Making support bows for a tent camper lid and entry step

In the latest build, I shot some video that shows how I make the support bows for a tent camper lid and the entry step using aluminum tubing and a tube bender.

I have found through trial and error that it’s easier to make the bows in two pieces and rivet them together. I can make sure the legs are straight and if the width is not exactly right, I can adjust it before fastening everything together.

In the diagram, the black arrows represent the total width I want for one half of the bow. In the video example, I wanted a bow that is 36” wide. So one half would be 18” wide

The red arrows represent the fixed width of the bend that is constant for every 90 degree bend. I know from the outside edge of the tube to a specific point on the tube bender that this portion will be 9.5” wide for a 1.125” tube.

So when I am figuring the width I need, I subtract this. For an 18” width, I subtract 9.5” which leaves a value of 8.5”

The green arrows represent that 8.5” length. I mark 8.5” on the end of the tube and insert it into the bender at my reference point up to that mark.

When I bend the tube, the overall length will be 9.5” + 8.5”. The actual finished length can vary a little. In the video, the finished length was 37”. For lid support applications, the actual finished width can vary and it won’t matter.

The only time the exact width matters is when you want to create a telescoping bow for the tent. In that case, the bow needs to be much closer to your intended width. This is where it’s a real advantage to have a two piece bow. If the bow is slightly too wide, you can easily trim a little to make the finished width fit the exact dimensions you need.

Here’s the video