Question: How to tighten tension cable

[julia supanich]

Hi All,
Wonder if anybody has input on how to tighten the

tension cable

after the yurt has been erected. Failed to consider that the walls are about 1.5 inches in from the 8 foot radius of my deck, so consequently the cable is approximately 11 inches loose in circumference (2 x pi x r). Wups. Looking for a low-tech, sans come-along way to get her tightened. Thanks in advance for your feedback!

[Marshall Eppley]

On past yurt builds i used a ratchet strap and rope. just tie off the rope put a loop in the other end put tension on the rope with the strap then adjust the cable. worked for me anyway.

[Bob Rowlands]

Man you stepped in deep do do.

Stepped in that same pile once on my yurt-once and once only. If you can't get ahold of either a come along or a ratchet strap, I'm afraid you'll have to disassemble the yurt roof. That outward roof thrust of a fully erected yurt is mind blowing.

I'm not even sure how wise it would be to try and use a comealong cable to compress wood yurt lattice. Just a thought.

As for a ratchet strap. I'm not even sure a cheapjack ratchet strap with a little dohickey handle has the leverage to tighten up the frame. I'm guessing it wouldn't. You'd need one of those ratchets that truckers use to snug down there cargo. The ones with a bar that creates the leverage.

My suggestion-what I did? Disassenble the roof.

Set the cable to the correct length. That formula is pi x diameter of yurt AT THE CENTER OF THE LATTICE CROSSES. That is, IF the cable goes over the door frame, and if you drop the cable into the lath crosses. IMO, the cable should encircle the entire yurt, NOT attach to the door frame on either side. No way in heck I'd trust a massive yurt roof load to any wood door frame header.

Drop the cable and drop it in place in the lattice crosses. Load the rafters. As you load the last few rafters you'll know you are on the money because the door frame and walls will look plumb.

Good luck. BE SAFE!