Saturday, April 7, 2012
The Making of My New Tent - More Canvas
I ordered another 12' x 15' tarp ($35.79 + $16.82 S&H) and had to make another trip to the laundromat ($4.50 - washer; dried outside).
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
The Making of My New Tent - What Was 'Building a Regency Pavillion'
When I originally decided to build my tent I had designed a regency pavilion. (See drawings below.) But after gathering all my supplies and getting down to the actual cutting of canvas I just couldn't make the cut of the corner gores. Seriously.
I went home that night after A&S and started giving considerable thought to why I was having trouble with making that particular cut in the fabric. After several days of rolling it over in my mind I realized that the problem lay with the fact that my persona would not have traveled with a tent. Were they to go on a pilgrimage, etc. they would have stayed in inns.
With that thought in mind the changes that ensued came quickly and amazingly easily. The new design is now a wattle & daub house. After conferring with a former shire mate with amazing artistic talents I will be painting, using a 1:1 mixture of exterior latex paint:water, large timbers on the house. My artist friend will come in with a lighter color brown and paint in highlights. She will also be painting the roof to appear to be made of thatch.
This design feels absolutely perfect!
I went home that night after A&S and started giving considerable thought to why I was having trouble with making that particular cut in the fabric. After several days of rolling it over in my mind I realized that the problem lay with the fact that my persona would not have traveled with a tent. Were they to go on a pilgrimage, etc. they would have stayed in inns.
With that thought in mind the changes that ensued came quickly and amazingly easily. The new design is now a wattle & daub house. After conferring with a former shire mate with amazing artistic talents I will be painting, using a 1:1 mixture of exterior latex paint:water, large timbers on the house. My artist friend will come in with a lighter color brown and paint in highlights. She will also be painting the roof to appear to be made of thatch.
This design feels absolutely perfect!
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Friday, November 11, 2011
The Making of My New Tent - Sewer's Aid
As I'm following the website, 'Max & Mickel's Easy, No-bake Pavilion' on making my tent. As per his post "Lubricate the needle of your sewing machine before each seam " I purchased 3 bottles of Sewers Aid (@ $4.55). With $6.95 shipping, the total was $20.60. Well worth the money if it keeps me from breaking needles!
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Post Script: One (1) bottle was more than enough Sewers Aid! I have 4 walls made, have yet to break or even dull a needle and have almost all of the first bottle of Sewers Aid left.
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Post Script: One (1) bottle was more than enough Sewers Aid! I have 4 walls made, have yet to break or even dull a needle and have almost all of the first bottle of Sewers Aid left.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
The Making of My New Tent - Thread, Velcro & Waterproofing
Got my upholstery thread, heavy duty sewing machine needles and Velcro today while at Jo Ann's.
For thread I got 3 spools (150 yds each) of darker khaki for the canvas and 2 spools of off white to stitch on the twill tape. I also picked up Vecro for the top of the tent wall corners and lower edges of the roof corners so they can attach to the easy up's frame. The original roof has Velcro and it should work well for keeping my canvas on my frame.
This evening I was reading emails from 1 of the Yahoo SCA encampment groups and there was talk about waterproofing tents. Someone posted a link for NikWax and after checking out their site I decided to purchase 2 - 500 ml bottles of Nikwax Tent and Gear Solar Proof instead of the waterproofing stuff at Academy. My thought was, considering the price, the extra solarproofing was worth the extra money. Hopefully while it's making my tent last longer it's also keeping the rays out of my tent, thus keeping it cooler.
5 spools of thread @ 2.49 11.98
1 yd ex wide Velcro 10.58
Sewing machine needles 5.28
1,000 ml Nikwax 28.93
_______________________________
Post Script: The Nikwax was a complete waste of money. It was of absolutely no value.
For thread I got 3 spools (150 yds each) of darker khaki for the canvas and 2 spools of off white to stitch on the twill tape. I also picked up Vecro for the top of the tent wall corners and lower edges of the roof corners so they can attach to the easy up's frame. The original roof has Velcro and it should work well for keeping my canvas on my frame.
This evening I was reading emails from 1 of the Yahoo SCA encampment groups and there was talk about waterproofing tents. Someone posted a link for NikWax and after checking out their site I decided to purchase 2 - 500 ml bottles of Nikwax Tent and Gear Solar Proof instead of the waterproofing stuff at Academy. My thought was, considering the price, the extra solarproofing was worth the extra money. Hopefully while it's making my tent last longer it's also keeping the rays out of my tent, thus keeping it cooler.
5 spools of thread @ 2.49 11.98
1 yd ex wide Velcro 10.58
Sewing machine needles 5.28
1,000 ml Nikwax 28.93
_______________________________
Post Script: The Nikwax was a complete waste of money. It was of absolutely no value.
Monday, September 19, 2011
The Making of My New Tent - Twill Tape
I ordered 100 yards of 1" twill tape tonight from Wm Booth, Draper. I will be running 2 rows down the length of each wall section. The placement of each will from the grommets at the top where the walls attach to the frame down and through a corresponding stake loop at the bottom of each 10' wall section.
Once the 'load tapes' are in place, I will use the remaining tape to bind my hem edges.
100 yds 1" twill tape $38
Once the 'load tapes' are in place, I will use the remaining tape to bind my hem edges.
100 yds 1" twill tape $38
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
The Making of My New Tent - A Trip to the Laundramat
3 washers, 2 dryers $19.50
Thursday, September 8, 2011
The Making of My New Tent - Canvas Fabric
After buying a canvas drop cloth at Lowe's to use for banners, etc, I got to thinking about using them for my tent fabric. They're canvas and you can get 10 oz weights.
I was familiar with the brand Trimaco, so I called MyTarps.com, asked what brand drop cloths they sold and was told Trimaco. What I failed to realize at the time was that Trimaco uses at least 2 different types of canvas for their drop cloths. While the "SuperTuff premium contractor grade" drop cloths I purchased will work beautifully, I really wish I had known about their "quality heavyweight" Frama line. The canvas I purchased (sight unseen) is a coarser weave, while the Frama cloths are made from "tightly woven twills, sateens, drills and ducks".
Lesson learned.
4 - 12' x 15' 10 oz. drop cloths $138.88
Shipping & Handling $ 28.91
I was familiar with the brand Trimaco, so I called MyTarps.com, asked what brand drop cloths they sold and was told Trimaco. What I failed to realize at the time was that Trimaco uses at least 2 different types of canvas for their drop cloths. While the "SuperTuff premium contractor grade" drop cloths I purchased will work beautifully, I really wish I had known about their "quality heavyweight" Frama line. The canvas I purchased (sight unseen) is a coarser weave, while the Frama cloths are made from "tightly woven twills, sateens, drills and ducks".
Lesson learned.
4 - 12' x 15' 10 oz. drop cloths $138.88
Shipping & Handling $ 28.91
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