DIY Tents & Tarps

AdrianT wrote:

wookie wrote: Seam sealing is the least of the problems. I make my own with turps and non-acid curing silicon sealer (bostic mirror for example)
Soaks into the actual stiches and leaves the silicon behind when the turps evaporates.

W

Seam sealing a 1m length on a machine takes less than 5 seconds and it's done. To make money in industrial the processes need to be fast..

The method that wookie mentions works well, I have used on mods that I have made on tents etc..
You could give the options to supply with seams unsealed, for the purchaser to sort their own sealing, or charge a premium, that would make it worthwhile, for you to do it.. I have seen that some American manufacturers do that, even with some tents..

Papa Dragon wrote: I have a huge disappointment with the tent I have been making, and it has been coming along so nicely..

I have made a couple of other pieces of kit with the same fabric, which is supposedly waterproof. This morning, I noticed that the bag I use for my first aid kit, was a bit "soft", for want of a better description. I could suck air through it, and when I sprayed it with water, it wet out almost immediately. A new piece of the same fabric seems waterproof, with the water beading and rolling off, and no air able to be sucked through. Obviously the waterproofing compound used on the fabric is not very durable to folding, wear etc.

Oh well, better to find out now than in a major storm in the "berg, as Smurf said.... guess I'll be on the hunt for a different fabric,just need to get the motivation to start again after so many hours of work, R&D and mods.

Really sorry to hear this PapaD. That tent of yours was really coming together nicely.
Is there no way of applying a commercial tent fabric sealer to the fabric?
At least that way you will get to use it while sourcing new fabric.

Was that the fabric you got from Gelvenor?

W

wookie, I'll look into the sealer, might be my answer.., what were you thinking, something like Nikwax? Maybe the Tent Solarproof, I see it has a waterproofing component as well.

Yes, fabric from Gelvenor..

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You could give the options to supply with seams unsealed, for the purchaser to sort their own sealing, or charge a premium, that would make it worthwhile, for you to do it.. I have seen that some American manufacturers do that, even with some tents..[/quote]

A lot of the manufacturers are making tents and tarps with silnylon these days. The normal seam tape does not stick to the fabric once it is impregnated with silicon and seam sealing is not very "neat" once it is applied. So most of them appear to just leave it up to the user to apply ( or as PapaD said charge a premium to do it).
Even Black Diamond don't seal their Beta or Mega mid's

Papa Dragon wrote: wookie, I'll look into the sealer, might be my answer.., what were you thinking, something like Nikwax? Maybe the Tent Solarproof, I see it has a waterproofing component as well.

Yes, fabric from Gelvenor..

I am not really sure. I think most of the "off the shelf" stuff will be for Canvas type tents to water proof the fibres and not so much seal the gaps between. I did see a youtube clip once of a guy making his own silnylon using the turps and silicon trick but painting the whole tarp with it. That would work but woulkd add quite a bit of weight to the tent I think.

Maybe have a look at Nikwax and maybe Mcnett as well.
I will also do a bit of googling and see if I can find anything.

W

PapaD.... found the youtube vid



I also see that Nuseal sell a sealer for nylon tents through the likes of O.W.
That Nikwax one might be the way to go.Always trusted their products.

W

Cheers, W, thanks

Papa Dragon wrote: wookie, I'll look into the sealer, might be my answer.., what were you thinking, something like Nikwax? Maybe the Tent Solarproof, I see it has a waterproofing component as well.

Yes, fabric from Gelvenor..

I have a old silk nylon tent (2008) that I struggled/learned from concerning waterproofing two years back after myself and a friend got dripped on more that once in light rain. I'll leave out the nitty gritty stuff, the big stuff I learned was.

Generously applying seam sealer to all seams makes a big difference, in my case the fault was with the fabric.

"Nuseal Waterproofing For Nylon Tents"
(Pressurized spray can) didn't work at all. Nada. Maybe I got two bad cans, who knows.

"Nikwax Tent & Gear SolarProof" generously applied did the trick perfectly. No problems since.
(Bought at Trappers but sure there are a few places who sell it)

Hope this saves someone some time and money.

Papa Dragon, think @ +-R125 per 500ml bottle, a test with Nikwax might be worth it in your case.

wookie wrote: PapaD.... found the youtube vid

I also see that Nuseal sell a sealer for nylon tents through the likes of O.W.
That Nikwax one might be the way to go.Always trusted their products.

W

Treated 6m of fabric today, with this method, hoping to make silnylon.
Messy fiddly job, but I'll post an update on the success rate as soon as I know..

Cool.... very interested to hear how it turns out.