Quote Originally Posted by Just Jeff View Post
Another question - why are the tarps with aggressive cat cuts in the middle also aggressive on the ends? Then the JRB and Speer tarps, with the less aggressive cuts, more like a rectangle. Has anyone tested a tarp that's almost rectangular, but with an aggressive cat cut in the middle section?
Because I think you'll find that cat cuts are not and scientifically demanding as some would lead us to believe.

An the actual shape depends on several factors:

  • The loading profile
  • The weight and thickness of the material
  • The elasticity of the material
  • The presence of, elasticity of and load distribution on hems
  • The angle at which the guy line leaves the tarp
  • The wind pressure at any given time


In practice, you can cut an approximate cat cut, then adjust the position of the peg to suit. Elasticity of the material should take up slack.

If the cut is too aggressive, more tension will be born by the hem. If it is too straight, the hem will be slacker.

I wonder why nobody has written about incorporating shock cord into a hem. That would have elasticity and bear load, especially beyond the elastic limit.


Quote Originally Posted by tight-wad View Post
My wife wants ME to fix some of the hems in some of HER dresses, etc. So, that option is not available in my household!
In my home, for the last 2-3 generations, that has been our 'tradition' too.