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  • #1348146
    Vick Hines
    Member

    @vickrhines

    Locale: Central Texas

    http://www.thaisilks.com for Chinese Habotai silk

    I tried it for a super ultralight quilt. Didn’t work. Too much down came through. Not the plumules but the chaff. Got all over everything. It is good strong stuff but very open. Not a windblocker.

    #1348165
    Craig Shelley
    Member

    @craig_shelley

    Locale: Rocky Mountains

    This is one of the two silks Bill had mentioned before. It is only 17g/sqyd. Since it is lighter than most other materials, I think it may be a good material for sleeping bag baffles. Bill may have mentioned this before.

    Craig Shelley

    Silk 021H-000 54″ (Thai Silks)

    #1348166
    shannon stoney
    Spectator

    @shannonstoney

    maybe it would work in a sleeping bag if you used a synthetic batting?

    I thought you were going to say that you used it to make a next-to-skin layer. I have tried woven silk for this but it seems kind of clammy when wet. If I’m going for natural fibers, I prefer linen.

    The knitted silk long johns are supposed to be good, but I’ve never seen knitted silk yardage for sale anywhere.

    Speaking of which: I was in a fabric store the other day and I saw merino knit yardage, like the stuff that smart wool pants and shirts are made of! But it was $25/yrd, so I didn’t think it would save much money to buy it, and you couldn’t tell if it was machine washable and dryable.

    #1348168
    Bill Fornshell
    BPL Member

    @bfornshell

    Locale: Southern Texas

    I have used silk for many things. My Hammock, a sleeping bag liner, baffles for my Down Top Cover, baffles for my DAM sleep system, things to wear, etc etc. Like all my backpacking gear I do a lot to keep thing dry.

    Also I use the good stuff, 800+ and/or 900+ Down so I do not have a problem with Down feathers poking out of my Down baffles.

    #1348204
    Bill Fornshell
    BPL Member

    @bfornshell

    Locale: Southern Texas

    Tony on another forum had asked these questions mostly about the silk I used on my home-made DAM. I had tried to find it the other day when the Silk questions came up. I couldn’t find where I had filed it. I found it a little while ago.

    ===============================

    Bill, I have four or five questions for you. I checked out the Thai Silks website and there are a lot of different types of silk to chose from.

    Q-1. All the silk is listed in MM and doesn’t show weight. Can you be more specific about which silk you bought to hold the down? Besides making the DAM, I’m also making a lightweight quilt and want to use the silk for baffles instead of no-see-um mesh which seems quit a bit heavier than the silk you used.

    A-1. Hi Tony. MM is weight. 1 MM is equal to 3.62 grams more or less. Remember they are talking about a 36″ by 36″ or 1 square yard piece of material.
    You want to look for HABOTAI – China Silk. I used 21F (5mm) for my baffles at the time because it came in 54″ width. 21H (4.5mm) is close enough and it comes in 54′ width. I know someone who is working on a quilt and is making it out of Silk. I believe he is using the 21H for the top and lining. If you are using Down you need to get 800+ or 900+ so you don’t have problems with feathers. I will be starting my next version DAM/Sleeping system soon and will also use a lot of Silk for it.

    Q-2. I would also like to use this same material as bug netting on a hammock if that is the same material you are using on your home made hammock, or are these two seperate materials?

    A-2. I used 24N (3.5mm) for the bug net on my hammock. It works well but doesn’t like velcro. My next hammock will not use velcro to hold the bug net. The bug net will drape across the ridgeline and have a few rocks tied into the edges of the bug net. I will tie the rocks in when I get ready to set-up for the night so I don’t carry the rocks all day hiking.

    Q-3. Which silk from the site do you recommend to make a hammock out of? Your hammock is much lighter than my Hennesy. I weigh a lot more than you though at 6 ft – 210 lbs if that makes a big difference.

    A-3. Your weight might made a difference. You can get the Habotai in 10mm, 12mm and 15.5mm. If you make a Speer type hammock with no sewing and only a knot on each end to tie your tree lines to you might be OK with the 10mm. 10mm is 1.28oz a sq yard. Silk is very strong but I am always careful how I get in and out of mine. I don’t baby it just careful. My weight when I got the hammock was between 165 and 170. My new Hammock is for my SUL AT Gear List and will use 54″ wide 4.5mm Silk. It will be as light as I can make it and go with my Cuben Tarp.

