Sewing with Cuben

[Craig Shelley]

I bought some of the Cuben fabric Bill Fornshell has talked about. I’ve started experimenting with sewing it. Bill or others, do you have any comments or suggestions on sewing it. My first project will be a tarp/poncho similar to my Integral Designs poncho/tarp. I have seen Bill’s posts on his tarp but I don’t recall any specific suggestions on working with this material.

I’m interested in types of stitches used, hem type used, methods to attach the guyline loops for best strength, etc.

Thanks. Craig Shelley

[Bill Fornshell]

Craig, I would suggest you take a small piece of the cuben and play with it and see how your sewing machine likes it. I have a teflon foot that stays on my sewing machine. I have a home type sewing machine but it sews really nice. I use a medium sort of stitch and a medium length. I just sew with it like I do almost everything. Take you time, use good needles and thread. If your sewing skills are good you should have no problems adjusting to the Cuben.

Look at my Tarp pictures and you can see how I did my tie outs. Look at detail pictures of other tarps for more ideas. Make something small and see what it takes to tear it up. You will get some ideas from that.

[Curtis Presson]

What is Cuben material… sail cloth? I’ve been able to locate silnylon fabric but where can you get Cuben?

[jacob thompson]

cuben fibre is the lightest fully water proof textile we ultralighters can get our hands on.

http://www.cubenfiber.com

this stuff is freakishly light. Ask them to send you a sample of their fabrics and they are very happy to. I believe their lightest fabric is 0.23oz/yd2.

also do a forum search for cuben and you will find plenty more.

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