 4mm hole drilled near an edge. Remove one of the wires from the middle of a spring, thread it through the 4mm hole then feed the wire back through the center of the spring.

One thing to remember is that the drill should be 18 Volts or more. A cordless rattle gun type also works better than a straight drill.

Finally, for David C and others, I put washers under the hex head when pegging down mesh matting - it gives more support to the brass eyelet.

Murray

PS: I bought 3/8 x 12 inch coach screws (lag screws) from America on Ebay. At that time the Ozzie dollar was almost on parity with the green back and a pack of 30 screws, with postage, worked out around $2.50 each. As I gave away a lot of them I have been waiting for the exchange rate to go up again to buy some more. There are a couple of sellers in America that only change modest postage fees, but there are many others that charge a lot more!

Clarky 1 · Senior Member

Here is the crowd in WA who provide specialised screwpegs and other bits.

This will be of interest to those who want longer pegs than you can get at Bunnings and for anyone who doesn't want to make any other fittings.
I have a kit of these for my awning and annexe and find them very convenient.

www.screwpegsaustralia.com.au/

Whenarewethere · Guru

Buy an impact socket for the size you use. Standard sockets are not made for constant use on an impact driver.

Long Weekend · Guru

Yes, Clarky 1 - that is the Perth source of the pegs and accessories.

There is another source of specialised pegs for tents and camping, being

peggypeg.com.au/

I first spotted these pegs on an English site some six years ago. While I was impressed at the time they were too expensive. Since then the business in Queensland imports and sells them direct or through Ebay. I love the very large flute aluminium pegs - but, boy, the price each! (Don't forget to include the shipping costs!)

I understand that a number of light plane owners use them for tie downs - in that instance the high cost doesn't matter when weighed against the cost of the aircraft.

I might add the British peggypeg site and a couple of others in the UK put me onto using long coach screws as tent pegs. Some of the English sites have you tube videos showing how to use them. I thus bought a pack of thirty 12-inch long screws on Ebay from the US and haven't looked back.

Murray

Whenarewethere · Guru

At the end of the day you need a range of pegs for hard & soft ground. I knocked up these aluminium & stainless steel pegs for softer ground to save weight.

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