What the heck is a derecho anyways?

"According to the National Weather Service, a derecho is a widespread, long-lived, straight-line windstorm that is associated with a fast-moving band of severe thunderstorms. Generally, derechos are convection-induced and take on a bow echo form of squall line, forming in an area of wind divergence in the upper levels of the troposphere, within a region of low-level warm air advection and rich low-level moisture. They travel quickly in the direction of movement of their associated storms, similar to an outflow boundary (gust front), except that the wind is sustained and increases in strength behind the front, generally exceeding hurricane-force. A warm-weather phenomenon, derechos occur mostly in summer, especially during June and July in the Northern Hemisphere, within areas of moderately strong instability and moderately strong vertical wind shear. They may occur at any time of the year and occur as frequently at night as during the daylight hours."

In other words, derecho's are fast moving bands of thunderstorms in the Midwest that can create hurricane force winds. On June 29th, a derecho came through town, clocked at 83 mph. The storm was so fast moving that it left little warning or preparation time. We had several projects set up and we had several projects go down because of that storm. While the toll was rough for a tent company in terms of loss, over a hundred thousand people lost power due to the storm, some for over a week.

We have not seen storm related damage like that since Hurricane Ike blew through the Midwest before it finally fizzled out. All told, a couple of dozen tents were lost due to the winds. More amazing to us were the tents that didn't fall down. There was no rhyme or reason as to why they were left standing. A structure engineered to with stand 80 mph winds got yanked 15' into the air and tossed about 75' through and past a chain link fence, but a 20x20 frame tent with no engineering or wind load design was o.k. in an open field. It's mind boggling.

In the end, no one was injured by our tents or structures and that's the most important thing to consider. It was an awesome reminder of just how powerful mother nature can be. Some times there is nothing that you can do but sit back and pick up the pieces when its all over.

What derecho damage looks like in person (photo by NBC4i.com):


What a derecho looks like on the radar (photo from the National Weather Service):

Bob Evans Farm Festival

The Bob Evans Farm Festival has been a great customer of ours for several years. As the Festival has grown, the type of tents they have used have become much larger and much more sophisticated. When Ray McKinnis, manager of Bob Evans Farms, approached us to discuss this year's festival, we thought they might want to change their order a bit; But, we were suprised when they said they wanted to re-design the site layout and almost complete change how the Farm Festival would operate.

Change is to be expected in the rental industry, but a change this large called for a complete re-thinking of the event. Brian Ritchey, our President, worked with Ray to re-configure the grounds and tenting to substitute clear span structures for the numerous large pole tents that the Farm had been using. From those planning meetings came the new Bob Evans Farm Festival. 14 uniquely colored structures would be set up in a horse shoe shape for vendors to operate out of. In addition to each tent being a different color, all of the gable triangles would be clear, to let more natural light in. Each of those structures would be lighted by our 400 watt high bay tent lights. There would still be some smaller frame tents used for general purposes, but the new Festival design created a significant manufacturing challenge.

As soon as the plan was finalized, our manufacturing team went to work on creating 64 new roof panels of varying color stripes, 28 new clear gable triangles, and several new lights were assembled to complete the order. All of this production was to be done while projects for other manufacturing customers were being worked on. The results: one of the most technologically advanced, beautiful set up's that we've done in recent years was created.

Please see the pictures below, and check out our facebook page for more images. You can also get more information regarding manufacturing capabilities on our website @ http://www.oneiltents.com/.

March, St. Patty's Day and More.

Well, as today is the first of April, a couple of things have happened recently. First, We're starting to get past some of the cold weather that we've come to know and love in Columbus. Second, our installation crews are starting to see more time on the road working on projects (which, believe me, they prefer to inventory maintenance). Third, we've had another St. Patrick's Day weekend. Everyone knows that the biggest St. Patrick's Day party in the state is at Flannagan's in Dublin. We've worked with them to cover their sand volleyball courts with 25mx50m clear span structure. Using structure, we're able to almost make the volley ball court area an extension of the building itself because of the proximity to the building that we can achieve. This is an awesome event that the local morning zoo broadcasts from and thousands of people attend throughout the day. This year we added another new comer to the St. Patrick's day mix. The Tilted Kilt in Polaris is a pretty interesting bar/restaurant to say the least. Its basically the child of an Irish Pub and Hooters. The concept apparently works due to the success of their inaugural St. Patrick's Day Party. The Tilted Kilt took over the parking lot in front of its restaurant and we set up a 15mx30m clear span structure complete with event deck flooring, staging, lighting, tables and chairs. In addition to these services, we took care of heating the event space, generator and crowd control fencing. This job was not without challenges, but it shows how awesome planning and execution can make an event feel seemless. After the initial site visit and quote acceptance, O'Neil achieved the temporary building permits, hired contractors, and delivered positive results for our new customer. We took care of the details so all they had to worry about was traffic into the event. Some of the pictures below are credited to the Tilted Kilt Columbus' Facebook account. Check out their page for more images of events at the pub.

