45" wide coated nylon - need ideas!!!

[jax_seeker_77]

So on a whim, I checked out the local walmart fabric selection. I found what appears to be a coated nylon material (no description) that is 45" wide. The sweet thing is that it is only $1 a yard. I would like to make a tarp with it but I don't think it would be wide enough. I can get 12 yards of it. It would be my third d.i.y. project. (stuff sac, and a beach tarp) Thanks in advance for any ideas.

[BrianWillan]

At 45" fabric width, you could do three strips wide. The 3 strips would make the tarp roughly 11' wide allowing for the two long seams.

At $1 per yard, it is well worth it to make the tarp. If nothing else, it will give you experience with handling a very large piece of fabric.

Cheers

Brian

[xxl_hanger]

Three strips wide means side seam tarp.
https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...idge-line-tarp

I would do the same with 12 yards, but I have only about 9.5 (57" wide) which is more than enough for a Superfly clone but perhaps a bit short for a side seam tarp. Didn't calculate yet exactly what I would need.

Edit: For a three strips hex tarp 12 yards are more than enough but I think for a three strips winter tarp with doors even 12 yards will be too short. Problem is you can't save fabric with a diagonal cut.

[CamoDeafie82]

I think you could get away with doing a 3 strip wide rectangle/semi square tarp if the width is just under 11 feet and the length is 11 feet 8", if you cut it into 3 strips of 4 yards each, and at that length, I think in a winter tarp mode, with doors, it would provide more than enough coverage for one tarp? I believe people have had success making 11 ft ridge line tarps with doors.. Or you can go crazy and make a 11' square and hang in a huge diamond format?

or a variation of the Ogee tarp, but at that material width, your side triangles would basically be a bit smaller than the Mega Ogee side triangles, and with the narrow width, you're looking at having tiny doors... would be much more coverage if you went to a hex shape of 12' ridge line, or a 11' 8" ridge line rectangle "winter tarp" with doors.. which would give you just around 9 ft 10"-9 ft 11" width, should be plentiful as a winter tarp for one person, and only one person.


EDIT: by that "winter tarp", I don't mean the winter palace tarp as shown on DIY gear, that takes more than 12 yards of fabric for a 12' ridge line, but a rectangle tarp that can function as a hex tarp with doors.

[jax_seeker_77]

No need for doors. I'm a Florida guy and don't plan on much if any winter hammock camping. If I did, I would think I can always make doors that I can attach as needed. I'm liking the 3 strip tarp idea.

[xxl_hanger]

I post the following measures only because I got a bit shocked.

For a 11' Superfly clone with the normal fabric width (60") one needs about 8 meter (8.75 yards) fabric because one can save about 70cm (27-28") fabric with a diagonal cut. The Superfly measures from door corner to door corner about 14'.

For a three strips (seamless) Superfly clone (11' ridgeline) one needs about: 2 * 14' + ~12.5' = 40.5' = 13.5 yards (say 14 yards to be on the save side).

Edit: The 12.5' are a rough estimate. It could be that 13 yards are enough.

[CamoDeafie82]

You're going to have really small side triangles if you do the Ogee tarp shape, the triangles would only be around 63" on the hypotenuse if you make two triangles out of a square of 45" x 45", cutting on the diagonal.... and subtracting for seams, you're left with just about 5 ft wide triangles (60") or so, plus the already narrow width of the tarp.. My camo Micro Ogee tarp, is basically bikini coverage; but was done with 4 yards of 58" wide material, and ended up being just under 7 feet wide with a 9 ft ridge line... but with the narrower material, you would have a little bigger side triangles, but still be at 8' 6" wide for a final width, with 42" wide main panel and 30" deep triangles that are around 60" wide after seam attachments, and then depending on the ridge line you pick, the end result might look more like my yellowish tan Long Ogee tarp which had 5ft wide and 3 ft 6" deep triangles on a 12 ft ridge line.
the pic in the darker woods, the Micro Ogee camo tarp was hung right on top of the hammock's fixed ridge line, for the best coverage I could get with the material I had on hand, and it was very much like crawling into a bivy sack from below.

[jjr]

Here is an idea: a hex tarp made with three strips running the direction of the ridge. i.e. no seam on the ridgeline. You have enough material (12 yds) to make a 12 foot (before hem) or an 11 foot tarp. Trim down the side strips to get the desired width. I would use catenary curves on the six sides as well.

One important thing. Make sure that the material is indeed waterproof before you make a tarp!


Cheers

[jax_seeker_77]

Thanks for the input jjr. I cut a small piece off of the end and ran it under the faucet. IT IS WATERPROOF!!! SCORE!!! I decided to go with 138" total length. I actually got 12.66 yards so I am using the left over material to make a long stuff sack similar to the one that my DutchGear Hammock came in that I will put the tarp into. I'm going to start sewing it up this weekend.