Canvas waterproof bags: source for material?

[spamel]

Following on from Erics' Tin Cloth thread, I am after making some bags up for storing the likes of sugar, flour, egg powder, etc. in on my trips. The bags will be made so that I can drop the actual store bought stuff in their paper bags inside, but the outer will be waterproofed canvas to ensure that the contents stay dry. The reason I want bags is because the tubs I am using are solid and take up a lot of space, they can dig in if packed incorrectly and are the same size regardless of the contents. The tubs were cheap and I expect they'd be great on a canoe trip, but in a pack they just seem to have lost the edge in my opinion.

I will follow Erics' Tin Cloth thread to see how he gets on with waterproofing his kit and either get some more Barbour dressing to waterproof the bags or make up a mix of gunk to do the job. Size of bags for the sugar will be smaller than you first imgine as they do a bag half the size of the normal bag you see. Flour will ned to be looked in to sdo that I can find a decent enough size to carry for a few bannocks but not so much that I am carrying dead weight all the time.

So, where do I get it, and more importantly what do I get? I would imagine it could be the lightest weight canvas there is, it needs to be as I will be using a normal sewing machine on it. Well, I say I will but I mean Mrs Spamel will be! I can use a sewing machine, but I'm not that good with one!

 

[andy_e]

Have you had a look at the usual suspects?

http://www.profabrics.co.uk/

... and ...

http://www.pennineoutdoor.co.uk/

Edit: a quick search revealed this, might be more useful ...

http://www.whaleys-bradford.ltd.uk/range_fabrics.htm

 

[Toddy]

You could maybe ask Eric Methven too; I know he bought bolts of the stuff for baker tents and I believe he has some left

cheers,
Toddy

 

[big_swede]

Oiled canvas for storing sugar? I hope you plan to use somekind of liner bags?

 

[Ogri the trog]

Good point there BS,
Even the man himself used ziplock plastic bags inside his reindeer skin "show items" on a recent episode.

Ogri the trog

 

[Eric_Methven]

You could maybe ask Eric Methven too; I know he bought bolts of the stuff for baker tents and I believe he has some left

cheers,
Toddy

Yes, I can certainly sort Spam out with some canvas. It's great for bags. I did some before and sold them on here last year.

Eric

 

[big_swede]

Eric, what weight did you use for the baker tent? What kind of weave?

 

[andy_e]

Good point there BS,
Even the man himself used ziplock plastic bags inside his reindeer skin "show items" on a recent episode.

Ogri the trog

Beat me to it. I saw that Wayland does the same thing at Middlewood with his leather bags, makes sense too. Apart from them not being 100% water-proof, my worry would be the wax-treatment tainting the contents even if you kept your sugar/flour in the original paper bags.

Edit: This is sounding like a nice little project Spamel. Eric what kind of sizes were your bags?

 

[big_swede]

Beat me to it. I saw that Wayland does the same thing at Middlewood with his leather bags, makes sense too. Apart from them not being 100% water-proof, my worry would be the wax-treatment tainting the contents even if you kept your sugar/flour in the original paper bags..

That's my thought too, a wet, oil contaminated sugar lump is not what I want in my tea!

Nor a bannock with a hint of paraffin..

 

[andy_e]

... Nor a bannock with a hint of paraffin..

might cook quicker though!

 

[spamel]

Oiled canvas for storing sugar? I hope you plan to use somekind of liner bags?

Like I said, I'd be dropping the complete paper bags in to the canvas bags, the canvas bags would be there for protection from water and general banging about.

Eric, if you have some canvas, that would be great but I insist on paying this time! For those that don't know, Eric kindly sent me some kit a few weeks back to make a nice leather belt with. I still haven't started on it yet, I would like to save it for better weather so that I can sit out in the sun and do it. Hopefully, I will have a piece that will last me a life time! What sort of weight is the canvas, not that I have any understanding of what the thickness is to the weight! I normally just have a feel and think, yeah that feels strong enough!

 

[Eric_Methven]

Eric, what weight did you use for the baker tent? What kind of weave?

Don't know the technical details mate. Here's the baker tent though.

Eric

 

[spamel]

Apart from them not being 100% water-proof, my worry would be the wax-treatment tainting the contents even if you kept your sugar/flour in the original paper bags.

That's my thought too, a wet, oil contaminated sugar lump is not what I want in my tea!

Nor a bannock with a hint of paraffin..

You big pair of jessies! What's the matter with a bit of parrafin in your tea to keep the cold away?

 

[Eric_Methven]

Like I said, I'd be dropping the complete paper bags in to the canvas bags, the canvas bags would be there for protection from water and general banging about.

Eric, if you have some canvas, that would be great but I insist on paying this time! For those that don't know, Eric kindly sent me some kit a few weeks back to make a nice leather belt with. I still haven't started on it yet, I would like to save it for better weather so that I can sit out in the sun and do it. Hopefully, I will have a piece that will last me a life time! What sort of weight is the canvas, not that I have any understanding of what the thickness is to the weight! I normally just have a feel and think, yeah that feels strong enough!

That's fine with me. I don't know the weight, it is pretty heavyweight though. Having said that, it'll sew fine on a domestic machine (mine went through 5 layers).Use a heavy bonded polyester thread and a needle for sewing denim. It usually says denim or jeans on the needle case. How much do you want (it's 1m wide) and I'll give you a price.

Eric

 

[spamel]

Dunno Eric, one for sugar which is to be based on a small 250g bag, another for green tea/ground coffee so roughly the same size. The flour bag for an average sized bag of flour, and two for egg and milk powder maybe the same size as the sugar bag. In fact, what I'll do is measure the large tub I use and get something from that. I remember those ones you made before, how did you do the base of them?

 

[big_swede]

You big pair of jessies! What's the matter with a bit of parrafin in your tea to keep the cold away?

Paraffin is bad for my nails, Oh, which reminds me, gotta get me a lipstick which goes with my angora top...

 

[Eric_Methven]

Eric what kind of sizes were your bags?

In the photo, the big ones are about a foot tall, maybe a tad bigger. The smaller ones are about six or seven inches tall. They are just a square of canvas, turn over the top and sew along tucking the raw edge underneath. Then fold in half and sew down the side and along the bottom. Clip close to the stitch line (about a quarter inch) and go over the bottom and side with the sewing machine on zig-zag, set at it's widest stitch and let one edge of the zig-zag go over the edge of the canvas. That's a good substitute for an overlocker and will stop the canvas fraying. Once you've done that, turn it inside out, so that it's the right way round. Then sew a piece of thong or paracord to the outside about an inch and a half down from the top so the tie doesn't slip off over the top.

 

[spamel]

Good, no fancy square bottoms or anything like that! I reckon I could make something sinilar to that with a little help from the missus. I'll have to look into this denim needle too. I'm gonna measure up and draw some plans Eric, I'll give you a shout by PM.

 

[Eric_Methven]

Good, no fancy square bottoms or anything like that! I reckon I could make something sinilar to that with a little help from the missus. I'll have to look into this denim needle too. I'm gonna measure up and draw some plans Eric, I'll give you a shout by PM.

OK mate. I'll stick a few denim needles in with the canvas as well.

Eric