How to Construct the RPI-Sage Hillel Sukkah

By Caren Irgang

•You will need:• 16 sections of galvanized steel pipe, threaded

• 12 sections of 5’ pipe• 4 sections of 2’ pipe

• 12 unions (3 parts to each union), threaded• At least 4 should be metal galvanized unions• The rest can be PVC unions

• 8 corner fittings, also called side outlet elbows, threaded• 4 couplings, threaded• 4 2-inch metal pipe nipples, threaded• At least 5 pieces of 8’ lumber ~2”x3”• WD-40 pipe grease• For the walls, DECIDE WHETHER YOU ARE ATTACHING THE BURLAP OR TARP WITH ZIP TIES

OR SHOWER RINGS. If zip ties, follow the steps below exactly. If non-detachable shower rings, remember to slip on the shower rings onto the pipes BEFORE attaching the ends of the pipes to fittings. Often, sukkah walls are made out of blue tarp. We have blue tarp, but you should use burlap because it has a better aesthetic.

Make sure everyone has gloves!

Bottom Square• First, construct the bottom

square. Lay out 8 pieces of 5’ pipe on the ground and roughly estimate a 10’x10’ square. Corners are circled in red, the middle of two straight pipes is indicated with a yellow circle. Do not connect anything together yet.

Bottom Square

• Make sure that the corner fittings (special pipe pieces on the corners) are facing up.

Bottom Square• Screw pipes into the corner

fittings. Remember, the top of the corner fitting should be facing up. When threading metal to metal, it is good practice to spray WD-40 pipe grease on the threads. This prevents rust, and you will have a tighter fit resulting in more reliable connections and a straighter, more reliable structure. Figure out if you are attaching the walls with zip ties/detachable rings or non-detachable shower rings NOW.

Bottom Square• This piece is called a union

and it has three separate parts. There are unions made of white PVC plastic and unions made of galvanized iron. For the bottom square, you can definitely use PVC. Use the same orientation for each union you install (in this photo, the threaded union half is on the right, and the other two pieces go together on the left).

Bottom Square• Make sure that the union

pieces are screwed onto the pipe very tightly. Then screw the ring (the middle part of the union in the picture) onto the threaded union piece so that the two pieces of pipe are attached. Make sure that nothing attached with threads is moving! • Test the structure by

picking up corners and see if anything moves.

Bottom Square• For the corners, liberally

use WD-40 on all the threads and screw in the tiny 2-inch pipe nipple into the corner fitting. Then screw on the METAL threaded piece of the union. This union should not be PVC, which is why I drew blue lines on the picture.• When this is finished, the

bottom square is done.

Top Square• At the same time, construct

the top square. Lay out 8 pieces of 5’ pipe on the ground and roughly estimate a 10’x10’ square. Corners are circled in red, the middle of two straight pipes is indicated with a yellow circle. The top square does not have to be constructed on top of the bottom square, but should ultimately be moved to approximately this position.

Top Square• Make sure that the corner

fittings (special pipe pieces on the corners) are facing down. When threading metal to metal, it is good practice to spray WD-40 pipe grease on the threads. This prevents rust, and you will have a tighter fit resulting in more reliable connections and a straighter, more reliable structure.

Top Square

• Screw pipes into the corner fittings. Remember, the top of the corner fitting should be facing down. Figure out if you are attaching the walls with zip ties/detachable rings or non-detachable shower rings NOW.

Top Square• This piece is called a union and it

has three separate parts. There are unions made of white PVC plastic and unions made of galvanized iron. For the top square, it is best to use metal but PVC can work. I like the metal unions because they are easier to tighten and unscrew. Use the same orientation for each union you install (in this photo, the threaded union half is on the right, and the other two union pieces go together on the left).

Top Square• Make sure that the union

pieces are screwed onto the pipe very tightly. Then screw the union ring onto the threaded union piece so that the two pieces of pipe are attached. Make sure that no threaded connections are moving! • Make sure nothing is moving

around. Lift up the top square. Play with it gently to test and make sure that nothing is moving.• When this is finished, the top

square is done.

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Columns- What You Will Do Next

32

Columns• By now, you should have

something that looks like this. The threads should be tight.• Test the structure by

picking up corners and see if anything moves.• If anything moves, re-

adjust the unions or pipe member threads.

Columns

• Adjust the bottom and top square positions so that corners look like this. The threads should be tight.

Columns

• The threads should be tight.

Columns

• Attach the 2’ pipe sections to 5’ pipe sections with couplings to make 4 7’ pipe sections

Columns

• Screw on the other 2 pieces of the METAL unions to the bottom of the columns. I colored the unions blue to show they should be metal. You should have decided by now whether you are attaching the walls with zip ties or shower rings.

Columns

• Have 2-3 people lift one side of the top square.

Columns

• Another person screws 2 columns into the top corner pieces (union side on the bottom). Remember to apply WD-40 to the threads!

Columns• The structure

should like look this, except the unions at the bottom are definitely made of metal.• Pictures taken

from two different angles.

Columns

• Have 2-3 people lift the other side of the top square.

Columns• Then someone else quickly screws in the

other 2 columns. Remember your WD-40. • The column+top square structure should

be able to hold itself up before screwing it onto the base (not yet but soon!). Make sure that the bottom of the structure almost matches up with the bottom square base. Feel free to apply WD-40 to some bottom threaded connections.

Columns• One at a time, lift each column onto the base so that the two parts of the union

touch. Brush off the dirt and screw the unions together as quickly as possible VERY TIGHTLY. While the structure is in this vulnerable state (of being partly on the base and partly off the base), have people hold up the columns for temporary support.

• Do not let the columns deflect more than 1 inch. If any part of the structure doesn’t stand up, support three members of the top square with extra wood or pipe duct-taped to the unions.

Walls• Now attach the walls

with zipties to the top pipes, bottom pipes, and one pipe column.

Roof• Put the 8’ long

wooden supports on top of the metal pipe (this is a religious issue). Attach them with zip ties, string or detachable shower rings. • Put the bamboo mats

on top of the wooden supports. Attach the mats with string and weigh them down with branches.

Decorations• In 2015, there were cute little

doorway curtains. Feel free to have fun.

• If confused, email carenirgang@gmail.com but you should be able to figure out a solution yourself.