DIY Tarp Grip Clips

**jspate61** · 03-21-2011, 13:36

How about a rubber band - the kind they bundle broccoli with?

**JohnSawyer** · 03-21-2011, 14:27

I've been reading all the great ideas here... it seems to me that the pebble/penny and larkshead method puts too much localized strain on the fabric. (stretches the fabric permanently or to failure)

The paperclip works, but is too flexible. A fixed-diameter of mason's line or amsteel would work like a button-hole, allowing a button to slip through intentionally, but I'd bet under load, one end of the button would pop through unless the load were absolutely perpendicular to the fabric. The next option, as suggested below, would be a slotted piece of plastic.

The commercial tie-outs work well, partly due to their large size, spreading that load over a larger area. I wonder if the flexible loop/soft shackle, etc. would work well if you had something larger than a quarter...

I'll have to get some scrap fabric and setup a test...

John

**wwk10** · 03-21-2011, 15:54

John,
I agree the pebble method gathers too much fabric.

If you use a button or whatever larger than a quarter, it may spread the force more once it is in place. But I think it will take a lot of yanking and pushing to get it into place.

The quarter sized button and paperclip and scrap of nylon work well enuf at the kitchen table to visualize the forces.

I am leaning toward leaving the size alone and replacing the paperclip with something sturdier like a plastic chain link.

But I am open to ideas.

**JohnSawyer** · 03-21-2011, 16:27

Originally Posted by wwk10

John,
I agree the pebble method gathers too much fabric.

If you use a button or whatever larger than a quarter, it may spread the force more once it is in place. But I think it will take a lot of yanking and pushing to get it into place.

The quarter sized button and paperclip and scrap of nylon work well enuf at the kitchen table to visualize the forces.

I am leaning toward leaving the size alone and replacing the paperclip with something sturdier like a plastic chain link.

But I am open to ideas.

I saw that last night, but forgot all about it... My kids have plastic chain -- the links are separable. I'll see how it works!!!

John

**TiredFeet** · 03-21-2011, 19:14

Originally Posted by wwk10

2 questions re soft shackles.
I have made some whoopies, but no soft shackles.

Is the soft shackle adjustable?
If not, that means I have to make the loop the exact right size.

Do you think the shackles will bunch the fabric? I feel the paperclip method bunches much less than the pebble and line method.

Just search for nacrabiner. nacra started a thread on the idea used nautically for years. It's sort of a carabiner made of cord. There are a few ways to make them. I prefer the method using a Solomon bar knot (called a scarab).

Originally Posted by Mundele

Soft shackles are not adjustable.

Depends on how you define adjustable. The loop can be opened large or closed down to it's smallest diameter. I call that adjustable. If you are thinking of a sliding knot then no.

But for this application I am thinking of the adjustable loop of the soft shackle to replace the paper clip.

**TiredFeet** · 03-21-2011, 19:30

The biggest problem with grip clips is the fact that they slide on silnyl. This button variation probably does also, it's plastic also.

I tried the balloon trick with grip clips on silnyl. Holds better, but still slides right over to the hem unless the clip is pulled perpendicular to the fabric.

Is there something that could replace the button that will hold better on silnyl? Yeah I know not much does, but some of the plastics and rubber things they make these days are very "grippy". Maybe somebody knows of something.

If I can find something that holds better, then I could use that and a soft shackle to replace the grip clip.

**Redoleary** · 03-21-2011, 19:32

If you knew for sure right where you wanted it to be you could coat the area with some silicone and let it dry then there would be a "grippy" area for the grip clip to grip.

**JohnSawyer** · 03-21-2011, 20:07

Originally Posted by Redoleary

If you knew for sure right where you wanted it to be you could coat the area with some silicone and let it dry then there would be a "grippy" area for the grip clip to grip.

Or maybe something rubbery, like plasti-dip?

**Clo-z-nuff** · 03-21-2011, 20:23

Has anyone seen the bedsheet corner strap thingies you can get? They have an elastic strap and on each end is a rubber button head that gets captured in a metal clip that has a large hole slotted to a smaller hole. They MIGHT be to small for a tarp but the idea is there. Here...

http://www.amazon.com/Elastic-Sheet-.../dp/B004IM6XC0

**JohnSawyer** · 03-21-2011, 21:13

I don't have a pic, but I pulled out a button (about 3/4" in diameter) and a piece of plastic chain. This chain has a cut mid-span so the links are separable...

with a scrap of 1.9 ripstop, this method slid when pulled with the direction of the fabric with only about 3 pounds of force.

When pulling perpendicular to the fabric, it held reasonably well IF you pushed the string into one side or the other. If I set it up so it's centered in the link, the link stretches open at the break and comes apart...

I'm going to coat a link and button with spray-plasti-dip and try again tomorrow...