THUNDER DOME 10x12 CATCUT

With the up coming spring hang on Manitou Island here in Michigan I was in need of a new larger tarp. My GF is planning on joining us and I want to do a side by side hang with her and I under one tarp. I’d seen a slick set-up that TZBrown used with his wife this past fall so I followed his lead…But first I needed a tarp large enough for the two of us and our gear.

I decided to do a 12X10 cat cut tarp and started the quest for fabric, MAD777 had an interesting post in the fabric sub-forum about a ebay supplier. They had a WP digital camo rip stop that was 66” wide, interested I contact the supplier and placed the order. I ordered several types of fabric from them and have a fabric review thread in the fabric sub-forum for those interested.

Back to this tarp, I had made a few cat cut tarps and really like the way they hang so this one was going to be cat cut also. Here are the basic specs for this tarp…

144”x120” with 144” RL – Flat feld seam
ground panel edge is 84” with 6” cat cut
remaining four sides had 4” cat cut
all primary corner pull-outs reinforced with one additional layer of fabric
fully edged with 7/8” grosgrain ($6 for 50yds here http://www.bbcrafts.com/Grosgrain+Ri...olor/110~.html)
6 primary pull-outs located at traditional corners (7/8” grosgrain w/ 3/4" D-Rings from OWF)
6 secondary pull-outs located at ½ way point on all edges (3/8” grosgrain w/ 1/2" D-Rings from OWF)
weight with stuff sack 914 grams 2# 1oz not bad considering the size…

The secondary pull-outs are not attached with reinforcement panels, I "TRAPPED" them with the grosgrain, stitched in place prior to installing grosgrain with pull-out pointing to interior of tarp. I plan on using these in heavy weather and for alternate set-ups...

Here are the construction pics as well as finished product…

Drum roll please…


CLOSE-UP OF FABRIC


CAT CUT TEMPLATE


ONE FULL PANEL CUT


SECONDARY PULL-OUT PINNED IN PLACE


SECONDARY PULL-OUT SEWING


SECONDARY PULL-OUT ATTACHED AND TRIMMED


TYPICAL CORNER PULL-OUT REINFORCEMENT


TYPICAL RIDGE PULL-OUT REINFORCEMENT


TYPICAL CORNER PULL-OUT TRIMMED


RIDGE PULL-OUT IN PLACE


FINISHED AND HUNG OUT TO DRY….


THIS THING IS HUGE…I THINK I SHALL CALL IT THE THUNDER DOME...


AND THE FRONT PORCH…NICE FOR A COLD FROSTY BEVERAGE ON A SUMMER AFTERNOON...