plans/patterns for a tarp

**Iaspanky** · 10-19-2011, 19:04

I want to look into making my own tarp anyone have a pattern/plan for one? thanks

**Fronkey** · 10-19-2011, 19:06

http://www.teamgunnparker.com/blackc...k_Cat_Tarp.htm

Fronkey

**streamline** · 10-19-2011, 19:28

The above link is a great resource and I really love my cat tarp. It is lighter and pitches better in a lot of ways imho.

You could also do a rectangular tarp which will give you the ability to set up in winter mode without carrying extra doors to attach to the ends of your blackcat tarp.

Just look around in this forum, there are a ton of pictorials from other members.

**ljcsov** · 10-19-2011, 19:56

Mine is just a basic rectangle. I made the seam at the ridgeline used a folded hem to prevent leakage.

**JohnSawyer** · 10-20-2011, 00:02

The simplest tarp is an 8x10. Not SUL, but I can close it up like streamline said... Complete privacy, and pulled low, complete protection...

It's certainly the simplest to do, with one flat felled seam, and a rolled hem all the way around.

The trick is to add tieouts in the right places so you can do the "doors" trick..

**alphaskin7** · 10-20-2011, 04:55

The trick is to add tieouts in the right places so you can do the "doors" trick..

I am also interested in making my first tarp and trying to compile and process the wealth of info I am finding spread around this forum. Would you care to elaborate a bit on this statement about the "right places" to add tieouts for the 'doors trick"?

**streamline** · 10-20-2011, 07:50

I just made a rectangular tarp for my brother and what I did was added 5 tieouts down both sides. Honestly I didn't think to much about it and just did halves. So 8' long got tie outs at 0' - 2' - 4' - 6' - 8' .
His was a 10' long tarp but you get the point. This seemed to work great on our recent trip. He loved it. The only thing I will do on the next one different is add a bit of a cat curve between tieouts. This will allow it to pitch a bit tighter, but honestly there was no issue here with straight cuts.
If you want to do a cat cut just figure 1.25" - 1.5" in for every foot. So for the above example it would be 3" in between the 2' tieouts and (it was 8' wide, so 4' on either side of a center tieout) 6" between the center and corner tieouts on the ends. There are a couple ways of doing this but one way is to use pvc and a string, honestly a pain in the arse but it works.

**ljcsov** · 10-20-2011, 08:14

Originally Posted by alphaskin7

I am also interested in making my first tarp and trying to compile and process the wealth of info I am finding spread around this forum. Would you care to elaborate a bit on this statement about the "right places" to add tieouts for the 'doors trick"?

When you put in the "second tie out" on each corner, put it 1-2' (I did 1.15) down the length of the tarp. If you want to use your doors, you simply stake out at this point and tie the corner tie outs together. Check the pics of my tarp "Big Red".

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=40851

**gargoyle** · 10-20-2011, 17:20

Easy trick to get the tieouts right is to fold the tarp. 1/2 is center, folded again gives you 1/4 points. Mark the folded areas and sew your tieouts on. No math or measuring and it works. Puts the tieouts in just the right spot.