DIY Cuben Tarp....all tape, no stitching.

[ofuros]

Cuben Material CT 2E .08 26grm/m2
Cuben Tape double-sided CT PSA 0.5inch

It's a fairly straight forward build, make sure you've plenty of elbow room & that its clean & dust free.
Next time, for the larger areas, such as the tie outs & maybe the ridgeline, I'd probably use 1inch tape as it gets bit tedious with half inch.
Tie out ideas & info....http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin ... gination=1
I used titanium 'D' rings on all tie outs...from here. http://www.rutalocura.com/Ti_Hardware.html
Grab a self healing cutting board from spotlight( and wince at the price ) & a nice sharp cutting blade.
Keep the dogs , cats & a persistent 1 year old boy at bay .....and bobs your uncle.

First outing...

Giving these a trial as tie out adjusters.....wanted something easily adjusted with gloves on.

....tongue-in-cheek makers mark.

P1070001 (Small).JPG (37.63 KiB) Viewed 43046 times

Ooroo,
ofuros.

[perfectlydark]

Nice work!

[simonm]

Looks good. So you went with just the rounded reinforcement tie outs?

[photohiker]

Nice!

I like the cut of the bottom edges, makes a lot more sense and probably a lot easier to get a taut pitch than a square shape.

Your hammock has a spreader at the foot end?

[ofuros]

Nice work!

Thanks perfectlydark....

Looks good. So you went with just the rounded reinforcement tie outs?

Two thin strips through the D ring in a 'V' shape to hold it in place, then that pink cuppy/ origami shape (in the
link provided) covers the thin strips, back & front, plus providing a larger area to spread the load.
All 3 layers are different lengths providing less of a tear point. Hopefully.

Nice!

I like the cut of the bottom edges, makes a lot more sense and probably a lot easier to get a taut pitch than a square shape.
Your hammock has a spreader at the foot end?

Thanks photohiker.... I was going to have doors at end & cat cut edges, but I changed my mind & kept it simple.
It's a little longer & slighter wider than my 'Lil Red' silnylon tarp.
No spreader at the foot end, that's my entry point to the hammock. Just sit down at the foot end, about half way up the hammock,
roll backwards & then tuck your feet in downy goodness. Picture a Hennessy hammock bottom entry, similar to that.
The Madtree inventers show you what I mean here, around the 3.25min mark....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... HTRrbCyOOs

[GPSGuided]

Excellent design and construction! So the big question is, what's the weight?

[ofuros]

Wasn't intending to weigh it....but since you asked so nicely, with a smiley face & all....I'll quickly nip down stairs.

[ofuros]

Excellent design and construction! So the big question is, what's the weight?

270grms with all attachments.

[GPSGuided]

Impressive at 270g. Lighter than my rain jacket and S2S Tarp Poncho. Ummm...

[perfectlydark]

Tempting to try this lol

[ULWalkingPhil]

Nice,

Looks like you done a great job on that tarp, I like the shape.

[ofuros]

Thanks Phil,
Hope it all holds together in a good blow !

[ULWalkingPhil]

Thanks Phil,
Hope it all holds together in a good blow !

Its pretty strong that cuben stuff. Particularly if you don't stitch it.

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk

[Lizzy]

Any update on how this tarp is going?
Cheers
Lizzy

[ofuros]

All good Lizzy,
Ridgeline seam hasn't split down the middle, tie outs havn't been torn out &
it's been through a couple of scary, can see the whites of your eyes/
can hear a freight train coming windy nights !

Changed out those red MSR camrings because they worked loose in blustery blows, replaced them
with Mini Cam cleats, info here. http://www.clamcleat.com/cleats/cleat_d ... ?theid2=95
They fixed that issue.
Can't remember if Simon from tiergear (tas) stocks these or not.

Now some double sided tape has arrived for my next project I'll add some tieout pockets to tuck away the lines, as untangling
the lines is giving me the #%*@!.

You'll be kept awake, bathed in bright moonlight on big full moon nights as it travels across your translucent tarp....just add a
sleeping mask to your backpack if it bothers you.

All in all, for a flimsy looking bit of material it's holding up remarkably well, even around the high stress points.
Your looking at one happy bushwalker.

Last edited by ofuros on Tue 04 Nov, 2014 12:14 am, edited 2 times in total.