    Q-4. Which silk would you use to make the outer shell body of the DAM to slide the tubes into?.

    A-4. I will use the lightest silk I have for my new one, the 21H (4.5mm). I have a bunch of Cuben fiber and have been thinking about trying that. I am working on a few ideas and haven’t picked one of them yet. I am doing some testing with the Cuben. The Cuben is really light and waterproof.

    Q-5. It sounds like you took the plunge and purchased a roll of poly tubing material. Would you be willing to sell 7-10 poly tubes sealed up on one end, ready to go? Then, all I would need to do is make the down inserts, and the shell body to hold the poly sleeves in; without trying to find someone here locally to purchase the tubing from.

    A-5. I went from 2 mil to 3mil on the poly tubing, and had to go to 6″ on the width. I need to test it and see how it is going to work. I haven’t even taken it out of the box it came in yet. I will let you know how this new stuff works out. I also bought a heat sealer so I can now do it all myself. Thanks, Tony

    The complete thread titled Hyper-Light DAM/Sleeping System can be found at

    DAM Link-Silk info

    You have to sign in to view the Forums. Look along the left of the page for this:
    ==============================
    RESOURCES

    · Fabrics Dictionary

    · Making Gear
    BOOKS !!

    RESOURCES

    · Fabrics Dictionary

    · Making Gear
    BOOKS !!

    · Making Gear!
    – a Discussion FORUM

    · HELPFUL LINKS

    · Make Gear HOME
    · HELPFUL LINKS

    · Make Gear HOME
    ===============================

    Click on ” Making Gear!
    – a Discussion FORUM”

    Then look for the “Lite Gear Talk” part of the Lightweight Forums”

    My Thread is called Hyper-Light – DAM/Sleeping System. It is long but if you start on the last page and work backward you will see the end part of my DAM prototype.

    #1348212
    shannon stoney
    Spectator

    @shannonstoney

    What does DAM stand for, besides damn-it-to-hell?

    #1348214
    Anonymous
    Guest

    DAM = Down Air Mattress

    Exped
    Stephenson’s Warmlite
    others?

    #1348233
    Vick Hines
    Member

    @vickrhines

    Locale: Central Texas

    Bill,
    Have you used 21F for the shell of a down bag? You mentioned that you had not had trouble with down coming through because you used 900+. And I got the impression you were using the silk for baffles only.

    I tried a silk shell and had lots of chaff came through. I was using Thru-hiker’s 800+ down and had removed the quills. Plumules did not come through, nor did any quills I may have missed, but lots of small pieces came out. I don’t know what they are called but they are the feathery threads that make up the plumules.

    What am I missing?

    #1348238
    Bill Fornshell
    BPL Member

    @bfornshell

    Locale: Southern Texas

    What are you missing?

    Vick, Did you look at the thread I referenced? If/when you do, you will see that I make what I call a “stand alone” baffel for my Down. That way I can move the baffles to other items and get double-duty out of them and it makes them very easy to pull out and dry or wash. I have had one of these baffles hanging over my computer room door for about two years. It is 78″ long, about 11″ around and has 1 ounce of down in it. This is what I also call my standard “0” degree baffle. Ever so often I give it a good shake. I don’t think I have lost any of the Down in all that time.

    It also gives me an extra layer of fabric, such as the quilt outer shell and the lining. All of my first Down was 800+ from Thru-Hiker.com. His Down is really great just don’t sneeze while working with it.

    Take a little time and read the thread.

    #1348242
    Ryan Faulkner
    Spectator

    @ryanf

    Hey Bill,

    you said you were going to make a 4.5mm silk hammock, as you know I am interested in making my own hammock, have you made it yet, if it is sucessful, or you are sure it will work, I will get this instead of the 8mm I was planning on.

    Thanks
    and by the way, I am going to make a 45″ wide hammock, I modified my eagles nest to this weight and it is perfect, but for you, using a DAM, will probably need the 54″ with, but I am going to buy a no sniveller for under insulation

    #1348250
    shannon stoney
    Spectator

    @shannonstoney

    Hi Bill, i tried clicking on that link you gave for the DAM thread but couldn’t find anything on the page that came up. What am I missing?

