Well I caved and bought a set to make for the DCF tarp.Originally Posted by MikekiM
I look at it this way; the tarp was a project with my students, the fabric gifted with “go nuts” as the only requirement, and the poles are totally optional if one of them wants to pack the tarp.
Should have something figured out by the end of the weekend!
-GTP
Cat skinning does indeed have many options.
Yar- you're going above and beyond on your pole trimming by trimming each pole... though I can't fault your reasoning or technique as it's ideal.
I guess that read a bit funny too... I meant trim each end of the finished pole(set)... meaning first and last segment in the finished pole.
I agree you should never trim a male (ferrule) end of a pole. At the end of the day though, unless there is a custom built DAC pole you're stealing off another shelter: You need two open female ends, at each end, to put the pole tips into.
Ideally (in a balanced pole)- you put a female in the center (no ferrule) and build out from there with male poles.
So if you're trimming the pole- you should only be cutting the female end of the last two male poles at each end.
Nothing wrong with what you did, especially as I suspect you did it cleanly and likely polished up the cuts.
But generally you want to avoid cutting a pole that integrates with a ferrule. It's too easy to damage the lighter AL poles when trimming and have fit issues or damage to the ferrule, especially if you're using a cheap pipe cutter or basic tools, which is what most would be using. If you confine your trimming to the female ends that interact with the pole tips you'll eliminate that risk.
Granted- we are talking tarp poles under fairly low stress... not poles for Himalayan rated tents.
Though if you're the type who likes to toss out your pole and shake it together... having factory finish to factory finish makes that smoother and less harmful. As mentioned... more of a general disclaimer than for you personally.
On a cheaper pole set- likely it's a series of male poles with one female on the end. So if you are redoing the pole set you may consider re-doing the layup of the various segments too.
On a designer note... you can actually play with the curve of a tent pole by using different pole lengths and ferrule placement. For example using a shorter female in the center of a pole reduces flex in that location as the ferrules in close proximity means less bend there... resulting in a flatter arch rather than a more circular one. If you're careful you can actually create more of an ellipse shape by using short poles right at the center then longer poles as you go out.
If you ever had an older high end tarp you might have wondered why the poles didn't pack to a clean length when folded up... this is one reason why. Usually the main one. Used to get complaints about some of the older high end north face tents that relied on these tricks... but it's pretty neat what you can pull off simply by laying out the pole segments with varied lengths. Many of those original teardrop style tents were built that way.
On newer high end tents with DAC poles... DAC will actually engineer the pole sets with varied ferrule types, flare fittings (no ferrule), and varied wall thicknesses to achieve these shaped pole sets AND still figure out how to pack them in a visually appealing and neat bundle.
But... none of that matters to your external pole mod now does it.
Sometimes simple/universal fit is best.
Though my personal favorite of 22",10",22" creates pole that folds up into a pretty good internal pack frame and provides a good pole for a pyramid or external pole mod... Also makes a really neat archers pole for an internal pole tarp.
https://1drv.ms/f/s!Apygyt54yYPwhIIkqknwCINb6cOa8Q
Well. It’s not horrible.
Looks like I could use another five inches on each pole but I’ll get a better idea once I pitch it live.
On a side note about adding luxury weight to a $$$ UL fabric; bonding and adding four more D rings only netted a quarter ounce weight gain. Not the worst.
-GTP
Not sure which I like more the gym or the orange DCF!Well. It’s not horrible.
Looks like I could use another five inches on each pole but I’ll get a better idea once I pitch it live.
On a side note about adding luxury weight to a $$$ UL fabric; bonding and adding four more D rings only netted a quarter ounce weight gain. Not the worst.
-GTP
Since I have a home gym (albeit smaller) tell where you got the orange DCT tarp!! What a thing of beauty!! Not that I am going to buy another cuben tarp, but if ever..... Once can dream.
For the clarity of this thread, I was originally asking about the internal pole mod since that is what I have been using with my silpoly tarps for years. After using the cuben tarps on the last two trips, and having had the internal pole snap once, while assembling, I am not confident in using the pole under such a high dollar tarp. I am going to continue to pursue the 'over-the-ridge- options if I choose to use any pole at all.
Yes, my pack weighs 70lbs, but it's all light weight gear....
Bob's brother-in-law
If your trekking poles aren't long enough, I am pretty sure I could make some extenders that would weigh well under 1oz for a pair.I am going to continue to pursue the 'over-the-ridge- options if I choose to use any pole at all.
My workshop (the back deck) is covered in ice now so it'll be a couple days (big warm-up coming!) before I can experiment with this.
Five Basic Principles of Going Lighter (not me... the great Cam Honan of OZ)
“If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.” ~ Gen. George S Patton
The orange was a limited run of .67 from Ripstopbytheroll. The fabric was gifted to us (our students, hence the gym) to experiment with and see what we could do. I believe we got the last ten yards! The boys were really interested in trying the pole mod and everyone’s pretty happy! FYI the poles were only 7.89oz and the tarp 10.7 so still fairly light for a big’ol winter set up!
I haven't tried yet. I had intentions of doing it once we got to camp on Saturday, but hiking out and back in ate up most of the spare time. My trekking poles still have the hole in the top of the handle, and I have plenty of carbon fiber left (I've abandoned the bow saw project... fun, but not a long term item) so I am sure I could make an extension using a 1/4" piece of the large diameter shaft as a collar and slip the shaft inside the handle.
That was a DIY? If so, stellar job! I have made more than half a dozen tarps but none in DCF. Plenty of DCF stuff sacks, round bottom bags, food bags and such.. but a tarp is a different story.
How long is it along the ridge? And how wide? Looks about the same dimensions as a Winter Palace.. weighs about the same too.
Yes, my pack weighs 70lbs, but it's all light weight gear....
Bob's brother-in-law
Yup! Drafted from RSBTR’s Winter12. So 12 foot ridge line and about nine feet wide. I hate hate hate working with UL Silpoly and the like so it was a lot of fun messing around with bonding everything and doing minimal sewing. Pretty cool experiment. DCF is no joke in the price department.
-GTP
That's awesome. I made two RBTR tarps. Both 12's. One with doors and one without... So I know what you mean about the slippery fabric.
Post some detail shots if you would. Seams, reinforcement patches etc.
Sent from somewhere east of Montauk...
Yes, my pack weighs 70lbs, but it's all light weight gear....
Bob's brother-in-law
I've gone back to 11' tarps for a few reasons but what you have there very well might be my all time favorite tarp!
I have two HG cuben tarps but would love to DIY an Asym in cuben...
Sent from somewhere east of Montauk...
Yes, my pack weighs 70lbs, but it's all light weight gear....
Bob's brother-in-law
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