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  • #1217262
    Vick Hines
    Member

    @vickrhines

    Locale: Central Texas

    Wouldn’t it be great if we had a continually updated catalogue of sources for materials in retail quantities?

    Let’s do it. Maybe when it gets going BPL can organize it.

    #1346232
    Ryan Faulkner
    Spectator

    @ryanf

    YES!

    I agree.

    #1346236
    Vick Hines
    Member

    @vickrhines

    Locale: Central Texas

    Here are some of mine:

    Fabric Outdoor Specific:
    http://www.cubenfiber.com (for the elusive Cuben)
    http://owareusa.com/fabric.html
    http://www.owfinc.com (Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics)
    http://www.questoutfitters.com
    http://www.therainshed.com
    http://www.rockywoods.com
    http://www.seattlefabrics.com
    http://www.thru-hiker.com

    Other fabric sources:
    http://www.americanhomeandhabitat.com/products/Silk-iene%20Silicone%20Coated%20Nylon%20Ripstop.htm (1.1 oz silicone impregnated ripstop. Lots of color selection, higher prices

    http://www.kitebuilder.com

    http://www.noahlamport.com (industrial and recreational fabrics)

    Other handy stuff:
    http://www.aircraft-spruce.com (shrink Dacron and other unique stuff.

    http://www.cstsales.com (The Composites Store – braided carbon fiber tubes and other goodies for making hiking poles, chopsticks, etc.) MAKE A CARBON FIBER SPORK!!!

    http://www.johnsweet.com (resins and cloth for fiber reinforced plastic projects)

    http://www.eagerplastics.com (low viscosity eposy resin (perfect for carbon fiber hiking poles)

    http://www.mcmaster.com (titanium sheet)

    http//onlinemetals.com (titanium rod

    http://www.widgetsupply.com (the ultimate in odd tools. Lots of Dremmel stuff like pin chucks for holding tiny bits.

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

    #1346237
    Ryan Faulkner
    Spectator

    @ryanf

    #1346245
    Vick Hines
    Member

    @vickrhines

    Locale: Central Texas

    Ryan and everyone,
    Give a little information on what category a source falls into or a short statement of their gig.

    #1346516
    Joy Menze
    BPL Member

    @catamountain

    sewing markers and pens a visual of the types of easy to use sewing markers and pens one can find at a sewing store.

    examples of sewing tracing paper examples of tracing paper for sewing projects. The marks wash off. This could be also useful for people developing and testing patterns for metal stoves.

    description of what metalized fabric can do This could be, but I’m not sure, the manufacturer of the heat and solar reflective 1.3 oz ripstop now sold at Seattle Fabrics

    Small titanium sheets at Thru-Hiker
    Miniature cable rigging supplies Fishing wire is miniature aircraft cable. Cabelas has a great selection of fishing rigging supplies in larger quanities and better prices than most local sources. Tackle such as the crimps/thimbles shown in the link, nylon coated wire, snap swivels are strong and light materials to assemble and attach more than just fishing gear. Snap swivels are old- timey, ultralight, miniature carabiners like safety pins.

    not material but nice to know for planning:
    nifty weather forcasting stuff from NOAA click on map

    Sun or Moon Rise/Set Table for One Year

    Sun or Moon Rise/Set Data for One Day

    #1346518
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Damn Vick…. Your the Man!

    Thanks for sharing your outstanding materials sourcing list.

    Ps: I’ll email you inventory on the Epic tomorrow night

    Regards

    #1346527
    Vick Hines
    Member

    @vickrhines

    Locale: Central Texas

    Joy and crew,

    Feathered Friends informed me last week that they no longer sell down or fabric retail.

    Thanks for putting in the hotlinks.

    #1346530
    Jim Colten
    BPL Member

    @jcolten

    Locale: MN

    thru-hiker sells 800+ fill power down

    #1346572
    Joy Menze
    BPL Member

    @catamountain

    Knotable titanium wire
    Short lengths of titanium cable 30 lb and 50lb fishing leaders

    A nice article on machining titanium. Most people would only need to know that cobalt drill bits work better than high speed steel and either aluminum oxide or silicon carbide grinding discs would work OK in their dremel or flex-shaft (I bought a box of 100 as they wear down fast). But for those people who have access to a machine shop or plan to jig up their flex-shaft to work like a miniature tablesaw, more technical info is needed. Other articles like this are online.

    For some inspiration on what to do with titanium rods check out the patened hinge designs on Lindberg frames. I have owned the Air frame since the early 90s. The twisted hinge part on the bow terminates in just the right spot so the bows do not open more than 90°. The titanium used in the frames is 75% thinner than the rod sold here on BPL, and it is laminated to achieve the three hardnesses. So don’t expect the same results at home. But some interesting things can still be designed at home.

    #1346629
    Joy Menze
    BPL Member

    @catamountain

    Harbor Freight sells a motley collection of treasure to dud tools. The Hand Punch, item 44060-2VGA, is a cheap little Chinese jem. It punches holes in most metal, but titanium sheets would most probably tear up the dies. According to a former Boeing engineer, they would drill holes with cobalt steel bits instead of using punches. He shuddered a little when I mentioned Harbor Freight and titanium in the same sentence. The thin foil sold on BPL might be OK.

    #1346630
    Bill Fornshell
    BPL Member

    @bfornshell

    Locale: Southern Texas

    The Harbor Freight punch will work on the .016″ Titanium sheet sold by Thru-Hiker.com. I use it all the time and also use it for larger holes by making the smaller holes close and then trimming the hole larger with my tin snips. Great tool 5/5.

