Hammock / Tarp Repairs.

[DavidWa]

..
Application: The tape (actually the protective cover) has printed on it every 3" "FOLLOW DIRECTIONS PRECISELY" So I did.
Clean area with alcohol prep. Let dry. Peal 1/2" of the protective tape & carefully place tape over tear, allowing 1 inch each side. After repair tape is in place (you can, with difficulty, move it until the final step) RUB VIGOROUSLY!
Once you "Rub vigorously" you are not moving that tape, I tried.

Doctari,

A timely post. I just received a used HH that has a small tear, a cut really since it is not jagged, in the tarp. The tear is about an inch long and it's near the out side corner, so not to much worry about rain leaking into the hammock area, therefore it needs a patch mostly just to keep it from getting longer. So thanks for the tip about the Sail Rite tape.

I have some experience repairing cuts, holes , etc. on folding kayak hulls or decks. One recommended best practice is to round the corners of your patch. A sharp corner can eventually peel loose get snagged and pull the patch loose. Rounding the corners helps reduce the chance of this happening.

D

[Doctari]

Doctari,

A timely post. I just received a used HH that has a small tear, a cut really since it is not jagged, in the tarp. The tear is about an inch long and it's near the out side corner, so not to much worry about rain leaking into the hammock area, therefore it needs a patch mostly just to keep it from getting longer. So thanks for the tip about the Sail Rite tape.

I have some experience repairing cuts, holes , etc. on folding kayak hulls or decks. One recommended best practice is to round the corners of your patch. A sharp corner can eventually peel loose get snagged and pull the patch loose. Rounding the corners helps reduce the chance of this happening.

D

DOH!!

I knew that! Totally forgot about it & forgot to do it. A good tip, THANKS!

I think with the Tear rite it isn't a real issue, but for me "Better safe than sorry" so if there is a next time, I'll be sure to round my corners.

[slowhike]

Good to hear the repair update Doctari. From what I had read, it seamed that the adhesive bond would be so permanent that it would be near impossible to remove. Kinda like a good wood glue. If you break it apart, it will be the surrounding wood (that was not penetrated by the glue) that will break.
So unless the adhesive used on the "Tear Aid" has some negative effect on the hammock fabric, it seams to me, that has to be one of the most effective (& easiest) repairs available for that kind of hammock tear.
And no, I don't have any interest in the company that makes Tear Aid, just an interest in best hammock repair tools

[Bushman of yukon]

Sounds good doctari! Thanks

[Doctari]

While at Scout camp a few weeks ago I chose hammock and tarp over canvas tent and cot. Absolutely thrilled with the hang - best week of camp sleep ever. Imagine my chagrin at returning to camp and finding a 3" gash in my tarp (BMJ). From the markings it appears that a stick, with a scout attached to it, hit the tarp. I later found that out that scouts from another troop were the culprits (I hung a little bit too close to a path). What to do? I thought I might have to send the tarp to Brandon and have him perform a professional job. So I e-mailed him and received a much better answer, and a process for the fix (his response came within 2 hours .

It worked out so well that I e-mailed him again to get approval to share the results and process here. Here's to hoping you never use it.

Brandon did not have spare material for this particular tarp (made in China batch) and suggested I use the stuff sack. That worked out fine since I recently made some snake skins and have several other stuff sacks I can use as needed. The patch fix is completed with nothing more than pure clear silicone, Brandon suggested GE's silicone II, just make sure it's clear because it comes in all kinds of colors. You can get this at any of the big box hardware stores.

Using the silicone, spread a thin complete layer on the patch and then stick it on the tarp and rub it on there good, smoothing all the air bubbles out and making sure the fabric around the tear is put back together neatly (my tear was not too ragged, but I did cut away a few loose threads). Make sure to use a patch that is a bit larger than the tear. You can manipulate the patch and the fabric after you get it on there, the patch will slide around on the tarp somewhat so you can fine tune the position and straighten out any creases once you get it on there. The silicone dries very slowly (overnight) and stays "workable" for awhile.

Be sure to orient the ripstop grid of the patch to align with the ripstop grid of the tarp, this way the patch and the tarp have the same stretch characteristics when pulled on. Also, be sure to cut the patch so the corners are rounded off, and make sure the very edges of the patch get glued on too. you can wipe off any excess with a cloth.

For a tear this size, Brandon advised that I should be able to get away with patching only one side, either side will work. No sewing required. That's it.

The results were great. The tarp now has "character". Thanks to Brandon for a quick turnaround with great advice. I continue to be impressed by his service.

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