Awning Pole Holders

We recently purchased an addition Alto awning, of the original design. We really like this version, over the curved nylon model that SC currently provides. Our awning has stood the test of time, and performs very well in a variety of conditions. We wanted a second awning for the service side of the Alto, to provide some additional shade. We have realized that the sun beating down on that side not only heats the inside more, it also impacts the performance of the propane fridge. We have been closing down the curtains, and that really helps the temps, but it does nothing to help the fridge. Another awning would benefit both situations. When we saw the original version being offered for sale on the FB group, we jumped right on it. The required second keeder rail will be a job for SC. We will make a pit stop at the factory on our next trip down east.

On our Alto, the poles for the awning are attached to nylon holders that are fastened to the back wall. These are very nicely machined and are custom fabricated by SC. I inquired with SC on the off chance they might still have some original holders left, but no luck there. I realized I would need to create a version to hold the additional three poles. They used a material called UHMD plastic, which is great to work with, mills great, and is very tough. Sourcing a chunk of this proved difficult, and those I did find were somewhat cost prohibitive, so I searched for an alternative. Researching this sort of thing generally involves cruising the aisles of my local building supply stores, looking for materials that could be re-purposed. I eventually came across what I thought might work.

I ended up with a composite moulding product. It seems relatively durable, water resistant, and should be easy to work with. Trying to duplicate the original design proved to be very difficult without a nice router or milling setup. A new design was needed, something simpler to fabricate in my modest little workshop.

simple...yet with a touch of shiny elegance

The material turned out to be real easy to work with, cuts smooth, sands well, and as it is white, it needed to accept paint nicely, which it does. Keeping it simple, I came up with a design that involved only straight drilling. One side is drilled to hold the narrow tops of the poles, while the other holds the bases. Both sides are drilled right through, with the function being that the base is inserted first, and pushed through enough for the top to then be inserted into the other holder. Although the press fit of the drilled holes is quite tight, I figured it best to fabricate a hinged door to prevent the poles from possibly vibrating out from the base side. The holders were spray painted black, and I do think they will serve the purpose quite well, and most importantly, look like they belong on the back of the Alto...always a key design consideration.