    #1348252
    shannon stoney
    Spectator

    @shannonstoney

    Really the problem is that I can’t log into this site for some reason.

    #1348260
    Bill Fornshell
    BPL Member

    @bfornshell

    Locale: Southern Texas

    I started this BLOG as a place to save the DAM thread. At the time the DAM thread was about to get sent to lala land and I didn’t want to lose all the exchange/imput data from the many folks that had replied to the thread. To date the thread has had almost 10,000 views.

    DAM Part 1 to 12

    DAM Part 13 to 24

    DAM Part 25 to 36

    DAM Part 37 to 54

    #1348287
    D G
    Spectator

    @dang

    Locale: Pacific Northwet

    Bill,
    Thanks for posting the info, I’ll have lots of fun reading about your creations.

    Lets just hope the DEA does not look at it, especially the picture below :)

    #1348290
    Bill Fornshell
    BPL Member

    @bfornshell

    Locale: Southern Texas

    That is the kind of scale you need if you are a true gram wennie.

    #1348292
    D G
    Spectator

    @dang

    Locale: Pacific Northwet

    Bill,
    Yes, I figured the “packages” where marked in grams and not kilos.

    Where could someone buy a scale like that, and are they expensive? Does it have a tare function, or would one have to subtract the weight of the white container?

    Cheers
    Dan

    #1348294
    Bill Fornshell
    BPL Member

    @bfornshell

    Locale: Southern Texas

    Q – I figured the “packages” where marked in grams and not kilos.

    A – The bags are in ounces and are full of really great 800+ Down from Thru-Hiker.com.

    Q – Where could someone buy a scale like that, and are they expensive? Does it have a tare function, or would one have to subtract the weight of the white container?

    A – This type of scale are used a lot by Potters. Most Pottery supply places sell this scale. Some Jewelry supply places also sell this scale.

    – The price of the scale today starts about $90.00. There are a couple of higher price models. I have owned mine for 20 or 25 years I think. You might find a good used one.

    – Yes it has a Tare funtion. The scale has a counter weight on the end of the scale that you adjust for the weight of a scoop or something.

    #1348301
    Anonymous
    Guest

    About the DEA: “You’re busted, man”! Thems felony weights you’ve noted. And package for resale no less. Hope you’re not a three-time loser.

    #1348364
    Craig Shelley
    Member

    @craig_shelley

    Locale: Rocky Mountains

    I have the same scale. I paid $15 + shipping on eBay. It is a nice scale and they are easy to find used.

    Craig Shelley

    #1350286
    Vick Hines
    Member

    @vickrhines

    Locale: Central Texas

    Hey, BPL staff!
    Is there any way this thread can be kept from disappearing into the archives?

    #1350294
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hey Vick!

    I noticed OWF not only hasn’t received Epic for some time now but also removed it from their online catalog.

    Regards,

    #1350298
    Vick Hines
    Member

    @vickrhines

    Locale: Central Texas

    Roger,
    I think you must have sold me the last Epic in captivity.

    I understand that the military has contracted for all new production (for the last several months) and the new stuff is all heavy weight – 3.5 or higher for military use. I guess we won’t see civilian Epic for a while.

    The army’s got the Epic and the market killed Pertex. What’s left?

    #1350313
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Vick,

    Have you had a chance to try your bivy out?

    At 9.5oz mine is a little heaver then the BMW but has a few more options. It came in handy last weekend, did what it was designed to do.

    I’m keeping my eye’s open for more of the lighter Epic if you find some let me know.

    Regards,

    #1350344
    Ron Bell / MLD
    BPL Member

    @mountainlaureldesigns

    Locale: USA

    Hi all,
    I have a small amount of 1.7oz/sq/yd Epic Malibu in Dark Cadmium (darkish orange) avialble. Is it $20 per yd. 60″ wide. 2yd min, shipping is $5. -Will cut in half yd increments over 2yds. email me to confirm avialbility. [email protected] -Ron

    #1351346
    Vick Hines
    Member

    @vickrhines

    Locale: Central Texas

    Thanks to Steve Peterson: I copied his post here.

    “I’ve been using Cuben Fiber material (secretly) since late 2003. My first project was a Jardine-style tarp, which I taped together rather than sewed. I use a 3M industrial “tape” which is really not a true tape but an adhesive that comes with a removable paper backing (3M #9472LE).”

    adhesive

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