Material and advice for making tents

Jell said:

Just for the sheer fun of it, and because I'd like a different shaped
tent, I am considering making my own.

Can anyone recommend sources of suitable material (nylon or polycotton
rather than cotton duck) and/or books or websites that offer advice.

The Usual Suspects for this are http://www.pennineoutdoor.co.uk/
and http://www.profabrics.co.uk/

Quoted message said:

Wish me luck!

Good luck!

My parents started their camping trips together in a home made
tent: my mum was (still is...) handy with a sewing machine and they
couldn't afford a new tent off the shelf. I have to laugh at
myself, insisting on all sorts of amazing features in tents when
most of the places I go that little canvas ridge tent would have
done okay...

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

On 14 Apr 2007 11:56:23 -0700, "Jell" <[email hidden]> wrote:

|!Just for the sheer fun of it, and because I'd like a different shaped
|!tent, I am considering making my own.
|!
|!Can anyone recommend sources of suitable material (nylon or polycotton
|!rather than cotton duck) and/or books or websites that offer advice.
|!
|!Wish me luck!

Best of luck!

Do you have a gutsy enough sewing machine?
You really *need* a commercial sized machine.
I have made various bits of tents, non of them were totally successful
because my sewing machine would not handle thickness or quantity of canvas,
or thread, it was an ordinary domestic size machine.

Getting a whole tent through the 4 inch by 6 inch ?hole? of a domestic
machine was a swine,

Getting a domestic machine to accept the needle and thick thread required
was also a swine. I also broke lots of needles in the thick material. I
ended up with botched seams because I had to use three or more rows of
thinner thread.

Designing a new shape of tent is not as easy as it sounds, because when
pitched he canvas *must* be tightened by the guys, poles etc. you may well
need two or more goes to get the pitch right. Remember that any fabric
will stretch more on the bias, than on warp or weft.
--
Dave Fawthrop <sf hyphenologist.co.uk> 165 *Free* SF ebooks.
165 Sci Fi books on CDROM, from Project Gutenberg
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page Completely Free to any
address in the UK. Contact me on the *above* email address.

Dave Fawthrop said:

On 14 Apr 2007 11:56:23 -0700, "Jell" <[email hidden]> wrote:

|!Just for the sheer fun of it, and because I'd like a different shaped
|!tent, I am considering making my own.
|!
|!Can anyone recommend sources of suitable material (nylon or polycotton
|!rather than cotton duck) and/or books or websites that offer advice.
|!
|!Wish me luck!

Best of luck!

Do you have a gutsy enough sewing machine?
You really *need* a commercial sized machine.
I have made various bits of tents, non of them were totally successful
because my sewing machine would not handle thickness or quantity of canvas,
or thread, it was an ordinary domestic size machine.

Quoted message said:

Designing a new shape of tent is not as easy as it sounds, because when
pitched he canvas *must* be tightened by the guys, poles etc. you may well
need two or more goes to get the pitch right. Remember that any fabric
will stretch more on the bias, than on warp or weft.

I note you are going on about "canvas" rather a lot there. In case you
haven't noticed these days most lightweight tents are made of rather
thin material. The stuff that Hillebergs are made of is almost
see-through.
--
Phil Cook, last hill: Heron Pike via Nab Scar.

Phil Cook said:

I note you are going on about "canvas" rather a lot there. In case you
haven't noticed these days most lightweight tents are made of rather
thin material. The stuff that Hillebergs are made of is almost
see-through.

The stuff Hillebergs are made from is also expensive and
notoriously difficult to work well...

Canvas does retain some advantages (mainly being naturally
waterproof along the seam lines and highly breatahble), and though
light weight ain't one of them the OP hasn't specified it needs to
be light (see the other threads about basecamps, for example), so
canvas is still well worth considering.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

On Sun, 15 Apr 2007 08:46:00 +0100, Phil Cook
<[email hidden]> wrote:

|!Dave Fawthrop wrote:
|!
|!>On 14 Apr 2007 11:56:23 -0700, "Jell" <[email hidden]> wrote:
|!>
|!>|!Just for the sheer fun of it, and because I'd like a different shaped
|!>|!tent, I am considering making my own.
|!>|!
|!>|!Can anyone recommend sources of suitable material (nylon or polycotton
|!>|!rather than cotton duck) and/or books or websites that offer advice.
|!>|!
|!>|!Wish me luck!
|!>
|!>Best of luck!
|!>
|!>Do you have a gutsy enough sewing machine?
|!>You really *need* a commercial sized machine.
|!>I have made various bits of tents, non of them were totally successful
|!>because my sewing machine would not handle thickness or quantity of canvas,
|!>or thread, it was an ordinary domestic size machine.
|!
|!>Designing a new shape of tent is not as easy as it sounds, because when
|!>pitched he canvas *must* be tightened by the guys, poles etc. you may well
|!>need two or more goes to get the pitch right. Remember that any fabric
|!>will stretch more on the bias, than on warp or weft.
|!
|!I note you are going on about "canvas" rather a lot there. In case you
|!haven't noticed these days most lightweight tents are made of rather
|!thin material. The stuff that Hillebergs are made of is almost
|!see-through.

