What would you do

[Fish<><]

Trying my hand at an all d i y kit. Im not to wild about a redo at this stage as im new to the sewing world,and there has been alot of work done so far.

A thanks goes out to digitizer 101 for the sewing lessons.

Go for it hairbear... That's my opinion. The worst that could happen is you get better at sewing and making your own sil. Don't let these guys dissuade you.

[Roadrunnr72]

If you have gone as far as is sounds, to me, I would finish it and use the DIY sil an it. When I posted before, I was thinking that you had just decided that you were going to make your own tarp, no matter what. I didn't know you already had the material and started sewing. Give it a go, the sil-nylon is really slippery, and some have trouble sewing it...........RR

[Detail Man]

Sil is slippery to sew, but adjusting the presser foot pressure usually takes care of most of the frustration. This is done by turning a knob on top of the machine, directly over the presser foot shaft. It's really not that bad to sew.

If you make your own silnylon, be aware that mineral spirits are NOT a solvent for silicone. If mixed together, it makes an emulsion, much like a salad dressing. The reason for mixing it very well is to make the silicone globules as small as possible to coat the fabric more effectively. Read this thread before you try it: https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...ead.php?t=2011 However it turns out, it will be a learning experience.

[FLRider]

Sil is slippery to sew, but adjusting the presser foot pressure usually takes care of most of the frustration. This is done by turning a knob on top of the machine, directly over the presser foot shaft. It's really not that bad to sew.

If you make your own silnylon, be aware that mineral spirits are NOT a solvent for silicone. If mixed together, it makes an emulsion, much like a salad dressing. The reason for mixing it very well is to make the silicone globules as small as possible to coat the fabric more effectively. Read this thread before you try it: https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...ead.php?t=2011 However it turns out, it will be a learning experience.

+1 on the presser foot pressure adjustment. It made my experience with stuff sacks go from, "**** this!" to "Well, that was pretty easy," and came in very handy when working on my tarp.

Good luck! Remember the bit about photos...we like photos...

[hairbear]

I feel the frustration level lol.I was about to open the back door,yell punt formation,and kick the stupid sewing machine over the fence. Digitizer helped me ,so now sewing is fun.Birds nests should be a four letter word.

[TrailArchitect]

If you decide you want to go with factory sil I am sure that ripstop will not go to waste. You could probably still make a hammock out of it or if you've already cut it into a weird pattern I'm sure you could at least get some nice stuff sacks, gear slings, snake skins, or baffles for an UQ. So, if you decide to scrap the DYI sil, it does not have to go to waste.

[HangLow]

I attempted a tarp with DIY silnylon using silicone diluted with mineral spirits. I would not attempt it again--too messy and didn't seem worth the extra effort to save a few bucks on the right fabric. The finished product is also heavier than store-bought silnylon.

I'm very pleased with the silnylon seconds from Noah Lamport. I've placed two orders with them--great service and price! I'll certainly be back for more...

[hairbear]

Ive been encouraged to wait for some special camo that will be coming in during the middle of this month. Im going to see what a 1.1 double speer will hang like,I can always make a tarp out of it later.

[hairbear]

Thanks for your thoughts.

[lubbockhammockguy]

My thoughts on the matter have always been that I don't want to make something that I would have to worry about the homemade waterproofing wearing off and the tarp leaking on me.