The Cowboy Batwing Widebody All-Season Tarp

[kitsapcowboy]

Now you need to make a Purple and Green Joker Tarp! Holy Schnikes Kitsap man! LOL

LOL TH!

Thank you, that is what I needed to know. I am looking at poles longer than 13" to reduce the number of joints/joiners, which will save some weight and reduce the number of pieces needed ... and thank you for taking the time to document this build.

Brian

No problem

[Cruiser51]

I am actually starting today on this tarp and as part of the planning process I always walk thru all the sewing steps.

The order I came up with seems to be at a little variance with the other builds I have seen posted:
- layout 2 sides, fold, cut to size
- apply all re enforcement patches, including two pieces at ridge line (tarp halves still separate)
- 1/2" rolled hem to perimeter (except ridge line)
- join tarp halves with standing french seam at ridge line
- apply grosgrain ridge
- add tie outs (ridge, sides, doors)

It seems that by doing the ridge joining later in the process, it might make some of the hemming and re enforcement a bit easier to handle .... am I missing something or is this workable?

Brian

[Brooklyn]

I will not be surprised to see a tarp from you named the pterodactyl that is the size of (and maybe the color of) a school bus. Patiently waiting. Going to guess it's on your drawing board.

[Banjoman]

This seems right to me Cruiser. You may want to extend the length of ridgeline grosgrain past the ends of tarp to incorporate the tieouts instead of adding extra pieces afterwards.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

[Tyroler Holzhacker]

My Mac Cat Ultra with doors has the Batwing shape as well. Holy Tarp, Batman!

[Cruiser51]

This seems right to me Cruiser. You may want to extend the length of ridgeline grosgrain past the ends of tarp to incorporate the tieouts instead of adding extra pieces afterwards.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

The only issue I see with this, is that the ridge grosgrain is 1.5" folded to .75" on a side... if I extend it, then I am folding 2 layers through the D ring .... just seems a little excessive. Alternatively, to make it neater, I could attach the ridge pullouts before I apply the ridge grosgrain, and then cover the pullout with the ridge layer.

The real difference with this order is doing the ridge near the last of the build .... this would seem to eliminate all the fiddling with hems at the ridge line.

Brian

[kitsapcowboy]

First and foremost, there is more than one way to skin this cat.

I sew the ridge line seam first, stitching the first two critical passes but not the folded grosgrain.

I stop about 1.25" short of the raw edge on each end of these ridge line stitch rows.

Then, with the ridge line standing seam complete but left uncovered, I attach all of the reinforcement patches including the two rectangular patches that straddle the ridge line seam (on which I'm careful not to sew over the tab of the seam). With the patches attached, an complete the entire perimeter roll hem, and where the film hem intersects the ridge line seam, it gently draws a portion of the fabric from the unsewn 1.25" portion at each end of the RL, effectively tapering the standing tab of the RL seam neatly into the roll hem.

When the folded grosgrain is added to the standing seam in the third pass, the very ends of the "skirt" section can be tacked down to connect to both the roll hem and the reinforcement patch, or for superior strength in the most extreme weather, an additional grosgrain "saddle" can be used to reinforce this critical multi-vector connection.



As for running folded grosgrain through the D-ring, it really isn't a big deal; it fits through easily, and the 1.5" ribbon folded in half will accept perfectly a 3/4" Beastee Dee ring that can be cranked out very taut with no issues. The double layer of grosgrain resists twisting and stretching. Excessive? Perhaps, but definitely trailworthy, and gram-shaving is clearly not the priority on a super-strong 12x12 winter tarp with delusions of superhero grandeur...

My $0.02. HYOH. Any way that works is a good way, IMHO.

[Cruiser51]

Thanks KC, that clears up most of what I pondering and makes a lot of sense. Just to be clear on one point, the re enforcement patches at each end of the ridge are 2 separate pieces of material, ultimately sewed together under the 1.5" grosgrain in the final steps?

Brian

[kitsapcowboy]

Thanks KC, that clears up most of what I pondering and makes a lot of sense. Just to be clear on one point, the re enforcement patches at each end of the ridge are 2 separate pieces of material, ultimately sewed together under the 1.5" grosgrain in the final steps?

Brian

Actually, negative. Each reinforcement patch is a 4.5" x 9" cut blank of 300D Pack Cloth, hemmed in three sides with the raw edge facing the raw edge of the tarp; each rectangle is a single piece straddling the ridge line seam, but all of the stitching is interrupted so as not to intersect the ridge line seam. Hope that clears up my current methods.

[Cruiser51]

Thank you for your patience .... that clears it all up. Appreciate the clarifications .... looking forward to executing this project now.


Brian