Roger and DIY Projects

[Miguel Arboleda]

It's great to read about the stove designs and such that Roger writes up here, but I personally would LOVE to see a DIY write up by Roger of one of his tunnel tents. I've read all the articles on his website, but still don't really have a good grasp of how to make one of his tents, which I'm more interested in than anything else that he has made.

Would there ever be a possibility of that, Roger?

[Roger Caffin]

Hi Miguel

Tunnel tents – yes, they are on the list. I've been getting through the stoves mountain for a while.

I am sure you realise that making one of my tunnels tents is a LOT more complex than making a tarp. So the article would be rather large. That takes a lot of time to prepare to the standard we expect at BPL. (This is a real great excuse …)

The designs are almost entirely mathematical. I can specify almost every dimension I can think of, and the generated model will automatically reflect that. The patterns involved are actually in a huge 20-sheet spreadsheet, and we don't yet have a way of handling such details.

Of course, that means that the article should also discuss the trade-offs I made during the development … just how many Parts might this article require? :-) Should I explain why I made all (or most of) the design decisions? How much theory?

Your comments and suggestions are welcome however. They help us meet your needs.

Cheers

[Bill Fornshell]

Hi Roger,

What about putting the tent-project on a CD or some type of download. BPL.com seems to be slowly moving that way ?

[Roger Caffin]

Hi Bill

> What about putting the tent-project on a CD or some type of download

Thinking, thinking …

[Joe Kuster]

Google Docs would be a good way of distributing your excel sheet. Ryan used it on the Trekking III class and seemed to have good success with it. Just an idea.

[Jason Brinkman]

The full blown version almost warrants a book. I for one would be interested in the design assumptions if I were to embark upon such a project. However, an executive summary version with just enough detail to properly generate a pattern may make the best article(s). Perhaps up to a four part series?

Part 1: Simplified Input Variable Selection
Part 2: Generating the Pattern (including electronic spreadsheet)
Part 3: Fabrication Tip and Techniques
Part 4: Use and Maintenance

[Tony Beasley]

Hi Roger,

I recall that several years ago when I tried to order one of your tents from you and you had just stopped making them, you where looking into getting them made for you. I am wondering what happened to that Idea.

Tony

[Roger Caffin]

Hi Tony

The Chinese have completely killed any chance of making tents in Australia in a commercial manner. No-one wants to know about it. And the design is too complex for the Chinese to be interested unless I want to get 100+ made in a batch. Sigh.

Cheers
Roger

[Roger Caffin]

Hi Jason

For your thoughts, much thanks.

What you are suggesting is far more than just a set of instructions for sewing a tent. Certainly I am interested in the project, but I am wondering how many of our readers would be interested in reading the background theory stuff?

But then, the theory articles on stoves got a fair bit of interest, so maybe?

Comments invited, please!

Cheers

[Miguel Arboleda]

Roger, I think there would be great interest here on all aspects of making one of your tents. Personally I am just not competent enough with mathematics to really understand all the theory behind a lot of how the measurements work, but there are a lot of people here who are very good at that and seem to love discussing it. It takes me forever to figure out simple calculations for a tarp, but that is only because my mind doesn't work well with mathematics.

I'm wondering if it might just be easier for more people to be able to get involved with making one of your tents by presenting a single design with all measurements already determined, say a two-pole, two-person tunnel tent. (what I'd personally be interested in) That way you'd simplify the whole writing up of the project and allow more DIY people to get involved without going too deeply into all the theory. For anyone who wants to explore further and customize the concept for a solo tent or a three-pole tent you could maybe add an appendix with all the extra theory outlined for further experimentation.

Perhaps the key point in writing up such a project would be to get as many of the BPL members involved as possible, and that means keeping the focus of the project as simple and accessible as possible without compromising the integrity of your tent designs. I think there would be quite a lot of interest outside BPL, too; there are a lot of stove and quilt and hammock design projects out there on the net, but no detailed tent design projects that I know of.

Just some thoughts as I get ready for work here!

Cheers!

[Joshua Gilbert]

Roger,
I have to say I get a bad case of tent lust when I look at those tunnel tents of yours.

I doubt I could make one myself, but if you ever thought about finding a factory to do a production run, I am sure that you could generate some interest.

I thought about buying a Macpac olympus, but I can't get around the 3.5 kg weight

[Joe Kuster]

Not that I'm volunteering for the job immediately as I realize the breadth of the undertaking but have you considered taking your design to someone already making UL tarps & tents and making commission on them? You'd still get credit, control over designs and it would be more affordable to the majority of the interested market while using the economies of scale already at work for the manufacturers.

It would be a lot more cost effective than trying to start up your own production shop there and as the manufacturing and materials are available in the US without sourcing the labor to Asia.

Your tent is obviously more complex than a tarp tent but looking at "The One" from Gossamer Gear makes me think that you might be able to find a competent manufacturer for it. Granted, you still might have batches of 100-200 made but at least is much more ficscally reasonable if it's already here in the US where 90%+ of the UL folks are and frankly as a business person in the field, I'm pretty sure you could move 200 units within a six month period if properly marketed and made through channels that would help get the word out.

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