Although initially I used a very esoteric "string mechanism", which I called the "magic string", Mistress Regina Romsey (from An Tir) suggested another much easier method with a better magic string. I now use this method exclusively to lay out the 12-sided pavilion (pavilino), at least when I am not using the fitted ground-cloth.
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Figure 1. These are the stake positions that you will wind up with. The "+" in the center is the location of the temporary stake used for the magic string. |
Figure 2. This is "the magic string". The string has a loop at the tip (to loop over the stake in the center). The two long sides are the distance from the center to a stake, and the short side is the distance between stakes. |
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| STEP 1: With the magic string looped around the temporary stake in the center, it is stretched out to find the positions of stake #1 and stake #2. I have marks on my string, so the string passes just around the stakes. These two stakes are then pressed or hammered into the ground enough so they will stand up.
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STEP 2: I then move the magic string off of stake #1, and move it so it is still looped around stake #2, and stretch it out to find the position of stake #3. I then press or hammer stake #3 into the ground enough so it will stand up.
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STEP 3: I then move the magic string off of stake #2, and move it so it is still looped around stake #3, and stretch it out to find the position of stake #4. I then press or hammer stake #4 into the ground enough so it will stand up.
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I now continue moving around the circle until all 12 stakes are positioned. I then remove the center stake and the magic string (figure 1). I lay the pavilion in the center of the circle, decide where I want the door, and I stretch the pavilion out to the stakes. I then move around the circle, taking each stake out of the ground, placing it through the stake loop, and then hammering it firmly into the ground.
Once the tent is staked out, I simply open the door, insert the center pole and stand it up. I then put all the spokes in, and "Voila!" the tent is up.
Mistress Regina's original suggestion included using a wooden rod that is the distance between stakes. Rather than stretching a string between the two stakes, she uses the rod. Once she is finished, Regina uses the wooden rod as a "closet" rod across two of the spokes (once the pavilino is up).
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