Waterproofing Rip stop anyone?

[lostinthewuds]

Hello all! I was pondering the tarp I would like to put together for my GTUL hammock. I was thinking ripstop nylon that is on sale at the local hancock fabric store. Only problem is that it is not silnylon. I have searched the internet and found a couple of products that claim to impart water resistance to just about any fabric that they come into contact with.

Has anyone here ever tried this type of thing? If so any sage words of wisdom, or advise?

I've searched the hammock forum archives and couldn't find anything on this topic, but I may not have been looking in the right place, so if anyone can point me in the right direction that would be great also.

Thanks!
lost

[packeagle]

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ead.php?t=2011

heres directions for DIY Sil, no experance though.

[gmcttr]

... products that claim to impart water resistance ...

These are probably DWR coatings. Water resistance is not going to cut it for a tarp. You need water Proof

The ripstop at Hancock's is probably a 1.9 oz fabric and will be rather heavy once coated.

If you want to make your own as packeagle linked to, start out with a 1.1 oz ripstop nylon.

Or better yet, get the gray 1.1 oz Silnylon 2nds from DIY Gear Supply.

Welcome to the DIY world.

[G.L.P.]

i agree save your money and get some Sil 2nds from DIY gear supply
after you factor in all the stuff to make the ripstop waterproof and thats if it works (it sometimes takes a few tries to get it right) you will be spending more money and 5x more work and your going to have one heavy tarp

get the right fabric the first time

[lostinthewuds]

Thanks for the replies and the link to DIY gear supply. I had found that site a while back but had lost the link. Actually I think their price may be just a little higher than hancock's price, but you're right in saying that it would greatly reduce the time and effort spent on the whole thing. And it would most likely end up working better in the long run.

Thanks,
lost

[ImSoConfused]

Check out the Youtube videos of some guy using a bucket of gasoline and some tubes of silicone caulk. Not something I'd recommend, but As Dwight Eisenhower once said "There seems to be no final answer to the question, "How stupid can you get?"'

[Fronkey]

i agree save your money and get some Sil 2nds from DIY gear supply
after you factor in all the stuff to make the ripstop waterproof and thats if it works (it sometimes takes a few tries to get it right) you will be spending more money and 5x more work and your going to have one heavy tarp

get the right fabric the first time

+1 on that!

Fronkey

[dimeotane]

If you don't want to try mixing your own, there's this I've seen at a local store:
Escort Silicon Waterproofing
I did the DIY silicon mix to waterproof my ripstop, and am pretty pleased with how well that worked on the nylon tarp I sewed up.

[BigJake]

I use Star Brite waterproofing with PTEF. My first use was on my tent. Water runs off of it like off a duck's back. I just cleaned up my boots for winter and used it on the nylon upper. Beautiful!

[Frost]

While the DIY Gear Supply fabric might be slightly more expensive than the Hancock's uncoated ripstop, by the time you figure in the 2 or 3 tubes of silicone caulk and the gallon or more of mineral spirits (for crying out loud don't use gasoline) it will take, and the fact that (speaking from experience here) you probably won't get it right the first crack, I'd say definitely just go for the Sil 2nds. Even ignoring time and effort, you'd still be way ahead financially. The only time I'll do the DIY Sil again will be if I've got a very specific uncoated fabric (camo pattern or something that doesn't come coated) that I am absolutely dead set on using.

It took me 4 tries to get a decent result with the DIY Sil process, even following other people's success to the letter. Silicone to solvent ratio, mixing time, agitation time, drying setup, all a huge PITB. Two of the three failed attempts I managed to rescue the tarp and try again, but on one of the failures, it was way past saving, and I had to start from scratch.

With the Sil from DIY GS, all you have to do is sew your edges and center seam, tape the seams, and presto.