    #1346632
    Joy Menze
    BPL Member

    @catamountain

    Glad to hear.

    #1346791
    Joy Menze
    BPL Member

    @catamountain

    Micromark sells modelmaking tools. Item 82816 is a bending brake insert for a vise. Item 81477 is a hand nibbler.

    Several years ago I bought a large cone of Nomex sewing thread at a military surplus store for $5. It sews just like regular polyester thread but much stronger.

    Hot knife tip sold at owfinc.com

    #1347147
    Vick Hines
    Member

    @vickrhines

    Locale: Central Texas

    Here’s something we may need a source on:

    MULETAPE, a flat kevlar tape used for pulling cable. 1/4″ comes in 2 thicknesses good for 1250 and 1500 pounds, and would make really good bear line. The 3/8″ versions (two) will handle 1800 and 2000 pounds. I’ve been using used 3/8 for hammock lines. Fifty feet of the 3/8″ weighs 2.5 oz.

    Unfortunately, the product is sold only through distributers with a usual minimum of 3,000 feet. I salvaged mine from a cable installation.

    Here’s the manufacturer’s site:
    MULETAPE

    #1347383
    Vick Hines
    Member

    @vickrhines

    Locale: Central Texas

    PLASTIC SNAPS
    Super light, proven on outdoor gear, but the ones in fabric stores are not strong enough to hold toilet paper.

    Has anyone found a good plastic snap for do-it-yourselfers?

    The only decent ones I’ve found are from snapfastener.com which require an expensive bench press and dies ($500)as well as a 2,000 unit minimum ($50). So these aren’t practical.

    #1347388
    Joshua Mitchell
    Member

    @jdmitch

    Locale: Kansas

    Titatium Goat $15 / sqft (Listed Thickness 0.005″ / 0.127 mm)

    #1347651
    Vick Hines
    Member

    @vickrhines

    Locale: Central Texas

    Josh,
    I copied these from another post of yours, but the URL’s didn’t come over.

    Note that 1400 series Tyvek is very different from Homewrap according to DuPont.

    V

    Dancing Light Gear – Standard Housewrap

    Backpacker Camper – Standard Housewrap (I think)
    (Also sells tyvek ponchos)

    Into the Wind – 1422R 1.15oz “Kite Tyvek”

    Quest Outfitters – 1443R 1.25oz “Kite Tyvek”

    Kitebuilder.com – 1443R 1.25oz “Kite Tyvek”

    #1347784
    Jim Colten
    BPL Member

    @jcolten

    Locale: MN

    Seattle Fabrics sells heat sealable fabric:

    http://www.seattlefabrics.com/nylons.html#heat%20sealable%20taffeta

    #1347822
    Vick Hines
    Member

    @vickrhines

    Locale: Central Texas

    Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics:
    owfinc.com
    sells heat sealing, coated nylon.

    #1347855
    Joshua Mitchell
    Member

    @jdmitch

    Locale: Kansas

    Tyvek “Information”

    Dancing Light Gear – Standard Housewrap

    Backpacker Camper – Standard Housewrap (I think)
    (Also sells tyvek ponchos)

    Into the Wind – 1422R 1.15oz “Kite Tyvek”

    Quest Outfitters – 1443R 1.25oz “Kite Tyvek”

    Kitebuilder.com – 1443R 1.25oz “Kite Tyvek”

    Also, some of the kite stores sell >100# pure spectra lines for cheaper than most backpacking sites.

    #1348133
    Joy Menze
    BPL Member

    @catamountain

    Heat resistant tapes: The ones with silicone adhesive bonds to siliconized surfaces. The masking tapes have an 18 month shelf-life unfortunately. The 3M foil tape is longer-lived – but expensive of course.
    Acutape

    CS Hyde tape

    3M thin tapes

    3M aluminized tape

    RS Hughes is one company that sells 3M stuff. They have several offices.

    Heat resistant polyester film: Polyester withstands temperatures up to 400°F (230°C). A lightweight windscreen, like the one designed by Jim Wood can be made from this material. (He has a nifty downloadable packweight spreadsheet on his site too, among other things.)

    Thicker films available at a well stock art supply store – clear and aluminized – ”Mylar”

    Cheap and thin
    Reynolds oven bags
    Emergency blankets are polyester too.

    The key to using fire for warmth/heat is to keep the fire small (minimize smoke issues) and against a radiant surface. Lacking boulders or a other wall-like structure, a radiant wind screen – like aluminized polyester or aluminized fiberglass – can be substituted.

    Seems like the Muletape and 3M foil tape can be resold in smaller quanities through BPL store.

    #1348139
    shannon stoney
    Spectator

    @shannonstoney

    I noticed that Vick’s original list mentioned Thai Silks. I have shopped from them for years, for making blouses and linings for coats and cloaks. But, I wonder what you use the silk for, in your backpacking trips?

    #1348141
    Ryan Faulkner
    Spectator

    @ryanf

    Bill Fornshell uses silk for his hammocks, I dont know what kind he uses, but I am interested in making a hammock myself.

    Bill, could you post where you get your silk? Thanks

    #1348143
    Mark
    BPL Member

    @mlarson

    Locale: SoCal

    You wouldn’t really need to source the silk for this particular application, but a silk scarf in place of a bandana or buff can add a touch of class. Maybe a bit foppish, but you can usually get them lighter, larger, and in better designs than the standard cotton bandanas.
    -Mark

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