daimond shelter setup

[rijerolmon]

Bryan, I usually set mine to close up in the Fall as Jethro describes. With loops or ties added at center lines the "suspension" rope or a ridge pole will support the center from outside. Bring your tarp to Fall Vous in Maine we will supply the trees. :grin:

 

[kingsax26]

lol....there are certainly plenty of trees! Well Iguess the worst cae cenario is that i ahve to ask someone for help? But I am actually going out this weeked to practice setting it up in different ways to see which i like best....never a good idea to show up with no clue what your doing ....

 

[kingsax26]

OK......so I was able to get the tent up today and man was that easy.....and only one pole too boot! I also bought a gallon of Thompson water sealer....what's the best way to put it on? Also I have a good deal of sag in the tent.... Is there any way to get rid of it?

 

[Black Hand]

OK......so I was able to get the tent up today and man was that easy.....and only one pole too boot! I also bought a gallon of Thompson water sealer....what's the best way to put it on? Also I have a good deal of sag in the tent.... Is there any way to get rid of it?

Before you paint with Thompsons, see if it will shed water untreated. Painting with Thompsons will increase the weight by quite a bit, not to mention that it will make the canvas more prone to ripping (the fibers can't move), keep the canvas from breathing and making the tarp stiff(er). Personally, I'd find a good piece of canvas and skip the Thompsons (i.e.- if it isn't broken, don't fix it).

 

[mmahlock]

First, check the label on the Thompson, A few years ago they changed their formula and made it not advisable for use on cloth. Canvak on the other hand is made for canvas sealing.

Second, to get rid of the sag you can use a second pole a bit shorter than the one in the front and attach a line over the top of it to the top of the front pole and then attach a line from this rope to the center of your tent. Optionally you can set up under a tree and run a line from the center of the tent up to an overhanging branch to lift the center.

 

[jethro224]

Or a 3rd option would be a shorter pole tightly wedged inside the tent in the middle. This pole is what gives a "diamond" its "diamond" shape. If you use this option be sure to use something on the top of the pole to keep it from poking thru the center of your canvas. A thick piece of leather, an old tin cup, whatever you can find to spread out the pressure some.
In my opinion, the tight center pole makes for the most stable set-up in windy weather.

 

[tenngun]

Soak your tent in your back yard after you set it up.It will leak a little,until it swells and shirnks and seals the pours. you may not need any water seal. With a 12x15 you should have lots of room without much wt. Try a few ways. Most of us can be sure it was put up in different way depending on the lay o the land,how late it was or how tierd the owner was when he set up camp, and what material was around,sence east of the great plains he pobably didnt carry poles.

 

[kingsax26]

so heres the tent ..like i said , I cant believe how easily it went up. I am thinking i may try a previous posters idea and run a line from each stake to the main support.....maximize interior space but either way ....it looks decent enough...and i got me a home incase i ever get tossed out of the house

 

[kingsax26]

also i learned a valuable lesson......sew in your re-enforcing cloth in t he corners and what not.....I just realized I tore a hole in the canvas from a rock as a tie down point....

 

[ohio ramrod]

Year ago I used Tompsons water seal on a tent and it worked fine. But a few years back they changed their formulation to a paraffin base . Cotton canvas and paraffin equals one big wicked candle! :hmm: :hmm:

 

[kingsax26]

i lookwd at the bottle over and over....i didnt see anything about not using it on cloth...hmmmm

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Thompsons is 29% Hydrotreated Heavy Petroleum Naptha, 29% Aliphatic Hydrocarbon, 16% parafin oil, 7% mineral spirits, plus 2% Ethyltoluene, and I guess the remaining 17% is water, so yep, it's pretty flammable. :shocked2: BUT..., so is cured, boiled linseed oil and pigment, or cured, boiled linseed oil, pigment, and turpentine.

LD

 

[kingsax26]

well then i guess ill just have to be careful....looked at canvak..thAT STUFF IS EXPENSIVE! anyone know about how much sealant would be needed for a 12x15 tarp?

 

[Black Hand]

Bryon,
Does the canvas shed water without treatment?
If it does, do yourself a favor and leave it alone. If it doesn't, get a better piece of canvas.

Tightly-woven cotton canvas works quite well all by itself. More loosely woven canvas really isn't worth the effort to treat (as a shelter, though it works well if used as a ground-cloth when painted)...

I've already traveled the road you're on...

 

[kingsax26]

how do you tell if its tight or loose? all i know is that it cost me 60$ from the paint supply store....if thats any indication of quality. but i need to set it up and spray it with a hose to see how it sheds water..i guess. wouldnt running it through a washing machine and dryer hlep tighten it up?

 

[Black Hand]

Set it up and run the sprinkler (spraying it with a hose is a little 'forced'). That should tell you whether it sheds water or not.

 

[tenngun]

That steep you may have little to no leakage. A soaking may leak but only till the fibers swell. I'll wager in cold weather you could open the front and lay a little fire at the door and be toasty.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Yeah I agree with Tenngun, if the tarp cost you $60 when the cheapo ones at a warehouse store of the same size costs you under $15..., you should be fine.

Set it up and turn the hose on the outside and see if it leaks. Just be sure it's good and dry before you fold it up.

You can always wash it in very hot water, and then dry it on a high setting to make sure the fibers tighten up... but it was probably already prewashed as it's high quality.

LD

 

[kingsax26]

i think i may run it throiugh the washer n dryer just to be sure... I may even water proof it just to be extra safe...someone had mentioned painting the canvas for a ground tarp...would that work if I painted the interior side of the tarp as a waterproofer? Theres just so many different things going on at once when you go the "DIY" route..but i guess thats why this forum is here... :bow:

 

[Black Hand]

Byron
One step at a time.

You may be trying to fix a problem that you don't have. If it doesn't leak with the sprinkler test, you are good to go. Washing and drying the tarp at that point may be a waste of time.

If you decide to paint, you should paint BOTH sides using several coats of red barn paint (found at your local hardware store - a mixture of linseed oil, pigment and dryers) as it is the closest thing to the original oilcloth treatment without making it yourself. This would be a better (and far cheaper) choice than Thompsons (which isn't recommended for cloth) which people have noticed weakens cotton canvas.

I understand your impatience, but I'm happy to help however I can. I did and still DIY - I've made pretty much everything I use, including an oilcloth.