Canvas Tarps

[mountainm]

I mean one half of one side and it was the biggest can in the shop!

I did a 3x5 metre tent living area with front and side walls with the big can... one half of a big trailer tent.

 

[tombear]

Back when I made mine I used a pair of 100% cotton canvas curtains from a charity shop for £6. After I boil washed it to shrink/ tighten it I treated it with TX10. I forget how much it used but the sheet weighed 7lb.

There's pics in the thread were I made some period walking breeches.

If I ever have the spare cash I fancy making one from linen sailcloth of the correct width.

ATB

Tom

http://www.thedearsurprise.com/?p=1952

 

[Nomad]

Just been reading this thread which was linked to in an older BCUK thread...

http://www.bushcraftliving.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8219&page=2

I like the idea of making a block of wax, rubbing it onto the cloth and then heating it with a hair dryer or heat gun. I think that would be easier to do at home compared to trying to paint on a liquid. Then again, the guy that did it (MrEd) mentions that his paraffin and beeswax blend stiffened up a bit in 1 degree weather, but he reckons he may have applied too much. If not, I'm wondering if adding some linseed oil would help with flexibility and still be applied using a block.

An interesting tip in the thread was, instead of using a heat gun, put the item in a pillow case and heat it in a tumble dryer (I read somewhere else that the wax can leave deposits on the inside of the dryer). Not sure what a domestic dryer could cope with, but if it can handle a 3x3 tarp, then a larger bag could be made from an old cotton sheet or curtain lining material.

 

[John Fenna]

Just been reading this thread which was linked to in an older BCUK thread...

http://www.bushcraftliving.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8219&page=2

I like the idea of making a block of wax, rubbing it onto the cloth and then heating it with a hair dryer or heat gun. I think that would be easier to do at home compared to trying to paint on a liquid. Then again, the guy that did it (MrEd) mentions that his paraffin and beeswax blend stiffened up a bit in 1 degree weather, but he reckons he may have applied too much. If not, I'm wondering if adding some linseed oil would help with flexibility and still be applied using a block.

An interesting tip in the thread was, instead of using a heat gun, put the item in a pillow case and heat it in a tumble dryer (I read somewhere else that the wax can leave deposits on the inside of the dryer). Not sure what a domestic dryer could cope with, but if it can handle a 3x3 tarp, then a larger bag could be made from an old cotton sheet or curtain lining material.

Paraffin wax tends to be quite "brittle" while Beeswax is more supple.
I was contemplating a waterproofing of Beeswax and linseed oil but that was going to make the tarp even more expensive, VERY heavy (my calculations came to over 2lb of wax being needed!) and the mix takes a long time to dry into the fabric, can stain things that come in contact with it and is a pain in the rear end to apply in a confined space like my man cave...
Great stuff for "historical accuracy" though...

 

[Nomad]

Paraffin wax tends to be quite "brittle" while Beeswax is more supple.
I was contemplating a waterproofing of Beeswax and linseed oil but that was going to make the tarp even more expensive, VERY heavy (my calculations came to over 2lb of wax being needed!) and the mix takes a long time to dry into the fabric, can stain things that come in contact with it and is a pain in the rear end to apply in a confined space like my man cave...

I guess it depends on the dry weight one starts with. I'm currently looking at 8.5oz ripstop cotton, which comes to about 5lb dry for a 3x3 tarp, so 7lb or thereabouts seems okay for something that should be waterproof and rotproof in the long term.

Great stuff for "historical accuracy" though...

I've taken to calling it the 'BNK factor' (Boone / Nessmuk / Kephart).

 

[jimmyads]

I know this thread is old but I have been toying with the idea as well and came across a blog where a guy used an Egyptian cotton bed sheet might give it a go.

https://survivalsherpa.wordpress.co...ke-lightweight-oilskin-tarps-from-bed-sheets/