MYOG 1 person tunnel tent

[Stuart R]

No, the Permatex is too runny for that. To bond the noseeum I used regular clear silicone sealant. This is sufficiently viscous to hold the noseeum in place while it dries.

[Stuart R]

to the original post, and here's one next to Vignemale on a cold morning in the shade!

[John West]

Wow, by far the best MYOG tent I have seen. Great job, looks awesome, I might have to try and make something like it soon

[Henk Smees]

Hi Stuart,

Thanks for the pics. Much appreciated. Here’s some pics of my “collection”. I’m sure you’ll recognize the first (made from the Refuge des Oulettes de Gaube).

The next two show my Homemade TFD 1.4 pack and GoLite Lair 1 in a nearby area (Bivouac-area next to the Refuge Wallon-Marcadau).

[Sam Farrington]

Hi Stuart,

Note that you have posted before about the quality of the silnylon from ExtremTextil, and about one silnylon of theirs that includes PU also on one side.

Also note that Roger Caffin has posted about improved PU coated nylons where the PU penetrates the fabric, and does not just sit on top.

The above is background to inquire if there have been any sagging issues with your tent, as commonly occurs to a large degree with many silnylons available here in the USA. Note that you have had it out in a variety of conditions, and all the photos show a taut canopy.

So I am wondering if that is so, if the quality or type of the silnylon from ExtremTextil may be a factor.

Would greatly appreciate hearing your thoughts on this, if you care to share them.
Thanks.

[Stuart R]

Hi Samuel

Silnylon sag is an interesting effect, because my experience is at variance with my knowledge :(
Both nylon and silicone have a large positive temperature coefficient of expansion. Also nylon is well known for absorbing up to 8% moisture and expanding as a result.
All of the above would suggest that sagging due to material expansion should be worst in warm wet conditions.

However, my experience is that sagging is worst in cold conditions. The worst I have experienced is shown below, with an estimated temperature of -5C.

My MYOG tent has not been in conditions that cold, the coldest is shown in the picture a few posts above, when there was a light ground frost. Even so the silnylon did not sag much. It noticably tautens up when the morning sun gets on it tho'.
In conclusion, I would say that the silnylon from extremtextil is at least as good as the commercial silnylon used in the Vaude Ferret above. I have no idea how it compares to US silnylon or PU coated silnylon. HTH

[Sam Farrington]

Stuart,
Thanks for your response.
Unfortunately, the photo of your tent in the frost came out a little faded, on my computer anyway, so I couldn't tell much about sagging.

When the temp here drops to close to the freezing point at night in the fall, that is always enough to bring about significant sagging of silnylon, although maybe not quite as much as the Vaude tent in your photo.

If your tent didn't sag much near or at the freezing point, you have got a winner.

[David Gutz]

Thought I'd better post what I learned making patterns for my tent.
– I used Sketchup as a pattern maker. Draw tent in 3-D then "disassemble" and layout the fabric in a flat plane. Add seam allowance. Worked great. I was worried about this and made a wooden pattern like the original author but that just made extra work for myself as the Sketchup generated pattern fit it perfectly.
– I let my catenaries run a little small (half what you'd use for Silnylon) because I was using inflexible Cuben fiber. Worked out great.
– Should have added a vent to the peak. Looking to retrofit a vent.

[Geoff Caplan]

Stuart – we’ve been chatting on another thread so I took a look at your project.

Wow – that is a seriously impressive result for your first tent! You sound like you have a technical background and took a very smart and professional approach. Inspiring to see the standards that can be achieved.

How has the silicone bonding stood up to use in the field? It’s a great way to avoid vulnerable seams on low-load joins, provided it doesn’t start peeling…

 

[Stuart R]

Geoff – thanks for your kind words. I was likewise inspired by Roger Caffins tents – professional doesn’t do him justice (obsessive perhaps? ;-))

5 years on and this tent still gets occasional use. The silicone bonding has still firmly bonded the mesh to the silnylon, no peeling at all.

[Geoff Caplan]

Stuart

Thanks for the feedback – nothing like experience in the field to give you confidence in a technique.

By the way on the sagging issue, I’ve been corresponding with a very experienced commercial tent designer, and he strongly recommends the new silpolys instead of silnylon for lightweight tents. It sags much less when wet, and because of its better UV properties, he says that the supposed lower strength in the lab isn’t an issue in the field once they’ve been in the sun for a few days. In his experience it’s plenty strong enough when properly reinforced at stress points, and he has access to labs and wind-tunnels. Ripstop by the Roll are offering commercial grade silpolys, so for the first time this is an option for MYOG.

[Geoff Caplan]

Oops – duplicate of something I’d already asked you. Apologies…

[Les Waddel]

Stuart!  You’ve inspired me!  I’ve been thinking heavily about a tent design… this one’s for me!  Hopefully out of came cuban fiber!  Thanks!

Les

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