Warbonnetguy, Please explain what you mean by "perimeter loaded design". I have an inquiring mind. DTE
Warbonnetguy, Please explain what you mean by "perimeter loaded design". I have an inquiring mind. DTE
Sometimes even a Blind Hog finds an Acorn
It means that he folds the GG ribbon into the hem all the way around the tarp. The idea being the load is spread over the length of the hem instead of just at the reinforcement patches. I tried to sew a tarp in this manner, but after about 30 minutes my BP was high enough to launch a shuttle. There must be a 'trick' to it that I haven't figured out.
Trust nobody!
Originally Posted by Cannibal
I've heard if you shine a light from underneath, it's easier to do. I've never tried it though, so what do I know?
"Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities." - Mark Twain
“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” - John Burroughs
I just had a hard time keeping it all together as I fed it through the machine. That little screw that holds the needle in place hurts like a son of a #@&!h when it bangs down on your fingers. That happened a lot during my little attempt.
Trust nobody!
Yah, that sounds painful. I have so far narrowly avoided that happening to me.
"Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities." - Mark Twain
“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” - John Burroughs
So I googled on "dead man technique" and got two hits of interest. One on shoring up beaver dams, and the other on rescue operations on steep slopes, where evidently the technique is used with snow stakes that don't go into the ground. Neither of these were specific on what this technique is.
But I think I can see it, "chain gang" is particularly descriptive. You'd take a sequence of stakes. Tie-out line to the first one. Line from the first one to the second one that is behind it, in line with the first stake and the line. No slack between the first stake and the second. Third stake right behind the second one, again in that same line, again no slack in the line connecting the second stake and the third. Etc.
If the pull on the guy-line is so strong that it starts to pull the first stake forward, then the line from the first stake to the second tightens up and the second one offers its resistence. The tension on that line is much less than the tension on the guy-line. But if that still is so great that the second stake starts to pull forward also, then the line between the second and third stake tightens up and the third stake contributes resistence as well.
I'm not convinced that the amount of pull that can be supported by this increases as an exponential function of the number of stakes, but my gut instinct is that if you use N stakes the pull that can be resisted is greater than N times the pull that can be resisted by one stake.
This is a better method than the one I used.
Grizz
Thanks...Makes sense. And I guess if you were adding this as a strengthening measure to an existing hem you could just sew the grosgrain as strip along the hem line. It also seems that additional tie-out point would help share the load... the HH hex tarp has a huge surface area and tie-outs only on the 4 corners. I am as concerned about being impaled by a flapping stake as I am about ripping the tarp! And, along these same lines, how would a tarp be best staked given extremely high winds in storm conditions? Summer thunderstorms can come up suddenly and deliver gale force winds.
Sometimes even a Blind Hog finds an Acorn
I think I'd work on finding a spot where you could tie up to trees and roots, logs, or rocks, if you were given the time to find such a spot...
"Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities." - Mark Twain
“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” - John Burroughs
Yeah, I'm with NCP on this one. Given the option, I'd look for the most sheltered area I could find and avoid the stakes as much as possible. I've had many a thoughts about flying stakes.
I wonder if any ERs have had people come it to have GroundHogs removed from their butts? Hooch, got any stories for us?
Trust nobody!
That's it - just make sure that the guy line from the tarp is tied and secured down firmly against the ground with the stake sticking up at least 2". Then tie the line from the top of that stake to a second stake in line with the guy line. Again making sure that the connecting line goes from the top of the first stake to the ground entry of the second stake. That uses the lever principle to increase the holding power. I have never needed more than that second stake. Tested once by pulling on the guy line with the 2 stakes like that - had my weight leaning waaaaay back against that guy line and the stake never even budged. I estimated it at way over 100 lbs pulling on the stake.
Also, make the connecting ties with no slack from the git-go. Any slack weakens the arrangement.
Also, push the stakes in with a lot of angle AWAY from the tarp. If you put the stake in with very little angle or straight up, then you don't get as much holding power.
Yeah - I asked her about that "exponential" and she just laughed and said that was a little "hyperbole" on her part and that you are probably right, not exponential, but it does significantly multiply the holding forces.
Last edited by TiredFeet; 01-31-2008 at 13:17.
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