The History of Tents

Tents have been around as long as people have needed temporary shelter from the elements. From the early nomads roaming the plains in search of food to catered corporate luncheons, tents have a storied past. Over the years, tents have been made from animal hides and various fabrics like cotton, nylon, felt or vinyl. To waterproof early models, the cotton was covered in paraffin wax. This was a great idea until people realized that paraffin is EXTREMELY flammable. After experiencing a steep learning curve with cotton, lighter materials like nylon were employed because they didn't absorb as much water as the cotton would. Nylon was the material of choice for a number of years until plastics and vinyl were introduced to the market. These materials were light weight and water tight, making them ideal for shelter coverings.

Shape and styles of commercial tents have changed with technology just as much as the materials used from their coverings. Larger tents that aren't usually used for sleeping are commonly known as marquees. These are the tents that you would see at company functions or for large gatherings. There are several types of marquees like bail-ring tents, pole tents, or frame tents.

Bail-ring tents were usually larger than 100 feet wide and you would generally see them at an old circus or exposition. Set up of these tents had to be very precise. First, center poles were erected and tensioned out to stakes using guy lines. Next, the entire tent top was spread out and attached to shackles. These shackles attached to ropes and pulleys on the center poles. Upright poles were installed on the side of the tent to give the crews just enough room to work. They would crank the pulleys attached to the shackles raising the tent top (circus elephants were also used to raise the tops). Further tensioning of the sides was completed and the tent was ready for use. Bail-ring tents were labor intensive and faded in popularity when heavy machinery became more readily available.

Very similar to bail ring tents are traditional pole tents. Pole tents are usually smaller than bail-ring tents, with the tops weighing a great deal less. Pole tents are set up very similar to their predecessor with one major difference. Companies got rid of the bail-ring and shackle system in favor of their crews manually pushing the center poles up. The large holes in the top of the tent created by the shackles were all but eliminated, leaving a small hole for the center pole to be guided up through. These tents are still commonly used today and hold up great in the wind and rain when they are tensioned properly.

As time progressed, customers weren't happy that so much of the tented area was consumed with the center poles of the traditional pole tents. Manufacturers listened and developed frame tents. Frame tents are constructed out of pre-engineered aluminum or steel tubes that are arranged to create the shape of the tent top. The top then slides over the assembled frame and is fixed to the frame by strapping. The legs are connected and you have a tent in no time. Because of the strength of the assembled frame, no center poles are needed and customers can enjoy the whole tent without obscured views. Less staking is required for frame tents than traditional pole tents. Less staking is a benefit to customers as there is less of a tripping hazard.

The future of marquee tenting is heading the direction of clearspan structures. Clear span structures are generally available from 10 feet to 150 in width and are lengthened based on a modular design system. Engineered to withstand harsh snow and wind conditions, clearspans are as smart as they are strong. Frames are assembled in place and raised into the air. As arches are formed and connected, tops are pulled through kedered runs, making the structure water tight. Construction is simple, but what you can do with a structure is worlds beyond any other tenting system. Flooring can be installed in structures. Glass or insulated walling units are available as well as doors. Liners, lighting and sound systems can be attached to the high strength rafter beams. The list of possibilities goes on and on.

Since our founding in 1886, O'Neil Tents & Party Supplies has been on the leading edge of tent technology. O'Neil listens to what our customers want and reacts accordingly. O'Neil was one of the first companies in the country to introduce structure to the marketplace. O'Neil's early adopter stance on tent technology gives us immense experience in what's next. We look forward to moving forward with you!

Getting to Know O'Neil Tents

In 1886 several important events occurred: Karl Benz patented the first gas powered automobile; Coca Cola was invented; and the Statue of Liberty was dedicated, ensuing in the first ever ticker tape parade. That same year, in Columbus Ohio, O’Neil Awning and Tent Company was founded. Since 1886, changes have affected all of those events: Almost everyone drives a car; Coca Cola now competes with Pepsi globally; New York’s skyline is now dominated by skyscrapers instead of a lonely Lady Liberty; O’Neil Awning and Tent Company has grown to become a Tent and Party Rental industry leader.

Buckeye Tent Products Circa 1922:

O’Neil Tents and Party Supplies, as the company is known today, is really the combination of two companies: O’Neil Awning and Tent Company and Buckeye Tent Company. Buckeye Tent Company was established in 1909 in Columbus, Ohio. Buckeye was purchased by the Ritchey family in 1960. Three years later, the Ritchey’s acquired O’Neil Awning and Tent Company. For a couple of years in the early 60’s the two companies operated independently of one another until they were merged into the same business under the O’Neil name. After about five years, the Ritchey family decided to specialize in tents and non tent rental items and the awning portion of the business was spun off.

O’Neil now provides a wide range of rental products with tents as their primary focus. In addition to tents, rental products also include tables, chairs, linens, dishware, barware, silverware, staging, dance floor, and dozens of other accessories. All of these elements combined allow customers to meet their rental needs all in one location. O’Neil has developed its manufacturing capabilities over the years and makes their own tent tops and related vinyl products. The demonstrated strength in manufacturing is leveraged to respond quickly to customer needs.

Both rental inventory growth and expanding areas of service to include Cincinnati, Cleveland, Michigan and Kentucky have made O’Neil a leader in tent and party rental.

O’Neil realizes that their customers rely on them to make their events successful, no matter the size. O’Neil is committed to helping its customers make each event the best it can be.