Fabric types

[Big Jim Mac]

Can someone help me with fabric types and what to use them for? I was thinking maybe we could start a sticky that listed various DIY projects -- hammocks, quilts, tarps, etc. -- and the type of fabric that would work for each. I've read so many threads and web sites where it's sold and all I get is more confused.

[Ramblinrev]

As soon s you start saying such and such a fabric makes a good whatever someone is going to say they never had any luck with it. The choice of fabric is highly personal. Nylon and polyester both have their champions. Ripstop and taffeta have their own cheering section. There are no hard and fast "rules". That's my opinion at any rate.

[Big Jim Mac]

What I was thinking is not what is BEST for different applications but what would WORK for it, kind of a starting point for someone like me who has never made anything other than crummy seams.

[gargoyle]

BJM,
Use silicone impregnated 1.1oz ripstop nylon for your tarp. (you can use pu ripstop, but it'll be heavier than sil.)
Use a ripstop 1.9 for your hammock for your size or double 1.9 if you want the sleeve pad option. I've used regular taffeta or regular nylon (no ripstop grid) for a hammock, and it works well.

Quilts need to breathe, so 1.1 untreated or dwr (water resistant, yet still breathable) is a good choice, depending whether its a synthetic or down uq project. If you do go down, the fabric needs to "down-proof" so the feathers don't poke thru.

There are so many choices and so many preferences, its hard to say "use this, its your only option". We all have different needs, and demands of our gear. Some UL folks will only be happy with the lightest of fabrics (cuben, momentum, spinn).
While others are perfectly content with a few extra ounces of fabric and some money left in their wallet.

List off your desires/needs for your gear and base your choices on your needs.

HYOH. Hang your own hammock. It's a rule we live by.

Build it how you want it or need it. A thruhiker has a need to be ultra lightweight, since he'll be carrying everything on his back.
A car camper, or short distance hiker can live with an extra pound or two, and still be extremely comfortable.

Besides, once you start building, you'll want to do more. we all do it.
The tutorials on HF are straightforward and full of useful tips. Follow one of those for best results on your first diy attempt.
Headchange4u's hammock clone is one of the best. All the details are there. That probably explains the 100,000 plus hits that thread has recieved. Just Jeff's site is also a great place to research diy projects.
A simple rectangle tarp (8x11, or 10x12, etc.) will serve you well. You do not need complicated cat cuts. They help, but for first-timers they can be daunting. Stick with simple, till your confident in your abilities and your machine skills.

Good luck in your choices.

[Ramblinrev]

What I was thinking is not what is BEST for different applications but what would WORK for it, kind of a starting point for someone like me who has never made anything other than crummy seams.

See.. that's what I am saying. Just about _any_ fabric _will_ work for just about anything. Obviously for a tarp you want waterproof. But beyond that I've seen hammocks being made from silk, nylon, polyester, probably wool would work. Cotton has been used in the past but in no longer recommended for outdoor use. Indoors is a whole different critter.

[Big Jim Mac]

Gargoyle, you lost me with the second sentence! I have no idea what pu ripstop is nor sil (guessing that's silicon coated?) And tafetta? Wouldn't know it if it bit me. Then you mention down-proof. What makes a fabric down proof?

That's my point, so many of the DIY threads leave out info that is vital for a newbie. And when I go to the supplier Web sites all I see is a name and prices.

Maybe what I really need is a table of fabric with some info on their properties and then maybe a suggestion of what it would be useful for. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels intimidated by all the options. BTW, I tried going to Jo Ann's, highly recommend to anyone getting started that you DO NOT go to Jo Ann's on a Saturday morning. Must have been a hundred women in there buying fabric and two frazzled employees doing nothing but measuring and cutting cloth. No chance to ask a question. ;-(

[gargoyle]

pm me your address I'll send you some samples...

Theres much to learn Jimson, your journey will not be alone.

Ripstop. Has a grid pattern weaved into the fabric, like a small checkerboard. The grid helps stop the rip from traveling to far..hence the name, ripstop.

PU ripstop. Its a polyurethane coated ripstop fabric, feels kinda rubbery or tacky. The coating creates a waterproof/water resistant seal to the fabric.

Sil or silnylon. A ripstop nylon fabric, thats been impregnated with a silicone solution, giving it a water resistant aspect, almost waterproof. Slippery stuff and popular for its use as a tarp material. Also used to make kites, hot air baloons, hang gliders, parachutes.

Taffeta has no grid pattern, but has a tight weave and very little stretch.

All these fabrics come in different thicknesses, we sometimes call them by weight i.e., 1.1 or 1.9. Or denier, where as the number goes up the fabric gets thicker, 40 denier is pretty thin and 200 denier is thicker like a backpack cloth.

You can't learn it all overnight. It'll take some time. Try to pick up some of the basics and then go to the fabric store.

[Ramblinrev]

Joanns will not be a whole lot of help as they cater to the clothing and quilting crowd. They know very little about the gear making process. All the information you need is listed in the forums. Admittedly it can be scattered around, but I know I and Gargoyle and several others have addressed these issues quite extensively. I don't have the expertise to put together any kind of a spread sheet. But perhaps working through the varieties of fabrics listed will give you the information to put one together. Google does a good job of yielding definitions and descriptions of the various weave and texture patterns along with pictures of each.

[Big Jim Mac]

Thanks guys, that's helping. Learning curve here sure exists but I'm moving up. For example, made a Whoopie sling. The adjustable loop part took me about three days of cussing and sore fingers. Did the fixed loop last night in about 5 minutes, half of that was reading the Sampson pdf. Gargoyle, thanks for the sample offer. I have a bunch of material from WV. Some of it is marked and some isn't, might be nice to have more samples. Any idea what ENO hammocks are made from? The label says "nylon". I like the feel of it but I'm guessing it's there are lighter options.

[WV]

Thanks guys, that's helping. Learning curve here sure exists but I'm moving up. For example, made a Whoopie sling. The adjustable loop part took me about three days of cussing and sore fingers. Did the fixed loop last night in about 5 minutes, half of that was reading the Sampson pdf. Gargoyle, thanks for the sample offer. I have a bunch of material from WV. Some of it is marked and some isn't, might be nice to have more samples. Any idea what ENO hammocks are made from? The label says "nylon". I like the feel of it but I'm guessing it's there are lighter options.

Oops. Which ones did I forget to mark?
You should have 1.9 oz. ripstop, 1.oz ripstop, noseeum mesh and silnylon all marked. They're the ones you want to start with. If I marked Pertex Microlight, forget it - you'll have trouble finding it. As I recall the other samples were some straps, wind-stopping fleece, and pack cloth. Those first four are the ones you're likely to use, so test your sewing machine on them.

Congratulations on the whoopie slings and fixed eyes. It gets easier with practice. (Hints: Whoopie is easier than fixed eye. Always taper the ends. If necessary try a different splicing tool.)