Seam Sealing TT Rainbow: Not working

You should seal the seams on both sides.

I sealed my TT inside and out, and I've never had a leak. Give it a try.

I just do it on the outside.

How did you apply it to the tent? Did you use the brush?

I like to grab a coffee cup fill it with hot water and let the tube sit in it for 30 seconds to 1 minute. I then just lightly squeeze the tube and run it along the seams right from the tube. This way its nice and flat and covers the stitches. Place the tube back in the warm water every so often once it stops flowing out easily.

This will prevent bumps and lumps and will work great.

Hope this helps for future use.

I have the older version which is harder to seam seal. After my first application, it leaked a bit up at the peak, but a second coating seems to have done the trick.

What did you use? Even with two seam seals, I didn't use the entire bottle of GE Silicone II.

Make sure you cover each set of threads as well as the lip of the seam. You also want to make sure you cover any sewn through tie-out or velcro tab (don't put silicone directly on the velcro, but around the edges). Water can soak through these non-silnylon materials and drip in.

Just the outside should be fine. I am surprised you also used an entire bottle. Perhaps you diluted it too much?

Edited: I mean to say outside, not inside!

Exactly what did you seam seal it with? What's the label?

Seam sealing on the inside is always difficult and I wouldn't even try doing it that way. Seam seal on the outside keeps the water from getting into the seam. This works well.

Cheers

I used Sil Net, and applied it by placing a small amount on the complimentary brush and then wiping it onto the inside seams. I did not dilute the seam sealer. Should I have? The reason I sealed the seams on the inside was to keep the outside as slick as possible, so if I were ever to encounter snow, it would slide off the tent more easily. I have no intention, however, of ever using the Rainbow in snowy conditions. I was just being overly cautious. I sounds like seam sealing on the outside is best. I'll try that. Should I also dilute the seam sealer? thanks.

Gabriel,
The small amount of seam sealer on the outside of the tent will not have any effect on how the snow sticks to your tent.

I've never used SilNet, however. I just dilute silicone in mineral spirits and brush on.

Did anyone dilute it with mineral spirits (paint thinner)? I picked up the GE Silicone II and mineral spirits today and was going to seal my double rainbow tomorrow. The instructions that came with it recommend 4 tablespoons of the silicone with 8 tablespoons of mineral spirits (paint thinner). Also, should a 2.8 fl oz (82.8ml) tube of silicone be enough?

I used silnet thinned with white gas to seam seal my double rainbow. At first I was worried about getting the right mixture, but really it's not that big of deal. You just pour some of the solvent in a container which has the silicone and stir until it loosens up. Add a little as needed, if you make it too thin, just add a little more silicone.

It's a lot easier (faster) to apply when thinned (I've done it both ways) and it seems to get better coverage of the seams. I used about half a tube the all the outside seams on the tent. I didn't seal the inside and haven't had a problem.

excellent! I was a little worried about if I needed the mineral spirits or a solvent and if I did use it how exact I needed to be with the measurements. It's good to know there is a little forgiveness.
thanks

Mineral spirits are a solvent, I think that's what Henry uses, but other people (I think I read it in Ray Jardine's book) said white gas works as well. I was a little worried at first (esp. after my first, non-thinned experience on another tent) to but found it to easy. One thing though, I would only mix up a little at a time to prevent it from drying out in the container. I also found that it dried pretty quickly thanks to the solvent.

For anyone having problems with seam sealing, there is an excellent resource over on
Jim Woods site that deals with all aspects of sealing silnylon.

I seem (no pun intended) to recall that Jim recommends a 1:3 ratio of silicon to mineral spirits (by weight).

I have sealed all my shelters using his method and they are all waterproof and very neatly done.

Yeah Henry has "mineral spirits (paint thinner)" and "Coleman fuel/white gas" mentioned in his instructions although he uses a 1:2 ratio. I may play around with it.
(I guess I worded it funny but was trying to describe mineral spirits as a solvent like the white gas you mentioned)

Hi Gabriel

Well, there are many ways to skin a cat …

If you are using hardware store silicone sealant, then you probably need to dilute it a bit as many have suggested. If you do you *may* find it goes off very quickly, because many of the solvents used to dilute it have water in them, and water is what makes it cure (fast).

However, I prefer to use something a bit more runny to start with and not dilute it. Sil-Net, Permatex, and others. And I do the seam sealing with the tent (or whatever) pitched pretty tight. I don't use the brush – pretty useless imho.

First I run a *thin* bead along the seam, right in the fold. (How steady is your hand?) I often use a small hypodermic syringe for this. (Ask doctor for a discard.) Then I run along that bead with a finger, smoothing the sealant into the seam as best I can. I make sure as I go that I don't leave blobs, and that the width of sealant is as narrow as possible.

Then I leave the tent pitched for 24 hours for full curing. Baby powder may help afterwards. Then I try to get what's left of the silicone off my finger(s). This may be best done when it is partially cured.

Cheers

I used SilNet mixed with mineral spirits to thin it out a little, applied it to the external seams on my TT Rainbow with the use of a craft sponge brush (any craft shop will have them).

Left it pitched in the carport (enclosed) for about about 48 Hours.

Never had a leak and its been in some very rainy situations.

Good luck

Cheers

No worries, I would have used the mineral spirits if I didn't have white gas around. It's a little intimidating at first, but you'll see it's not bad. Most important, have fun!

rogers method with a syringe worked just great on my tent

thanks roger

nick