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Catenary Help
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Sep 27, 2009 at 1:50 pm #1239681
I'm working on a mini tent that has a ridgeline that is 86+3/8" long. Any chance someone could supply me with the adjustments to use to give it a catenary shape.
I also have a grace solo tarp. Is it possible to use it as a guide, just ignoring the extra length?
Thanks, Jamie
Sep 27, 2009 at 2:22 pm #1531020I've never done it, but I think I read that you can hang the material on the wall, then hang a rope with some slack in it along the ridgeline, and trace the rope. Like here – http://www.backpacking.net/makegear/cat-tarp/index.html
Sep 27, 2009 at 2:24 pm #1531021In the 5yds to SUL article Jay suggests copying the curve from another tarp. It should come out ok even though the length isn't the same.
-Tim
Sep 27, 2009 at 2:30 pm #1531023Hi Jamie
If you send me your email address I will send you a spreadsheet which allows you to calculate this for whatever dimensions you want.
Cheers
[email protected]Sep 27, 2009 at 2:48 pm #1531025Yes you can copy your Grace tarp. Start in the middle and work outward ignoring the extra length on each end.
The spreadsheet I posted in 2006 is still available.
2006 Spreadsheet-Lance
Sep 29, 2009 at 12:29 am #1531388Roger, is your chart a list of calculations, with a length variable, of points on a hyperbolic cosine curve?
By the way, I am not much of a regular poster but an avid reader here. I appreciate all your insightful articles and comments. Thanks.Sep 29, 2009 at 3:06 am #1531393It's a spreadsheet with a graph for pretties.
You can plug your figures into it – length of span and amount of sag. You get XY points along the line. Email with your address if you wish.Cheers
[email protected]Sep 29, 2009 at 10:50 am #1531438So the part that gets me about MYOG cat-cut tarps is how do you sew the ridgeline? I have an Oware cat tarp, and the ridgeline appears to me a French seam (maybe flatfelled?), but with the curve, how does that work?
Pictures of the process, anyone?
Sep 29, 2009 at 12:48 pm #1531480Use a flat felled seam. The plans I work from have a 1" seam/hem allowance all around so I offset the two halves 2/3". One side gets 2/3" allowance, the other side gets 1-1/3" allowance. When the seam is finished, a total of 2" is used and the seam is perfectly centered.
Two halves 'right side' to 'right side' and offset 2/3" :
Sewing first seamline:
First seamline finished:
Sewing second line after opening up the two halves and rolling/folding the seam allowance (looking at the 'wrong' side):
Sep 29, 2009 at 1:55 pm #1531510OK, that's what I thought was done. I was worried about the tarp ridgeline buckling because of the slope of the curve. I guess it is not as severe as I thought.
Also: bookmarked page – all MYOG folks with an interest in cat tarps should, too.
Sep 29, 2009 at 5:37 pm #1531586There's been a lot of interest in my spreadsheet, so we will try to figure out how to make it publicaly available from BPL. Stay tuned.
I tried Google Docs, but they can't handle the embedded graph. Feeble.
Cheers
Sep 30, 2009 at 4:48 pm #1531941I'm sure many people would appreciate the spread sheet Roger. Thank you.
Oct 1, 2009 at 8:01 am #1532093Lance, are the white lines you have on the tarp the markings for usable sleeping space? What pattern are you using, if you don't mind me asking?
Oct 1, 2009 at 10:02 am #1532141The material in the above pictures is actually the fly portion of a tent I designed and made for myself. The white lines mark where the mesh walls attach to the fly.
More information and pictures in my 2007 Post
Oct 6, 2009 at 8:17 am #1533497Hi Roger,
Just a bump to see if you've managed to figure out how to get the spreadsheet to work? No pressure, just being nosey.
MattOct 6, 2009 at 5:54 pm #1533680I've put my 2006 catenary curve spreadsheet on-line. The spreadsheet was created using Microsoft XL 2002. The spreadsheet is at the bottom of the page and is 23kb. The web page works with Explorer v7. It should also work with other versions and other browsers, but I haven't tested it.
Be patient, it's slow.
Web page for Catenary Curve Spreadsheet
Let me know if it doesn't work for you.
Oct 6, 2009 at 6:01 pm #1533684Lance,
I Just saw the photo of your tent, and have to say it looks like a piece of art. I wish I had the patience to something that clean. Very nice job.Oct 6, 2009 at 7:01 pm #1533715Lance – this may be a dumb question, but looking at the spreadsheet curve, it starts and ends at 0. But looking at your tent, you obviously have a high and low side. So did you just use half the curve on the spreadsheet?
Oh and BTW – your spreadsheet hosting worked.
Oct 6, 2009 at 7:42 pm #1533730Kier:
The tent ridgeline uses the complete curve layout from zero to max back to zero. Here's a rough drawing of how the curve was layed over a straight ridge line. I overlayed it to intersect the straight ridgeline where the walls intersect. That way I didn't have to make adjustments to the wall pattern.
-LanceOct 6, 2009 at 9:23 pm #1533762OK now I think I got it. It doesn't matter what the height of each end of the tarp is, just the deflection from the original ridgeline? So first I decide the angle I want the ridgeline, then I plot the points from the graph, then I cut? So it doesn't matter even if I want something ridiculous like the tarp opening to be 6' high on one end and 1' high on the other? Thanks! so much easier
Oct 6, 2009 at 9:41 pm #1533766Or string a rope/cord/chain up.
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