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Thread: TaRp Question

  1. #1
    Senior Member ricecg's Avatar
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    TaRp Question

    I was wondering if there was a difference between making a Cat cut on tarps versus just making a straight rectangle...
    I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.
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    Senior Member aboyd's Avatar
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    The Cat cut usually makes for a tighter pitch.
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  3. #3
    Senior Member Catavarie's Avatar
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    As I understand it, the cat cut helps to pull the tarp tighter than straight cut allows. Has to do with the way fabric stretches.

    However for ease of DIYing. Straight sides are easiest to do. But if you want a cat cut there are Excel spreedsheets linked to here on the forums to help you figure the proper cat cut for your tarp.
    *Heaven best have trees, because I plan to lounge for eternity.

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  4. #4
    Senior Member ricecg's Avatar
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    My goal is to combine several panels of different colors(similar to the CCS Tundra Tarp), My goal is to make each section 60' wide and 1.5 yards long...so 4 panels at 60'wide and 1.5 yards long....any problems that anyone forsees
    I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.
    Henry David Thoreau

  5. #5
    Senior Member JohnSawyer's Avatar
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    I foresee sore fingers and tired eyes from a lot of sewing... Other than that, it'd be a cool looking tarp!
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  6. #6
    Senior Member gargoyle's Avatar
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    Sounds interesting,
    Keep the fabric the same, don't mix and match different weights as they will have varying stretch characteristics. Keep the cuts perfectly straight as any variances will be compounded in the seam, causing wrinkles. You'll have a big mass of fabric near the intersection of the panels and that will take some tweaking to smoothly ride over with the sewing.
    Seam seal it when done. Then pics.
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  7. #7
    Senior Member ricecg's Avatar
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    When sewing the ridge what type of method would be the best...i had an idea of overlapping the panels "X" inches to make the seems on either side of true middle but then realized that would mean more stitching with a higher chances of more holes...what do you think
    I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.
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  8. #8
    Senior Member MAD777's Avatar
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    You need to make the cat cuts if you are using nylon. The little bit of extra work will make all your other effort worthwhile. Nothing like looking at your self-made tarp with a tight pitch.

    I didn't know what I was doing when I made my first tarp and it looked more like someone had hung out their laundry on a clothesline! It is now many stuff sacks

    Nowadays my tarps are drum tight.
    Mike
    "Life is a Project!"

  9. #9
    Senior Member ricecg's Avatar
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    Can you make it rectangular then cut out the cat cuts... or are cat cuts just a preference?
    I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.
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  10. #10
    Senior Member Catavarie's Avatar
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    Cat cuts are a preferential thing.

    They do help to get a tarp pitched tightly the first time. They also limit you to how the tarp can be pitched. This isn't really an issue for hammocking as we will most always be pitching as an A-frame or modified A-frame pitch. But for those far between times if/when you are unable to hang being able to throw up a pyramid, or hunter's lean-to, or any number of other rigging setups makes having a straight cut tarp worthwhile to me.
    *Heaven best have trees, because I plan to lounge for eternity.

    Good judgement is the result of experience and experience the result of bad judgement. - Mark Twain

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