Things I've made lately: 1.1sil tarp, down UQ

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07-31-2012, 22:47
CatSplat

Things I've made lately: 1.1sil tarp, down UQ

I've made a few things over the past month, figured I oughta share them!

First off is a lighter (1.1oz silnylon) version of the big red 1.7oz sil tarp I made earlier this year. 144" ridgeline to cover my Explorer or Safari and satin edging for... well, looks, really. I also happen to kinda suck at rolled hems, haha. It may not be UltraLight, but it's at least KindaLight!

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...k/1dc4f1f0.jpg

You may notice the scrunched-up bag on the ridgeline - that's a bag I came up with (although I'm certain I'm not the first to do it, it's pretty simple) that I call a TarpTube. The suspension lines are enclosed in separate pockets to keep them accessible and keeps the hardware away from the tarp fabric. It also acts like a double-ended Bishop bag for easy setup and takedown. It's made from the same 1.1oz sil as the tarp, so in case of being packed away wet it'll help keep the tarp from soaking its surrounding pack items.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...k/a2fe70cb.jpg

Third is the one I'm most proud of so far, it's a 3-season down-filled underquilt that I've nicknamed the Fusion. It was developed using the DIY Differential Cut Calculator I created for measurements and fill calculations, and I'm happy to say that all the measurements worked out perfectly. The quilt was built using the following parameters, you can punch the numbers into the calculator to see the particulars if you're interested.

Length: 77"
Width: 49"
Baffle Height: 2"
Max Chamber Height: 3"
Number of Chambers: 14
Down Fill rating: 750FP
No overstuff

Handily, the required outer shell width was 66.7", which worked very well with the Olive Brown DWR 1.1oz ripstop (1sts) from DIY Gear Supply which had a raw width of 68" - perfect for a small hem to get to to the necessary dimension. The inner shell was Olive Green 1.1oz ripstop (2nds), again from DIYGS along with everything else that went into the quilt aside from the down, which was sourced from Feather Industries in Ontario, Canada. Final weight of the quilt is ~28oz.

As my first foray into underquilts or down, it was a huge learning experience and, as with all my other DIY projects, I've also gained a deeper appreciation for the folks that do this stuff professionally.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...k/4a427cbe.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...k/915bf27d.jpg

All the new gear got its test run this past weekend in the mountains of Banff while car camping with friends (sadly, not all my buddies are into backpacking yet). The kids from the site next door were totally fascinated by the hammock and had a great time trying it out. The poor dad now has three kids begging him to buy them hammocks! :lol: Temperatures got as low as 10C (50F) with a good thunderstorm, but it was toasty warm and dry in the Safari with my 20-degree GoLite TQ on top. Result! We'll see how well it keeps me warm later in the season as overnight temps start to drop in September.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...k/60a69ed3.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...k/a193dde4.jpg
07-31-2012, 22:54
JDBaughman

Nice! Both very sharp looking! How much did they each cost in supplies to make...?
07-31-2012, 22:59
Beast 71

Very nice! The bag with pockets, for the line, is ingenious. :shades:
07-31-2012, 23:34
CatSplat

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDBaughman

Nice! Both very sharp looking! How much did they each cost in supplies to make...?

Thanks! Let me break down the costs, although please keep in mind these prices are excluding shipping costs - shipping to Canada tends to be more expensive and tough to compare with the States.

Tarp:

24ft (2x12ft) = 8yds of 2nds 1.1oz gray silnylon @ $5.50/yd: $44.00
2x Figure 9 Minis from DealExtreme : $5
Thread, cordage, etc. : $10
Satin edging: $10

Total: ~$69

Underquilt:

[Note: As I will be making a second identical quilt, I originally ordered enough down (32oz) for a couple of quilts. This was the minimum order one can get from Feather Industries and the price I use will be the per-ounce cost of that order, excluding shipping. Smaller orders from other suppliers may be more expensive per oz. The down used is a CAN-90 750FP white duck down, which is significantly less expensive than the fancier high-fill-power goose downs used by the cottage quilt-makers. Using a 850FP goose down would approximately double the cost of down used.]

3 yds Olive Brown 1.1oz DWR 1sts @ $4.95/yd: $14.85
3 yds Olive Green 1.1oz 2nds @ $3.20/yd: $9.60
3 yds No-See-Um mesh (baffles) @ $3.25/yd: $9.75
14oz CAN-90 750FP white duck down @ $3.75/oz: $52.50
Misc thread, shock cord, cordlocks: ~$12

Total: ~$99

Add applicable shipping costs and/or taxes to get your actual supply costs. My personal costs were likely 25% higher overall due to shipping costs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beast 71

Very nice! The bag with pockets, for the line, is ingenious. :shades:

Thank you! They're really straightforward to make, and a great way to get rid of some smaller scraps of fabric you might have kicking around.
08-01-2012, 05:38
raiffnuke

Nice work! You should be proud of your gear!
08-01-2012, 07:05
Bannerstone

Wow, that is some very professional looking DIY gear. I'd have a hard time telling your tarp from a Mac Cat.

David
08-01-2012, 07:15
MAD777

My goodness, you haven't missed anything!
08-01-2012, 08:42
Shug

Whooooooooooo Buddy))))))) Looks terrific.
Fun sleeping in your own work.
Carry forth.....
Shug
08-01-2012, 10:24
Full_timer

Beautiful work! All these great projects have me contemplating buying a sewing machine. The tablecloths are on order. You know you are in very deep trouble when everything you look at, you try to figure out how it is made... That used to only happen with hardware and software.

So many ideas so little time.

Andy
08-01-2012, 11:22
Shotgunred

Fine work! I like the tarp tube. There's nothing better than sleeping comfy in stuff you make yourself!
08-01-2012, 11:32
CatSplat

Thanks for all the awesome comments, it really is a great feeling sleeping in stuff you've made yourself!
08-01-2012, 14:54
kwchannell89

When you made your quilt, did you stitch from top shell to the bottom shell?
08-01-2012, 16:45
doogie

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwchannell89

When you made your quilt, did you stitch from top shell to the bottom shell?

Most quilts are not sewn through, but have an internal baffle to keep the down from shifting while not compressing it. You sew (or inject thread) to attach thin strips of fabric or no-see-um netting to the inside of the top and bottom shell - one strip at a time working from one end to the other. I have a series of photos of my quilt being made here.
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=56604
08-01-2012, 16:51
CatSplat

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwchannell89

When you made your quilt, did you stitch from top shell to the bottom shell?

If I understand you correctly (and I apologize if I haven't), you're asking whether my baffles are a sewn-through design where the inner shell is directly stitched to the outer shell. No, my quilt uses 2" tall baffles made of no-see-um mesh. While more time-intensive to make compared to a sewn-through design, it's warmer due to having at least 2" of loft throughout, whereas a sewn-through drops to zero loft at those seams.

Maybe this cross-section will give you a better idea of how it's constructed. (Just an example image I made for the calculator sheet, mine has more chambers.)

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...k/f3930adc.jpg

Edit: doogie's thread has great pics of the baffle construction process!
08-02-2012, 07:07
doogie

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwchannell89

When you made your quilt, did you stitch from top shell to the bottom shell?

Check out the second photo in this thread.
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=51967
08-02-2012, 09:46
kwchannell89

Ah! I'm wanting to make my own, but I'm working on ways to prevent cold air passing between the baffles. Thank guys!