newbie hack buys material..... what is it?

**schmalts** · 07-30-2008, 18:01

O.K, so want to try and make a longer rain fly for my Clark NA and a diamond for my DD I just got. I am not a sewing guy but my wife can do some if I do the cutting and research. I saw some talk about making your own silnylon material from buying stuff at wal-mart so I headed over there. Got there and found 4 rolls of stuff that resembles ripstop nylon. 2 rolls of 60" wide greyish color stuff, one roll of shiny finish greener stuff, and one roll of white stuff. All full 15 yard long rolls I guess.
It was priced $1 on the end of the rolls. wow that is cheap I am thinking so I bought all 4 rolls. I get home and show the wife and she said it was supposed to be a buck for each yard?? I have no clue, I never bought this stuff before so here is the question: what is this stuff, how can I tell if it is thick enough to use as a fly or tarp? Here is the picture of the stuff with one roll rolled out but not un-folded.

**schmalts** · 07-30-2008, 18:10

actually the shinier stuff with the smaller square pattern is only 52 inches wide. Is it shiny because it is silnylon?? of just different stuff. My silnylon tarp that came with my Clark is a lot crunchier sounding and stiffer.

**Ramblinrev** · 07-30-2008, 18:13

hmmmm.... Hard for me to tell on this monitor... but it doesn't look like ripstop to me. The checks look too big. you might be able to waterproof it but I doubt that it is factory waterproofed. If it turns out to be not what you want don't fret. If you only paid a buck for each bolt you're not bad off. I'm sure something will come along that it will get used for. Or some one on the forum may want to take it off your hands for a project they are working on.

Actually... some of it looks pretty nice. Hope it works out for you.

**Dutch** · 07-30-2008, 18:30

First quick test is to try to breath through it. If you can breath through it it definately isn't water proof. It looks like you have ripstop by the pattern. Often I find it is just a pattern. If you look real close at it the threads that make the box pattern should be thicker and raised a little. I found alot of 1.1 ripstop polyester that looks like it is suit liner. I've used it for many things such as 2 layer hammocks, overcovers, quilts, and stuff sacks. I haven't tried to making my own sil as of yet. This stuff would be good to try it because if it doesn't work your not out many $. I wouldn't buy 1.1 at a full price and make sil out of it because the price of sil is not very much more. That is unless you are looking for a peticular pattern. Working with walmart material is real good practice, however maybe your wife doesn't need practice in which case I think it may be a good idea to just order the real thing.

**schmalts** · 07-30-2008, 18:32

actually the shiney stuff repels water really well. Just did this little test to it. I poured one cup of water in a pocket of it and after 5 minutes only a few tiny droplets formed on the other side with no soaking of the material. Now the other three rolls the stuff soaked right in.
The checks are really small, as small as my Clark rain fly on the shiny stuff and very slightly larger on the other stuff. I will post another picture of the checks with something for reference to size it. give me a minute

**fin** · 07-30-2008, 18:37

http://www.ditzyprints.com/dpburnchart.html

**hangnout** · 07-30-2008, 18:37

That stuff is not silnylon but a really heavy DWR. It will repel water for awhile then you will get wet. I had some of the same material from walmart

**schmalts** · 07-30-2008, 18:40

I checked my clark, I cannot feel the bumps from the threads that form the square on that either. What is DWR?? This is very thin and light material. Somewhat transparent but looks thick in the pictures because of the camera effect.

**Ramblinrev** · 07-30-2008, 18:43

shiney stuff might be ripstop could be a DWR too even if not sil. But the brown stuff... the check [attern threads look they are too wide. The look to be woven over several threads instead of being woven in singly if that makes any sense. But again, practice fabric is great stuff when you are learning to dew. If your wife will let you near her machine give it a go your own self. There are lots of people pn here who can give you adivce and help you through the rough spots. It ain't all that hard once the basics aren't the things you sweat over.

Edit... New pics help. Looks like ripstop. DWR durable water resistant. It is a coating, not impregnated into the fabric. It will wear and abrade. That's the biggest set back with DWR.

**hangnout** · 07-30-2008, 18:47

What is DWR??

Durable Water Resistant. DWR causes the water to bead up and roll away but does not make it waterproof

This link will explain it fairly well
http://www.titaniumgoat.com/DWR.html