It has a mind of its own .... oh, sorry, still on about tent wires.

I think they explain it better at the link Morrigoon posted than I can. Basically, the wall tension holds it, I think. To set it up, you stake out each of the bottom wall joints approximately where they're supposed to be. Then, you fit together the center pole and hub and run that inside through the hole in the center of the roof. Then someone holds it steady (this is the ONLY reason set-up requires two people) while someone fits the spokes in the hub and roof pockets. Depending on how good a job you did with preliminary staking, you may or may not need someone to hold the pole while you re-position the ground stakes to pull the lower walls tight.

Then, you enjoy laying about in your canvas tent and enjoying the breeze while all the nylon tents have been transformed into ovens that prevent habitation.

I was wondering what the base of the center pole looks like myself. According to your description, it's just a pole.

Okay, so if the spokes go several inches into the hub, is it difficult to put together inside the staked tent? Or do you just plan on needing to restake the outside tighter after the hub and spoke system is put together?

Are you saying NO outside guy wires, or just guy wires very close the tent?

If it is the latter, I understand. If the former, I would have to see this. I've seen many a pavilion fall victim to strong winds.

The red and blue circus tent shown earlier is two rounds with a breezeway between them. The rounds use the center pole and spokes setup.

How each round is put up is the top canopy is spread out on the ground. The (18'!) center hole is poked through it's grommet at what will be the top. The outside ropes are attached very loosely to their stakes. Using three people, the pole/canopy is lifted into position, placing the bottom of the pole in position and the ropes are then tightened enough to hold the pole basically vertical with a slight spread to the canopy.

Next, the spokes are inserted into a wheel on the center pole and into pockets designed for them in the canopy. On the 18' diameter canopy, the poles are spaced about every 1.5'-2' (I don't remember the exact spacing). At this point, you have a round tent with no walls.

Next, the walls are hung to the canopy. In the case of this tent, there are two sections of wall for the entire round (with doors at each meeting point). This step is probably the hardest because the canvas is very heavy and you are attaching it (via snap rings) at about 7' off the ground. It is best to have two people doing it: one lifting the canvas wall and one attaching the rings.

I've wanted to make one for awhile. However, I will probably never find the time.

Kevy, look at the link again, where it gets down to describing the making of the tent. The one I showed uses the walls AS guy wires, if you will. It also has the walls attached to the roof with a rain flap sewed in at the joining seam. So you stake the bottom of the walls to the ground, then pop up the roof with the pole. That's why I was wondering about tension and being able to get the stakes into the hub, because you have these pesky wall things that might get in the way.

Fine, MAKE me go look at the link.

But I only skimmed the article and didn't see what you are specifically referring to. But I imagine that putting up the linked pavilion would follow a similar assembly process, with the possible exception of attaching the walls first (since they are used in lieu of guy wires). Essentially, you would have a droopy pavilion until you put in the spokes.

Better a droopy pavilion than a droopy guy wire.

Or worse: a droopy center pole!

oh yeah - the center pole is just a pole. I alwaye meant to make a platform for it to rest on, but never did.

It's not too difficult to put in the spokes at all. Generally the outside needs to be restaked a least a little. The precise configuration of the ground stakes varies depending on the terrain. If you're on a slope at all, you have to adjust the walls so that they're pulled tight.

Kevy: the tension in the walls generally helps keep the pavillion up. It's been through a very windy September event near Ellensburg, WA, which is probably the wind capital of Washington. It's also survived such events as May Drown.