Cuben questions

[Greg Lewis]

Hi,

I am looking to make a cuben tarp out of the .66/yd. I am considering using 4 yards to get a 2 person tarp of approximately 8×6. To do this I would have to put the seam perpendicular to the ridge due to the width of the material.

I would most likely tape and sew it. Would this be strong enough in shear to get a tight enough pitch?

The second project would be a pack. I noticed that the Blast packs are made of material in the 1.5oz/yd range. How is it that the weights for the cuben packs with the heavier material, are lighter than the identical Sil products (1.3 oz)
from z- packs?

Thanks,
Greg

[Denis Hazlewood]

Just my opinion, but the front and back guy lines would put a potentially large load on the seam. Probably better the have a seam running along the ridge.

[David Olsen]

Shouldn't make any real difference.

[peter kvamme]

I am no expert, but I believe that the weight used to refer to sil is from before the nylon is coated/impregnated with silicone. Finished silnylon actually weighs more than the weight used to refer to it (I think that "1.1oz silnylon" typically weighs around 1.3 oz/sq yd) and this could be what makes the packs made of silnylon weigh more than the cuben packs.

You could always ask the manufacturer this question about his pack weights. I know he is sometimes on this site, or should have contact information on his website.

[Greg Lewis]

Thanks for the replies.

Dennis- I would prefer a seam along the ridge if only for asthetic reasons. That would take 2 more yards of abric at a cost of around $60 more.

David- Thanks, I know you have probably experimented with cuben quite a bit.

Greg

[Greg Mihalik]

Greg –

"…a 2 person tarp of approximately 8×6. To do this I would have to put the seam perpendicular to the ridge due to the width of the material."

I must be missing something here –

Quest sell 54" wide Cuben. Seaming it and hemming it should leave you with at least 104" – about 8.6 feet wide – pretty typical for a 2 person tarp, and as long as you would like to make it, with the seam running head to foot.

What forces you to place the seam perpendicular to the length?

[Greg Lewis]

Thanks for the replies!

Denis- i would prefer a seam along the ridge if only for cosmetics- but at close to $30 yard, I don't know if it is worth an additional $60.

David- That is kind of what I was thinking- it's good to hear it from someone who has some experience with it.

Thanks,
Greg

[Greg Lewis]

Thanks for the replies!

Denis- i would prefer a seam along the ridge if only for cosmetics- but at close to $30 yard, I don't know if it is worth an additional $60.

David- That is kind of what I was thinking- it's good to hear it from someone who has some experience with it.

Thanks,
Greg

[Jay Trent]

i thought his blast packs were make from 1.0 oz cuben but i could bew rong

[Greg Mihalik]

I asked Joe about 3 weeks ago and he said

"The cuben used in my backpacks is 1.5 oz / sqyd. My stuff sacks use .6 oz. I sew the seams, no tape.
ZPACKS/Materials

I wouldn't use the lighter materials on a backpack or a bivy bottom unless you plan on taping repairs often."

[Greg Lewis]

Greg,

I am having trouble still with posting from my home computer- it's not updating the posts for some reason. So sorry for the delay in getting back to the posts.

I would like an 8' long tarp and I plan on buying a 9 yard panel from Cubic tech. It is 50" wide. there are two ways I could sew it;

Seam along the ridge = 2x 2-2/3 yds for an approximately 8×8 tarp. material = 5-1/3 yards

or

Perpendicular seam = 2 x 2 yards for a 8'X 6' tarp. material =4 yards.

I don't need an 8×8, it would cost more, and use material that I would like for other projects.

I suppose I could trim one or both panels down and then use the resulting 1' x 8' scraps in the other projects.

Is my math or thinking off somewhere?

Greg

[Greg Mihalik]

Greg,
Just based on "two person" I leapt to the assumption of a SpinnTwin dimension of 110" front edge, 83" rear edge, and 117 +/- ridge, where a seam on the ridge works out easily.

So, your math is good, my assumption was not.

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