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  1. #1
    Member ltruelove's Avatar
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    newb tarp issues and project

    Ok so this is my first thread so bear with me. i am soon to be taking delivery of a warbonnet blackbird dl 1.7 and cant wait to start hanging. i really want to get a great tarp like a superfly or a spinn maccat delux, but the wife probably wont be to happy with me dropping $400 bucks right away on this new "ewok obsession". I have some good gear(pads and clothing) that i will work with for insulation for now but i obviously cant start hanging without a tarp. My mother has ocd like me and is obsessed with making quilts(like the amish not the jacks) and has a huge room in her house setup with like $15000 worth of sewing and quilting machines and equipment(her freaking sewing machine cost like $8000) and she is amazing in her abilities and skills with all the stuff. so the questions i pose to you now are:
    1. where can i buy relatively cheap sil or other good fabrics for a diy tarp?
    2. does anyone have detailed plans or directions(with or without pics) or know where i can find them for doing like a maccat clone?
    3. what kind of reinforcement do you use for the edges and the guy out points?

    the other query i have is involving tyvek. I have been using a square homemade tyvek tarp for backpacking for some time as a cooking/setup space maker in foul weather. i folded the edges and tyvek taped both sides then put grommets in the edge. the thing has worked great and i still use it a lot when i take big groups with me(works great as a wind blocker too).
    I am a general contractor and pretty much always have a 10 foot roll on hand from my jobs so my materials are pretty much free(aside from $6 grommets). so the question is: has anyone made and used a catenary cut tarp out of tyvek? if had a design i could follow i could probably whip one up in like 30 minutes and at least use that to start until i make one from better materials and buy one(or two or three without the wife knowing) the tarp i made started out noisy but i stuck it in the washing machine a couple of times and its pretty soft and quiet now. any input on all of the above is greatly appreciated! thanks in advance for your input. ltruelove

    ps. if anyone has a decent tarp sitting round that they arent using and wants under $100 for it let me know. thanks
    Last edited by ltruelove; 10-11-2009 at 19:26.

  2. #2
    Senior Member Ramblinrev's Avatar
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    IMO nothing wrong with a tyvek tarp for something on a budget. (materials that you have are always cheaper than materials you buy.) I've never worked with it so I don't know if the Black Cat pattern would work or not. I would think it should. But others will know the material better than I.
    I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.

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  3. #3
    Senior Member Hawk-eye's Avatar
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    You want to stay under $100 I'd suggest just go to www.campmor.com and get a 10 x 12 Equinox Sil tarp ... works great and can be configured in a lot of ways.

    Sew on some grosgrain loops and you can beef up the grommets ... or just use the grommets.
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  4. #4
    Member ltruelove's Avatar
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    that actually looks really good hawk-eye i like the setup in the picture
    because it looks like you can seal it up pretty good for wind and rain and at 19 ounces that isnt too bad for $90. did you make the snake skins for that one? thanks for the input.

  5. #5
    Member ltruelove's Avatar
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    is that ridge in the picture 10' or 12'?

  6. #6
    Senior Member Hawk-eye's Avatar
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    I rig the ridge line on the 12 foot line. The snake skins were some old HH snakeskins I had laying around.

    I'd reccmd the loops over using the grommets but in a pinch the grommets work just fine.

    WARNING: Will discuss Rhurbarb Strawberry Pie and Livermush at random.


    "A democracy is two wolves and a small lamb voting on what to have for dinner.
    Freedom under a constitutional republic is a well armed lamb contesting the vote." ... B.Franklin


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  7. #7
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    Ive been using a 8 dollar blue tarp from walmart. I know its a little heavier than the rest, i just tie it to the bottom of my pack, but if you just wanna go hang, buy that and use it for everything. then if it rips, leaks, or whatever reason needs to be replaced, its only 8 more bucks. i use mine to sit on if its wet outside, i use it to cover stuff in my truck, i use it for camp, i use it to wrap my deer when hunting and just hose it down afterwards. its the best 8 dollars ive spent.

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