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  1. #1
    Senior Member bigbamaguy's Avatar
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    Lightbulb Seam Sealing Failure Report

    Well it is early Christmas morning as I write this and I am sadly disappointed in my most recent hanging experience. I received a BBDD Winter Tarp, modified for my Clark NX-200, for an early Christmas present from the signifigant other after I went to the Sipsey Hang over Halloween. I sealed the ridgeline seam back in mid-November and have not had a chance to test it out until tonight. I figured it would be a wonderful time to test it out because of the weather that was expected here in East Alabama. That weather is a typical southern winter storm consisting of massive amounts of rain, strong gusting winds and upper 40*F temps. I got the hammock and tarp set up during the day and did a test nap to see how I liked the tarp and hammock together............All I can say Scott Littlefield does a wonderful job with this tarp design and I am very pleased with my purchase.

    Please, don't take this report as a negative feedback on Scott or any of his products.........what happened here is all of my fault and shows that my learning curve is still on the upswing.

    I used a seam sealing agent, water based seam sealer, that I got at the local sporting goods store. It had worked on the other tarps that I had sealed so I thought it would work here........boy was I wrong! After taking care of wrapping some presents and having family time I decided to retire for the night and headed for the hammock. As I left the house I walked into a virtual deluge of rain water thinking what a great sleep I would be getting. I looked forward to the raindrops on the tarp, gentle sway of the hammock in the breeze and a book to read......how better to spend Christmas Eve.

    I got under the tarp and opened the weather shield on my hammock, then I noticed that there were some drops of water in the hammock. I thought this was from the rain jacket I was wearing and left it at that. Once I got in and situated I noticed that I had a wet spot on my backside, passed it off as the water from the jacket. After two pages of the book I noticed the wet spot was spreading and my back was getting wet too. Looked at the foot end and could see no water coming in, looked at the head end and noticed that the pull handle there was soaked and wicking water at a good rate. At this point I pulled the cord and got out of the hammock. This is when I noticed the ridge line seam was leaking in several places and dripping at good rate on the hammock. While all of this was happening the the weather outside was getting worse with wind and rain. I pulled the cord on the rest of the testing experience and will be making some DIY seam sealer later this afternoon and spend Christmas day working on this issue.

    Conclusion:
    Just because it says safe for Silnylon does not mean that it will seal Silnylon.
    Always do a test hang close to the house or somewhere that you can easily bail from if things go bad.
    Ask the manufacturer, especially the ones on this sight, if they have a recommendation for a certain problem.
    Last edited by bigbamaguy; 12-25-2009 at 02:53. Reason: typing this early should not be allowed
    Par Si Vis Pace Para Bellum

  2. #2
    Senior Member Triptease's Avatar
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    At this point, just spend the $6-7 and use Silnet. it's tried and trusted the world over... and if you end up buying 3 tarps or more like i have in the past several months, you'll have enough to seal all of them! good luck and merry christmas!

  3. #3
    Senior Member gargoyle's Avatar
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    Sorry to hear your hang went bad. silnet, inside and out, for the price its less monkeying with mixing and stirring the sil./min. spirits.
    Ambulo tua ambulo.

  4. #4
    Senior Member BillyBob58's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bigbamaguy View Post
    Well it is early Christmas morning as I write this and I am sadly disappointed in my most recent hanging experience. I received a BBDD Winter Tarp,..........
    Hey Bama and Merry Christmas morning! Before you go mixing stuff up, many have reported excellent results with this stuff:
    http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ghlight=sealer Or, just use the Sil-net already recommended.

    I have sealed two JRB tarps with that Permatex Flowable 100% Silicone Windshield Sealant, and neither has yet leaked a drop either from the weather or from blasting with hoses.

    I am not familiar with the BBDD? Is that sil-nylon? The above sealant is meant for sil-nylon.

    We have got to get you dry under a tarp!
    Last edited by BillyBob58; 12-25-2009 at 15:40.

  5. #5
    Senior Member bear bag hanger's Avatar
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    That's kinda why I now insist that people who sell me things that need sealing, do so before I'll buy them.

  6. #6
    Senior Member angrysparrow's Avatar
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    I agree that SilNet is a fine product. But, if you want to seal it and don't have access to any locally (especially on a holiday) then a tube of clear silicon from any hardware store will work just fine.

    Some people like to thin it with mineral spirits, and use a brush. Personally, I just string the tarp very tight and seal the inside with silicon directly applied with my finger in a thin thin layer. FWIW, I'm pretty sure that's how OES does it too.

    Quote Originally Posted by BillyBob58 View Post
    I am not familiar with the BBDD? Is that sil-nylon? The above sealant is meant for sil-nylon.
    BWDD = BackWoods DayDreamer Gear

    They are silnylon tarps made by HF member sclittlefield.
    “I think that when the lies are all told and forgot the truth will be there yet. It dont move about from place to place and it dont change from time to time. You cant corrupt it any more than you can salt salt.” - Cormac McCarthy

  7. #7
    MacEntyre's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bear bag hanger View Post
    That's kinda why I now insist that people who sell me things that need sealing, do so before I'll buy them.
    I agree... I have not figured out how to seal seams in a manner that keeps the cost down to Made-In-China levels, so I don't make stuff sacks. It's frustrating, because MMPs need stuff sacks...

    - MacEntyre
    "We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately." - Ben Franklin
    www.MollyMacGear.com

  8. #8
    Senior Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by mak52580 View Post
    At this point, just spend the $6-7 and use Silnet. it's tried and trusted the world over... and if you end up buying 3 tarps or more like i have in the past several months, you'll have enough to seal all of them! good luck and merry christmas!
    Sil net is crap. FAR better is Permatex Flowable Silicone windshield sealant, available at most autoparts stores. Cut the tip small and smooth with a plumber's flux brush. I recommend two coats. The silnet applicator is designed to waste the product, so you'll buy more of the overpriced stuff. Thanks again to HC4U for discovering this stuff.

  9. #9
    Senior Member lazy river road's Avatar
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    BillyBob the BWDD is silcone, according to Scott's website, it is "Lightweight, Waterproof, Silicone Impregnated Ripstop Nylon.
    First quality Ultrasil, a Cordura® fabric - Gray." 22 oz including stuff sack

    WoW bigbama sry to hear, but at least you were able to get to a dry place relatively easy. :Not to self have GF sleeping in tent with car near by for fist hang:

    And It was suggested in another thread (and this one) to mix your silcone with mineral spirits to thin it out a bit. But if im understanding what this thread is saying, (gargoyle more specifically)

    even thoug silnet is more expenxive then the conventional silcone from a hardwear store, it comes ready to use, and no mixing with mineral spirits is required. It comes out of the tube ready to use. Is this correct?

    Id be willing to spend a couple xtra $'s for the ease of silnet after all the $$$ ive put into my hammocking system I want to keep dry under my tarp. No rain drops falling on my head .
    Sometimes I like to hike and think, And sometimes I just like to hike.

    Hiking is'ent about waiting for the storm to pass its about learning to hike in the rain.

  10. #10
    Senior Member bigbamaguy's Avatar
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    Thanks guys on all of the responses..........I can see now that I will be going to the local autoparts storenafter lunch and getting some permatex. I know they will be open today and today will be my only off time until after the first of the year. Maintenance workers don't get time off while the plants are down, its about the only time we get to work on the machinery to keep American products flowing.
    Par Si Vis Pace Para Bellum

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