[Lizzy]

Nice one Ofuros! Thanks for the update. Trying to decide if I should attempt one of these or so the silnylon or just buy one....??? Yours looks great

[ofuros]

I went the silnylon route first with my L'il red tarp...it's very slippery stuff, pin it & then pin it some more.
Cuben materials ARE expensive, but they're easy to use. Sharp knive, double sided tape some planning & away you go.
The big upside with both methods is they're customizable....you can add & remove features you don't like from
your own past experiences.

...or your can buy one that takes you fancy. Lots of choices out there too.
Good luck, Lizzy !

[simonm]

Changed out those red MSR camrings because they worked loose in blustery blows, replaced them
with Mini Cam cleats info here. http://www.clamcleat.com/cleats/cleat_d ... ?theid2=95
They fixed that issue.
Can't remember if Simon from tiergear (tas) stocks these or not.

The clamcleats are on their way.

Good to hear the tarp is holding up. I have so many to do projects,including a Cuben tarp, I am just struggling to find the time.

[Eljimberino]

Im really interested in one of these. http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Ultraligh ... -Flat-Tarp

Based on your experience, how would making a cuben tarp cost?


Ride On

[ofuros]

Eljimberino,
For the basic flat tarp it won't be any cheaper if you buy everything from America.
There's a 9metre minimum if you buy via the source in the good ol' USA,
that's roughly $225US for starters, add a 100 yard roll of double sided tape,
postage & exchange rate & it soon adds up.

Your better off buying the just the length you need by the metre from
Simon @Tiergear in Tassie. He has tape too. Don't forget to allow
enough material for tie out reinforcements too.

Hope that helps,
ofuros

Last edited by ofuros on Tue 04 Nov, 2014 12:23 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Eljimberino]

Thanks mate. Think I might wait for the cuben with the aluminium layer that makes total shade. But for tarps cuben seems the way to go.


Ride On

[Orion]

Very nice, very nice indeed. That looks perfect.

Next time, for the larger areas, such as the tie outs & maybe the ridgeline, I'd probably use 1inch tape as it gets bit tedious with half inch.

I can see how wider tape could mean fewer pieces of tape in the tie-outs.
But how would wider tape make the ridgeline easier to put together?

[ofuros]

But how would wider tape make the ridgeline easier to put together?

It won't make it easier, well, maybe just alittle, lessons the repetition of laying down & pulling
the backing off the 2 long lengths of tape as you stick down the cuben.
Instead of laying down 2 lines of half inch tape along the ridgeline I'd use single line of 1inch tape.

[Orion]

Oh, of course. I didn't realize you were using an inch of tape for the ridgeline seam.
I thought half inch taped seams are strong enough.

When I made a cuben tent recently I found the taping to be fun and worry free.
It's so much easier than sewing a long seam. I don't ever want sew again!

[ofuros]

Half inch for the ridge is probably strong enough...being my first cuben project, I over engineered.
Yes, taping is a much simpler system & a lot easier than sewing.

Last edited by ofuros on Wed 05 Nov, 2014 6:17 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Orion]

Half inch for the ridge is probably strong enough...being my first cuben project, I over engineered.

Well, who knows? Maybe your choice was correct.

I also likely over engineered with my tent, making the pullouts beefier than they may have needed to be. But I just didn't know for sure.

[ofuros]

Photo update for modifications...don't panic.

Msr camrings are gone, re-placed with mini cam cleats. No regrets so far.

Pockets for the tie downs are a godsend....shouldn't have left it so long.
Also pocketed the ridge lines.
Mine may be ugly but they work. It's an experimental tarp anyway.

[ofuros]

7 years down the track....pun intended.

Shape worked fine for me will duplicate that on the next version.

Removed the tieout tensioners completely...like the simple versatility of using the whole length of line...wrapped around a stake/rock close to the 'd' ring in hunkered lockdown mode or to the very ends tied to tree branches in airy verandah mode. Tautline hitch to tension.

Tieout pockets are starting to fray & tear...handy andy, but next time I'll take the time to fold over the edges for longer wear.

Don't just lie there in the dead of night listening to the tarp flaying & whipping around...it will break fibres & accelerate its demise.

No 'd' rings for tieouts next time, just folded cuben tieout loops...out of curiosity.

Will recycle into a wind blocking UQ (Under Quilt) protector for my double layer hammock or maybe a poncho when the time comes...soon.

[rider]

The tarp looks great - and good to hear it holds up over 7 years!

So clever to avoid flapping by extending the centre of the sides ( where one needs more coverage) than to reduce it there with a cat cut. At the cost of extra line & peg - to rock/tree!

Excellent to see the long-term follow-up.

[Lamont]

Thanks offy. Went back to the beginning and read all through. Great to have a long term follow up.