Anyone messed about experimenting with impregnating other fabrics with silicon?
Sil-silk maybe, or Sil-organza or Sil-voile maybe? I wonder how easily the silicon white spirits mix would bridge the gap in materials with larger holes.
Anyone messed about experimenting with impregnating other fabrics with silicon?
Sil-silk maybe, or Sil-organza or Sil-voile maybe? I wonder how easily the silicon white spirits mix would bridge the gap in materials with larger holes.
Last edited by mountainm; 06-10-2014 at 17:02.
Could be counter-productive if the silicon weighs more than the base fabric...
I have wonders this myself. You should try it and let us know. Thinking about it you may want to thin the silicone less.I.e. instead of a 3-1 maybe 2-1 so the silicon will fill the larger weave.
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It doesn't.Originally Posted by mountainm
My first attempt at DIY silnylon was with 1.0 oz pure finish ripstop nylon...think very breathable. It took 3-4 coats before the material started to resemble waterproof.
Why start with a less than ideal fabric when there is nothing to be gained by it?
why? Experimentation. If it had bridged the gaps then it may not have been less than ideal. You have the benefit of hindsight which you are kindly sharing.
sil-Silk still sounds plausible though. ..
I have done DIY silicone nylon, polyester and a cotton poly mix. The only really effective one was a tight weave nylon, think; wind-proof tight weave. Even MOD ripstop didn't work.
the silk I used to make my top-quilt liner could probably be made waterproof as it has a tight weave. I'm not about to try waterproofing it mind !
I don't understand why one would want silicon saturated silk. One of the benefits of silk (beyond weight) is it's wonderful wicking attributes and it's breathability. That's what makes it such a comfortable and desirable 4 season fabric. To negate that with a waterproofing solution seems like a waste of money (silk ain't cheap) and a waste of fabric. Please understand, I'm not saying don't do it. I just don't understand why one might want to.
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Why silk? It's light and strong - dunno if it's lighter or stronger than the equivalent nylon. Suspect it's cheaper than Cuban though.
But this is the reason I'm asking if anyone's done it first...
while silk isnt cheap it wouldnt be too bad to do this with a 1x1 square foot of silk to see A is it feasable and B is it worth the weight difference(i'm assuming this is the main reason hes asking) if it is.
that said knowing this place i'd be shocked if someone hasnt tried it before, but no guarantee they chime in.
A significant problem with many silicone nylons is that as they age they lose their waterproof quality. So perhaps a better question than alternative cheaper fabrics and/or wider weaves is what alternatives to silicone are there. Note in heavy rain it can mist under a Sil-nylon tarp especially an older one. Personally I have not tried any alternatives, natural latex rubber? I understand poly - urethane is heavier? Whale or Seal fat or oil has many disadvantages. But there must be others that will work and most of us just don't know about them.
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