Center Seam Tieouts

[FJRpilot]

One of the classic Tarp building tutorials..

http://www.teamgunnparker.com/blackc...#_Toc173479834

Cheers!

[VictoriaGuy]

Some info about the tarp
http://www.shop.cookecustomsewing.co...&categoryId=12

A good visual review from a user:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/sh...ke-Tundra-Tarp

It seems like the tie outs in the seams are sandwiched between the fabrics into the seam. Did do a search but nothing like i was looking for. I come here for a fix o my DIY craving

Again thank you all for the info.

Ah- those pictures make it a lot clearer. Thanks. Looks like a strongly-built tarp with webbing all round - perhaps a bit of overkill, but if you are going to add a tieout every 20", then you might as well carry the webbing all around, I guess.
Are you trying to duplicate that 10x10 tarp?

I agree with you that the 'intermediate' tie-out loops along the ridgeline look like they are just made with webbing folded into the flat-felled seam.
The 4 loops in the center inside don't take much strain, as they just keep the pole in place?

If you want to use the tarp as a tent (coming right to the ground), straight edges are best. For other uses (dining shelter, over a hammock, etc.) I think a bit of caternary cut on the edges makes for a more tight (and quiet) setup.
Neat project.

[VictoriaGuy]

One of the classic Tarp building tutorials..

http://www.teamgunnparker.com/blackc...#_Toc173479834

Cheers!

I agree, excellent overall tutorial, though the cat curve method -math, spreadsheet, etc. etc. is for the 'meticulous' (to be polite!) builder. I think it's been shown that a bent PVC tube or stick will give a 'good enough' curve.

[toasty23]

FJRPilot, thanks for the tutorial will def. be looking at that in detail.

VictoriaGuy, My main purpose is for BWCA camping used year round (spring, fall, winter). Winter is harsh as the wind is killer. I'm not a Hammock camper "yet". looking to use it for wind/rain/sun protection. My goal is to come as close to the CCS Tarp as possible but doesn't have to be exact. I will try to experiment with the tie-outs in the seam. Thank you again for the information. Will journal my journey here.

[Violent Green]

VictoriaGuy, My main purpose is for BWCA camping used year round (spring, fall, winter). Winter is harsh as the wind is killer. I'm not a Hammock camper "yet". looking to use it for wind/rain/sun protection. My goal is to come as close to the CCS Tarp as possible but doesn't have to be exact. I will try to experiment with the tie-outs in the seam. Thank you again for the information. Will journal my journey here.

Harsh windy weather. Giant 10'x15' silnylon tarp. I would definitely use some catenary curves if possible. That's a lot of real estate to flap around in the wind. If you're looking for several pitch options you couldn't use a cat curve on the ridgeline very well, but still could the outer hems. I would also recommend using LineLocs or some tensioning system on the tie outs. The larger the tarp, the more you'll see the silnylon sag in wet weather.


Ryan

[wgiles]

I've made a couple of tarps now and am firmly committed to using grosgrain ribbon in my seams and hems. The reason is simple, it is much easier for a person of my limited skills to sew. I find that there is much less bunching and movement of the silnylon fabric when the stitch goes through the grosgrain. My seams and hems look much better and I have had no problems with anything pulling out. I have been using double fold hems with the ribbon encased in the hem, but I can see some advantage to the CCS hems with the ribbon on the surface. The tieout loops can simply be sewed between the silnylon fabric and the ribbon. I've used both Mara 70 and Tera 60 thread and can see no meaningful difference between the two, other than my machine seems to prefer the Tera 60.

[toasty23]

Violent Green, Would something in a "cat" cut be more for a single individual or is it suitable for group? Reason I'm thinking about rectangle is that There seems to be more options for pitching and better suited for larger groups. Never had a cat cut tarp but I'm fairly fresh to the whole camping. Just recently got the canoe camping bug after going to the BWCA last year.

Wgiles: First always good to hear input from a fellow Illinoisians!Da Bears....Ok sorry just needed to represent my state (from the windy city). Good to hear that you have had great success with the grosgrain. How do you add it to your seam and do you also add tie outs? What size needle are you using with the tera 60?

The CCS Tundra Tarp here in MN is highly praised and the craftsmanship of Dan cooke is amazing. They were designed for "tundra" camping and reason you see the funky colors is for search and rescue situations. I am doing mine in a burnt orange as its my boys favorite color and for safety reasons also. I like the idea of webbing along the edge to help stiffen the tarp and for extra strength to the tie-outs without adding additional fabric (not a big fan of the look and like the webbing look). My biggest problem in all is figuring out how to add the center ridgeline tie-outs and making it look good.

[wgiles]

When I make a seam, I mark a line 1" from the edge of the fabric, align both pieces and stitch along the line. I lay the fabric out on a piece of masonite with the seam near the edge. Using 1/2" grosgrain, I fold the edge over once, clip about every 18" with wonder clips and iron the edge of the fold. I fold up to 8' of fabric and then go back to the beginning and make a second fold. I iron this fold and clip the edge about every 6". If the seam is longer than 8', I'll slide the fabric up the piece of masonite and fold the rest. At this point, I'll start to sew the second stitch, but I have to unfold the fabric so that I don't sew the second piece. I'll remove a few clips and get the seam started under the presser foot. I leave about 6" of grosgrain sticking out the end of the seam and I can use this to help feed the seam into the machine. Once I get started, I'll feed the fabric in and remove the clips as I go. Once I finish the stitch along the left edge of the grosgrain, I'll run a second stitch along the right edge. This may be unnecessary, but it balances the seam. I do much the same thing for the hems. Fold once and iron, fold again, iron and clip. I lay my tie out loops flat and sew each half to the underside of the hem rather than sewing through both layers of the tie out loop (the way CCS does it). At each end of the seam, I sew a double piece of 1" grosgrain that sticks out about 1-1/2". This piece serves as the center tieout and I set a grommet just past the edge of the fabric, in the doubled grosgrain for a trekking pole to fit in if I'm using the tarp on the ground. I started doing this after I had grommets pull out of the edge of the tarp. I no longer use grommets, except where a pole might poke a hole in the fabric. CCSs center patch and four way loop accomplishes much the same thing, but I don't use poles in the center. I sew pieces of nylon shoe lace to the top side of the center seam at the 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 points so that I can hang the tarp under my hammock tarp ridge line. I sew a 30" piece of 1/2" grosgrain under the seam near the head end of the tarp as a daisy chain for hanging gear. When I use the tarp with my hammock, I tie the sides out at the 1/4 and 3/4 points. The extra fabric in the corners can be folded back out of the way or used as doors. Using these tieout points, it's effectively a hex tarp with doors. I have heard of CCS in the past and am impressed with their work. It might be a bit heavy, but, if light is what you want, you should probably be using Cuben Fiber, a whole different ball game.

I generally use a size 14/90 needle, but have recently been using a 16/100 needle for thick, multiple layers of fabric. While I was making the tarp, I also made some silnylon stuff sacks and had no trouble with the large needle and the thin fabric.

[toasty23]

If i cut the fabric with scissors do i need to do something with them or will hemming edges/seams be enough to prevent fraying?

[nuttysquirrel]

If i cut the fabric with scissors do i need to do something with them or will hemming edges/seams be enough to prevent fraying?

Just cut and hem. Sil is super flammable, don't try singing the edges