DIY SilPoly is it possible?

[onetearless]

Yep, want to use The Cheap *******'s Guide to DIY Silnylon to make some DIY SilPoly.

Has anyone tried this?????

I was thinking some 1.1 oz breathable, uncalendered polyester ripstop with DWR dipped in the same juice as here:




Can I do that for a tarp??????

Will it be at all similar to http://ripstopbytheroll.com/products/1-1-oz-silpoly ??????????????

I see in the description that it says "silicone/PU layer". Can you cut silicone with urethane? Any thoughts on ratio?

Also, anyone who has tried The Cheap *******'s Guide to DIY Silnylon and just wants to relay their experience tips tricks would all be appreciated???

[Brewguy]

Question is why?

What do you do with a bucket full of toxic crap when you are finished?

[BrianWillan]

Your first challenge is going to be finding the lightweight breathable polyester ripstop fabric. If you've already got that sorted, then using the DIY silnylon treatment should work just as well as it does for lightweight nylon fabrics.

Cheers

Brian

[onetearless]

In an effort to outlay less cash and learn from experience.

Great point on the toxic crap. I suppose I could funnel it into storage container for reapplication at a later date.

[onetearless]

Your first challenge is going to be finding the lightweight breathable polyester ripstop fabric. If you've already got that sorted, then using the DIY silnylon treatment should work just as well as it does for lightweight nylon fabrics.

Cheers

Brian

Nice one!

I think I found the material.

I was wondering if it really does work on the nylon or if the industrial application process is worth the extra coin.

I kind of feel like dipping and hanging is about the same amount of work as seam sealing so Y not.

Did you try the CheaP Expletive's Guide?

[Tacblades]

I think it is cheaper just to buy fabric already coated. To be any good the layer has to be uniform, thin, have good molecular bond, or it will delaminate or peel, it will add a lot of weight more than you think.

It may be interesting for retreating fabric on tents, tarps maybe.

[SilvrSurfr]

I remember that guy - he left HF and I think he faked his own death because the mods wouldn't let him use his favorite moniker.

I never had much interest in making my own silnylon or silpoly - the stuff on the market is pretty good.

[Boston]

FWIW, the price of coated fabrics has come down so much since that video was made, you're probably not going to save much money, and probably end up with a product that isn't as good as you'd like.

[onetearless]

You all are right. If I account for time and trouble spent cobbling a theoretical approximation, i haven't a chance of saving money. I get caught up in dollars and cents for materials. (In this case looks like I could save about a third.…)

I was hoping someone here had some real time experience I could work from.

I watched various people on utube do the diy sil poly thing. Various methods. End weights didn't seem so light. One chap weighed before and after. His impregnation weighed almost 6oz. Rsbtr quotes a mere ~.14oz per yard. On a 8 yard tarp that's a whole extra 5oz that could be dedicated to something more awesome than home water proofing.

I also saw a guy use gasoline as a solvent. Respect!!!

I used to have a job where we impregnated paper w acrylic to some end…. I remember using a squeegee of some sort. no wait that was my hand no wait I don't really remember. I do remember we has some system for scraping away some of the excess before racking to dry. None of the videos I watched really got into this step. I imagine factory process involves something like that. Anyone know anything about it?