Starting underquilt diy project on the cheap

[matimeo]

Hello everyone at HammockForums! Glad to have found the site and I'm working on getting outfitted for some backpacking trips this summer. I'm waiting on some of the 2nd gen .5oz noseeum from ripstopbytheroll to build Fronkey/Cricket style bug nets and plans are coming together for underquilts. I have one DIY quilt already made from a down sleeping bag purchased on Craigslist for $45, that I've tested down to 40*. It has a lot of loft, but sewn-through baffles, which I didn't realize would be an issue when I purchased it.

So I was able to source 10 yards of dwr finished 1.1oz ripstop on ebay for $23. Yesterday I was cruising Goodwill and found a queen size down comforter for $14.99. So I'll be able to assemble two full-length underquilts for around $40.
20160209_203825.jpg
The comforter
20160209_203839.jpg
20160209_223005.jpg

So I cleaned out the filter and canister of my garage vac really well and started tearing into the baffles. Man this is a messy job. Down flying everywhere, spilling all over the ground when I tried to transfer from the canister to the garbage bags. Luckily it's pretty easy to suck back up, since it's so light you can aspirate it off the floor without taking too much dust with it. It actually really seemed to fluff and clean the down to vacuum it like this. The whole process took about two hours, way longer than I thought- but look at all that down!

20160209_203914.jpg
Jackpot!

20160209_210234.jpg
Got a little too full here. I found I had to empty the canister after each baffle of the comforter was vacuumed out.

This was the final outcome:
20160209_223331.jpg

Those are 13 gallon trash bags. I weighed one of the bigger ones and it came out to 6oz of down- so I figure I have at least 25oz total, which should be more than enough for two full size, 3 season underquilts.

I know a lot of people use noseeum for the baffles, but I wonder if long-term durability would be better if I use the nylon.

So, any advice from anyone who has built one of these before? I'm doing my research and I think I understand what to do, but I'd love to hear what you wish you knew before you built your first underquilt. I'll update this post as I go.

[Rick68]

I am not gonna give you any advice, I am not a diy guy. But I will wish you luck on your adventure..Hope to see the outcome of the final product..

[Grapenut]

Nice score on the materials! My only advice would be to take your time. Also, consider buying the pre-cut noseeum baffles once you decide on how high you want the baffles to be. Baffle height + appropriate downy goodness = temp rating. and...keep us posted on your progress! G-Nut

[Monkeyboy42]

I've done a topquilt. I am working on a UQ now. I don't see why you couldn't use Ripstop for the baffles. The nose rum weighs less,mwhich I think is why it's normally used.

DWR Ripstop isn't necessarily down proof though. You need calendared Ripstop for quilts. Calendared fabric goes through a hot roller process of some sort that seals one side of the fabric I believe. If yours is calendared one side will be shiny, and one much less shiny. Shiny goes in.

If you don't have calendared fabric I'd reconsider. You don't want to be leaking down!

[matimeo]

Thanks guys. I still need to decide on baffle height. I live in the Pacific Northwest, so no extreme lows (unless I get into winter camping). The research never ends. Good call on whether it's calendared. I sent a message to the ebay seller.

Update: ebay seller confirmed that the fabric is calendared. Thanks for catching that Monkeyboy- I guess I jumped to that assumption.

[Monkeyboy42]

Thanks guys. I still need to decide on baffle height. I live in the Pacific Northwest, so no extreme lows (unless I get into winter camping). The research never ends. Good call on whether it's calendared. I sent a message to the ebay seller.

Update: ebay seller confirmed that the fabric is calendared. Thanks for catching that Monkeyboy- I guess I jumped to that assumption.

I'm assuming you've seen the underquilt calculator? It's really helpful for figuring out all the math including baffle heights and amount of down per chamber

[slugbait]

Years ago there was a theory floating about that down would cling better to netting than to ripstop- thus the down wouldn't tend to fall away from the baffles as much when it settles. I don't know if anyone ever proved or disproved this idea. We have an old down sleeping bag with ripstop baffles but I can't say whether they functioned well as the baffles were spaced 9 or 10" apart (cheap bag) and so the down tended to shift a lot, leaving cold spots. That said, after 44 years the baffles are still in good shape.

[spicciani]

I think it may be time for me to troll the goodwill's for used down

Thanks for for some good ideas.

[matimeo]

I finally got around to finishing the underquilt. Some pictures of the process and finished product.
Down gets everywhere, no matter how you do this. I tried the vacuum method, the hand stuff method and ended up taping a large tube to the garbage bag, sticking it inside the tubes and dumping it into the baffles. I think this sucker is going to be warmer than I intended for it to be. I'm estimating I used about 15 oz of down. 2" differential on the bafffles and I think I plenty stuffed them. The quilt comes to 27oz by itself. I kind of just threw caution to the wind while making this and went for it. I figure for the $38 I have into materials (and still half left over), I can't go too wrong.

I've also made two bug nets out of the .5oz noseeum fabric. I tested one out a while back and it worked great.

20160616_134813.jpg

20160618_092028.jpg

20160618_111203.jpg

20160618_130825.jpg

20160618_133420.jpg

[hungh13]

great job, looks nice