The most suitable material really depends on the size and proposed use of
the tent. If you are making a tent to take several people, canvas is still
IME the best option. Large areas of ripstop nylon and the like flap and
crackle too much.

The most successful ?tent? I have made was in reinforced flameproof
plastic, to cover the kitchen we had on top of the trailer. Built like a
T45 ;-)
--
Dave Fawthrop <sf hyphenologist.co.uk> 165 *Free* SF ebooks.
165 Sci Fi books on CDROM, from Project Gutenberg
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page Completely Free to any
address in the UK. Contact me on the *above* email address.

Dave Fawthrop said:

If you are making a tent to take several people, canvas is still
IME the best option.

BAS use (or at least used, in the 80s when a pal worked for them)
Ventile tents for scientists on field journeys away from base in
the Antarctic. Weight wasn't an issue as it was hauled by skidoo,
and it's utterly bombproof and very breathable. I'd imagine rather
more expensive than standard tent canvas, however!

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Jell said:

Just for the sheer fun of it, and because I'd like a different shaped
tent, I am considering making my own.

Can anyone recommend sources of suitable material (nylon or polycotton
rather than cotton duck) and/or books or websites that offer advice.

Wish me luck!

Jell

have a look here: http://www.ray-way.com/tarp-nettent/index.shtml

HTH
Andrew

On Sun, 15 Apr 2007 12:13:47 +0100, Andrew McGleish
<[email hidden]> wrote:

|!Jell wrote:
|!> Just for the sheer fun of it, and because I'd like a different shaped
|!> tent, I am considering making my own.
|!>
|!> Can anyone recommend sources of suitable material (nylon or polycotton
|!> rather than cotton duck) and/or books or websites that offer advice.
|!>
|!> Wish me luck!
|!>
|!> Jell
|!>
|!have a look here: http://www.ray-way.com/tarp-nettent/index.shtml

Look fine tents for *Arizona*, In the UK I would have my doubts.
My essentials for a tent are double skin both proofed and sewn in
groundsheet.
--
Dave Fawthrop <sf hyphenologist.co.uk> 165 *Free* SF ebooks.
165 Sci Fi books on CDROM, from Project Gutenberg
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page Completely Free to any
address in the UK. Contact me on the *above* email address.

Thanks to you all for your contributions.

I am looking for something car portable rather than for walking (I
have my Laser for that!), so am happy to look at heavier fabrics. I'd
also like to make something distinctive and roomy. Looking at Tipi
type designs started me off on this quest, but once I started thinking
other shapes (some traditional, some not) came to mind!

I shall continue to explore, and if I make any progress I'll report
back here and let you know my successes (and failures!)

Jell

Jell said:

I am looking for something car portable rather than for walking (I
have my Laser for that!), so am happy to look at heavier fabrics. I'd
also like to make something distinctive and roomy. Looking at Tipi
type designs started me off on this quest, but once I started thinking
other shapes (some traditional, some not) came to mind!

Tipi is stable and simple, simple enough that a pile of sticks can be
used for the framework and give a natural chimney in the middle. But if
you're not limited to straight sticks and/or aren't lighting fires
inside then it's not /that/ great as the slopes of the side give you
quite a bit of enclosed but not especially useful space.

Domes and tunnels give more effective use of space by having near
vertical sides at ground level. Tunnels are also a nice straightforward
shape to sew (says this non-machine sewer making an assumption).
box/room shaped tents are very comfy for car camping, but may well need
custom pole sets and can take a while to pitch. They also catch any
wind going.

Given the availability of decent generic poles these days I think I'd be
inclined to go for a tunnel if I was in your place. Straightforward,
effective use of space, and can be made modular.

Have fun!

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

"Dave Fawthrop" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On 14 Apr 2007 11:56:23 -0700, "Jell" <[email hidden]> wrote:

|!Just for the sheer fun of it, and because I'd like a different shaped
|!tent, I am considering making my own.
|!
|!Can anyone recommend sources of suitable material (nylon or polycotton
|!rather than cotton duck) and/or books or websites that offer advice.
|!
|!Wish me luck!

My brother actually made a couple of tents...because he preferred ridge
tents and couldnt get one he liked and because he wanted to use walking
poles as the poles and not carry extra. He now has an ultralight 1kg two
man tent and a 1.8kg three man version. They have all done well in weather
conditions and he recommends it because he didnt have to accept either
incorrect manufacturer's blurb or design that didnt suit what he wanted e.g
two bell ends.

"Andrew McGleish" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Jell said:

Just for the sheer fun of it, and because I'd like a different shaped
tent, I am considering making my own.

Can anyone recommend sources of suitable material (nylon or polycotton
rather than cotton duck) and/or books or websites that offer advice.

Wish me luck!

Jell

have a look here: http://www.ray-way.com/tarp-nettent/index.shtml

Would that keep out scottish midges? Methinks no

Rob Devereux said:

"Andrew McGleish" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Jell said:

Just for the sheer fun of it, and because I'd like a different shaped
tent, I am considering making my own.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

have a look here: http://www.ray-way.com/tarp-nettent/index.shtml

Would that keep out scottish midges? Methinks no

With the "Net Tent" it will.
--
Phil Cook, last hill: Heron Pike via Nab Scar.