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  1. #21
    Senior Member Oh-No's Avatar
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    InsulTubes are simply long, non-tapered, pleats that make a 3/8" tube and serve the purpose of keeping the layers of IX from touching.

    Quote Originally Posted by Boris Losdindawoods View Post
    What causes us to belive that this is necessary or helps? \.
    As has been mentioned before, One "layer" of IX is made up of a "foamy"
    plastic sheet sandwiched between 2 sheets of highly breathable fabric.

    What has puzzled me is why the 2 fabric sheets?
    I suspect that the explanation of how/why IX works will include the term "Boundary Layer"

    I also suspect that Mac's InsulTubes/Baffles help keep the proper gap between the IX layers so the boundary layers are maintained. Brilliant!

    My last physics class was 35 years ago, and much has been forgotten, so any corrections or enlightenment would be welcome.
    Last edited by Oh-No; 04-20-2010 at 07:47. Reason: spelling

  2. #22
    Senior Member Harpo63's Avatar
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    Im trying to understand this... the insulitubes provide the air gap between the two seperate IX UQ's? Or do the tubes itself with the pleats offer a very thin air gap between itself an the UQ, thereby increasing warmth?

  3. #23
    MacEntyre's Avatar
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    I like that, Oh-No! Boundary layer conditions are just what I had in mind when I did the integral analysis of the temperature gradient while varying the small distance between layers.

    Seriously, it is puzzling that a thin layer of air improves the performance of a thin layer of polyethylene.

    I did wonder just how big to make the pleats... then I found out that since the tubes like to lay down, the size of the pleat is not critical at all! InsulTubes are what they are... a 1/2" pleat makes a baffle of about the same height as a 3/8" or a 1/4" pleat.

    Quote Originally Posted by Harpo63
    the insulitubes provide the air gap between the two seperate IX UQ's?
    Yes, but between two separate IX layers in one UQ. They are just supports, or spacers.

    - MacEntyre, fum State
    - MacEntyre
    "We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately." - Ben Franklin
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  4. #24
    Senior Member BillyBob58's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MacEntyre View Post
    I like that, Oh-No! Boundary layer conditions are just what I had in mind when I did the integral analysis of the temperature gradient while varying the small distance between layers.

    Seriously, it is puzzling that a thin layer of air improves the performance of a thin layer of polyethylene.

    I did wonder just how big to make the pleats... then I found out that since the tubes like to lay down, the size of the pleat is not critical at all! InsulTubes are what they are... a 1/2" pleat makes a baffle of about the same height as a 3/8" or a 1/4" pleat.


    Yes, but between two separate IX layers in one UQ. They are just supports, or spacers.

    - MacEntyre, fum State
    Re: "thin layer of air", then there is this:


    Quote Originally Posted by mitch View Post
    Hey TeeDee, so I get the idea that you don't want the IX snugged up against you be cause that would make a cold spot. But in the UQ application, how far away do you want it to hang? From your instructions, I'm picturing that you would have maybe 3 or 4 inches of air under your butt and shoulders. (Not that I'm picturing your butt) How much space would be too much?
    Quote Originally Posted by TeeDee View Post
    In my original experiments I was trying for 1/8" to 1/4" air gap under the butt. Never could get that reliably. So I just opted to do the simple thing and use the full 60" width for the end width for the under quilt. With 9" deep arcs that leaves 42" center width for the Insultex and bottom shell material. This is for a 44" end width Bridge with 6" deep arcs.

    The amount of air under the butt? about 1/2" to 3/4".

    If I had the money to buy lots and lots and lots of Insultex from Mac and more 1.1 ripstop and lots of time, I would experiment with varying the Insultex end width from 50" to 60" in 1" increments and see how much less than that 1/2" to 3/4" air gap is optimal, but it's working now, so I'm off to other projects.
    It does seem to go against all previous quilt experience that a gap- assuming some how blocking the flow of outside air into that gap- could actually increase warmth. Or that lack of a gap could actually make things colder.

    I did always note that the PeaPod seemed far less sensitive to gaps than other systems I used. I always attributed this to the fact that things were "sealed" off on the full length of the hammock top edges, mostly preventing cold air from flooding in and filling that gap. But I don't think the gap actually increased warmth, unless lack of a gap had been decreasing loft.

  5. #25
    Senior Member chickenwing's Avatar
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    It seems to me from my reading and no actual experience with the material (yet, I have some on order) that IX works more or less the way thermal windows (or double pane windows work) the air is in a dead space acting as an insulator. Air that does not move is a very good insulator. Is this not how down works? It traps air when it is at full loft creating essentially a dead air pocket within the down.

    I am not an expert on insulation , "but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night." (I really am not an expert I am just trying to remember high school physical science.)
    Check out my website www.cwhammocks.com or Find me on the YouTubes
    You can even"Like" me on facebook or follow me on Twitter @cwhammocks

    "In my world everyone is a pony, and they all eat rainbows, and poop butterflies."

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  6. #26
    MacEntyre's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by chickenwing View Post
    ...seems to me ...that IX works more or less the way ...double pane windows work...
    I think that's the best explanation.

    Now imagine if you merely touched the window glass, it would compress and lose it's insulating properties. That's IX!

    - MacEntyre
    "We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately." - Ben Franklin
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  7. #27
    Quote Originally Posted by MacEntyre View Post
    Today or tomorrow I will have one of the 2'X3' integrated anti-CBS pads installed on an IX UQ.
    Still trying to understand this. If I'm getting it, then the purpose of the insultubes is to create an air gap between two layers of IX. The size of that air gap would be theoretically 2x the thickness of IX but anything touching it or a wrinkle in the fabric or even a strong gust of wind would pretty easily collapse that air gap to zero. Since IX is really a sheet of air bubbles, wouldn't it be simpler/faster/cheaper to just add another layer of IX? You'd then have a guaranteed air gap between your layers because the air gap would be encapsulated inside the middle layer of IX making it a lot harder to accidentally collapse.

    That 2'x3' piece of IX would be either $2.50 or $1.66 (can't remember the roll width) so maybe I just don't realize how quick and easy those pleats are to sew. It just seems more labor intensive for a solution that will be defeated by wind.

    Thanks for tolerating my confusion.

    Boris

    btw: I typed "fabrix" 2 or 3 times during this. It appears to want to be a word.

  8. #28
    MacEntyre's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Boris Losdindawoods View Post
    ...wouldn't it be simpler/faster/cheaper to just add another layer of IX?
    Yes. I did not want to double the bulk. A 2'X3' piece of IX under my butt got rid of CBS, so that's what I added to the UQ.
    Quote Originally Posted by Boris Losdindawoods View Post
    ...will be defeated by wind.
    That has yet to be shown.

    I believe three layers of IX with InsulTubes is significantly warmer than three layers of IX without InsulTubes.

    We are far beyond thought experiments. I've been using Insultex for several months. My goal is to enable others to get the same performance from IX as I do, without having to know any suspension tricks. InsulTubes does the same thing that a differential covering does. It makes it less likely that performance will degrade as a result of the IX being up against you.

    - MacEntyre
    - MacEntyre
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  9. #29
    Senior Member Terry_Dodson's Avatar
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    What are the prices on these new underquilts?

  10. #30
    MacEntyre's Avatar
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    IX UQ w/ InsulTubes - Prices

    Quote Originally Posted by Terry_Dodson View Post
    What are the prices on these new underquilts?
    $40 for one, $60 for two, $35 to cover one.

    I'd like to encourage folks to use them without a covering, because it adds little for what it costs and weighs.

    - MacEntyre
    - MacEntyre
    "We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately." - Ben Franklin
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