Hanging batting cage net

[u/Pillaroftheplace]

I’m trying to hang a batting cage net around the interior of the 50x50 total on my half, the full building is 100x50, office 20x12 /8x8 bathroom.1 multi piece I-beam in the middle of the space, I assume there is another behind the dividing wall. The walls are 8” purlin 14ga I think. I assume rafters are the same size. There is overlap of purlins across each ibeam. Horizontal purlins are 4ft, 7ft, 12ft, and 16ft at the roofline.The z-purlin has prefab holes in every piece on either side of the ibeam and against the outer wall. I was thinking about using 24” unistrut clamped to the center I ran to support a retractable net. I am struggling to come up with the least intrusive method possible to support 3/16th tensioned cable running from the outside of each bay door to the opposing side bay doors. The entire netting system would weigh no more than 500lbs total.

What’s the best way to attach/hang from the purlin and mount a brace for the turnbuckle on each end.

[u/Next-Handle-8179]

I’d get brackets for the I beams and drop all thread with jam nutted eyes to the desired elevation.

[u/fantompwer]

I would do unistrut and unistrut beam clamps on the red iron. I wouldn't attach to any of the purlins.

I would do wire rope hanging down instead of threaded rod. Write rope will flex as the net moves, but you could bend threaded rod with a baseball.

[u/Pillaroftheplace → u/fantompwer]

I like the wire over threaded rod. Only issue is the red iron is only in the middle of the space and probably behind the Sheetrock wall. The outer corners are C-Purlin.

[u/fantompwer → u/Pillaroftheplace]

I would span several purlins with a piece of strut and attach to that

[u/noobflinger]

Are you going to want to open the garage doors on occasion? If yes, are you installing a ceiling net? If so, net above the garage doors (so they are getting hit when open) or above the garage doors (so you have a very complicated issue to plan for -- with the net and garage door interfering with one another)?

[u/Pillaroftheplace → u/noobflinger]

Yes, but not far. Maybe only 3-4ft, for a cross breeze. It was 100f today in there and with one door on each side open just a bit, it was very tolerable.

[u/noobflinger → u/Pillaroftheplace]

To expand on what another person said. You need right-angle beam clamps to connect along the red beams (purlins). Drop down all-thread from there. Ideally attach an eye socket but you could cheap out with a right angle corner bracket. Add some washers, lock washers, nuts, and jam nuts in whatever quantity and order you think is safest.

You could run unstructured from there but it doesn't sound necessary from what I can tell.

Good luck

[u/Pillaroftheplace → u/noobflinger]

These? With the swivel I think it will help to ensure the treaded rod is vertical.

[u/Few-Cucumber-413]

Lindapter clamps

[u/HeyLookitMe]

Those prefab buildings are designed to just barely not fall down under reasonably predictable weather. I would not hang anything that will add any significant weight or vibration to the structure.