10mtrs

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Position 1 person behind each of the 3 poles if you are working with 4 fitters position 2 people on the middle pole 

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Make sure there is a decent gap between each pole 

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the person on the middle pole is in charge they will count 1-3 and on 3 each person will push the poles inwards towards the 2 poles opposite 

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There will be a breaking point where the poles will stop moving or lean to one side push past this it will be hard work for the first few meters but it will become easier as the poles get higher. 

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Keep the base of the poles close to the ground when you begin to push this makes things a little easier 

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If the 3 poles are close to each other this could result in the frame toppling over so after your first push move each pole further apart (only lift 1 pole at a time !)

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keep walking the poles in until you reach the 10mtr mark on your tape 

You should now have 5 poles standing at 10 mtrs apart 

STEP 3

We will now raise the remaining 4 poles and connect them to the crown 

Raise the Ladder

Extend the long ladder to its working length. When in position the ladder should be at an angle of 4" up for every 1"out. 

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place the ladder rungs between the 2 poles so that the rung sits on the poles this makes it secure.

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Have the 3 remaining poles behind the ladder. 

stake the ladder at the bottom so the ladder cannot slip away

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lay out the remaining poles where they will be raised. 

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ladder man put 4 pins & 4 lynch pins in your pocket

put on harness climb ladder taking the hauling rope with you.  

once at the top of the ladder clip harness onto the bottom ring of the crown  

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send down the hauling rope do this by feeding the carabiner under and over the top of the bottom rung of the crown (same rung your harness is clipped onto).

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someone at ground level passes the end of the hauling rope underneath the thin end of the pole on the rope binding, loops it around the main pole and clips it back onto itself. 

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position someone on the end of the main pole and someone holding the hauling rope (stay well clear of the main pole in case it drops).

The person on the hauling rope pulls and the person on the end of the main pole walks it inwards as the main pole rises up. The idea is to have the thin end of the main pole rising up the centre line of the Tipi. 

As the thin end of the main pole approaches the ladder man they reach down to get hold of it and slots it into one of the empty slots on the crown. 

do this for the remaining 4 poles until all 9 poles are attached to the crown. 

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ladder man descend ladder and take ladder down. 

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STEP 4

Fit The Pearlins

 We will now fit the horizontal pearlins to brace the main poles. This will substantially increase the strength of the frame and give the Tipi its unique shape. 

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(if there are more than 2 of you)

Place 1 step ladder below the metal bracket roughly half way up the main pole and another step ladder on the next pole along. 

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put some lynch pins in your pocket and climb the step ladder second person do the same on the next pole 

someone on the ground should pass you the pearlin up

Each pearlin has a male fitting either end of them these slot into the female fitting on the main poles. 

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have someone on the ground moving the main poles over to the correct distance apart (length of the pearlin) 

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Fit a lynch pin through the small hole in the male fitting of each pearlin making sure it is clipped shut (2 per pearlin 1 either side)

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move the step ladders along to the next section and repeat 

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Unless you are very lucky the last pearlin will not fit exactly. The last gap may be a little too big or small in this case a little too big. 

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To fix this stake one of the poles that already has a pearlin attached to one side and the gap on the other 

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You and your team are now going to walk the frame "in and round" go to the next pole that doesnt have the stake in it 

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if there is a team of 4 fitters each of you grab a pole next to each other 

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on the count of 3 you each push the pole your holding in towards the centre and round 

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then move onto the next 4 poles and repeat this should close the gap between the poles making it the right size for the pearlin to fit 

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this takes a few attempts just keep doing it until the gap is closed. 

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Take the pressure off all the poles by lifting them up one by one and letting them settle. 

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