In my basement I have a box of all the scraps left over from previous shelter projects. I started thinking that I needed to use them up on a shelter I could use, or one that I could at least sell for the cost of the materials in it if I didn't like it. So I measured them all and tried to find one of the layouts I had in Google Sketchup that used the majority of them. I essentially was able to piece together a narrow pyramid similar to the Doumid, but a little longer and taller. So I have named it the "Leftover Mid"
It is 5' wide x 9'2" long and 62" tall when pitched tight to the ground.
Here is my super accurate cutting procedure. Marked the panels with a tape measure, and used the tape measure as a straight edge to mark the cut lines. I did not use cat cut edges.
I had 1 piece of silnylon 65"x15.5'and one 60"x9.5' It was rather difficult to get all of the panels to fit on the available fabric. For this I used Sketchup again. I drew the flat panels and transferred the panels on the shelter template to the flat fabric pieces I drew. I then kept rearranging them until I could get them all to fit.
Here is the final mid in storm mode.
Somethings that I did on this mid that are different from the typical mid construction is that I did not reinforce any of the tie out points. I basically took a long length of grossgrain webbing and ran it on the outside and back again on the inside and sewed it together with the flat felled seam of the sil between. I have been doing this for the last several mids I have made, and I have never had any issues. I even used this on the 25' wide 12' tall monster tipi I made a few years ago. I think this saves time not having to mess with sewing on reinforcing panels first.
The top cone is made of the fabric I salvaged from one of those fold up cloth camping chairs. I used Jerry Adam's technique of just starting a circle and gathering it at each seam. This was easier than what I used to do, which was to sew the reinforcement on the tip of each panel individually before piecing them together. While I don't think it has as nice of a finished look, I don't doubt that it is just as durable. I also added a top hang loop to be able to just use an overhanging branch.
The front doors can be tied back with the 2 gross grain webbing lengths I sewed onto each corner seam. I have found that this is a super easy and lightweight solution.
I still have to sew in some mid panel tie outs 1/2 way up the sides and seam seal it, but so far I am more than happy with how it turned out. There is loads of room for one person and 2 can fit if they had to. The weight so far is 16oz as seen. I figure after I apply a liberal amount of seam sealer and a few tie outs, I should be at about 18oz.
Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks for looking.
