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MYOG roll top dry bag


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Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
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  • #1308555
    alex hansen
    Member

    @holden425

    im looking for some advice on what materials i could use for the stiffener on the top of a roll top closure dry bag. whats a good (and cheap, hopefully recycled) material. i was originally thinking 1 gal milk jug, but i dont think i could cut enough material off of that in a long enough strip to make a 19 inch piece.

    #2032593
    Bob Gross
    BPL Member

    @b-g-2-2

    Locale: Silicon Valley

    If you cut around the circumference of the milk jug, you can get 19 inches, but it will be curved. If you fold that piece in half lengthwise, you can eliminate the weakness of the curve.

    –B.G.–

    #2032600
    Greg Pehrson
    BPL Member

    @gregpehrson

    Locale: playa del caballo blanco

    For my roll top backpack I used a long strip of that heavy duty plastic ribbon like the kind that holds boxes of paper together at an office supply store or merchandise to a pallet. I got some that was about thumb-width from my local hardware store that they were throwing out after getting a shipment of stuff. Works great.

    tape

    EDIT: to add picture

    #2032643
    John Almond
    Member

    @flrider

    Locale: The Southeast

    Yep, many foodstuffs come packed with that around 'em as well (apple boxes and other produce are notorious for this), so if you know someone in the food industry…

    #2032657
    Mark Dijkstra
    Member

    @markacd

    Be carefull when you decide to use the ribbon Greg mentions because they come in very different qualities. While there are some that are very good, most of these ribbons easily crack and fray lengthwise. This will reduce the stiffness to next to nothing and it can actually be pretty sharp. Sharp things and stuff that needs to be waterproof is usually a bad combination.

    I've actually had some succes using just polyester webbing. Much easier to work with, no risk of sharp edges and plenty stiff (especially if you make a double layer).

    #2032681
    edvin mellergård
    BPL Member

    @edvin

    Locale: Gothenburg, Sweden

    I've used PET plastic from soda bottles, it's holding up really good to repeated bending. Cut it like a spiral and you can get it long enough. Heat it with an iron to make it flat. If you want it stiffer, fold it and heat again.

    It's holding up really good to repeated bending

    #2032733
    David Thomas
    BPL Member

    @davidinkenai

    Locale: North Woods. Far North.

    I'm liking Bob's thoughts about milk cartons, doubling (tripling) it over if you want more stiffness.

    I often dumpster-dive at the recycling center, especially in the HDPE bin (milk jugs). Other products also come in HDPE but are thicker gauge – detergent, shampoos, coffee, etc. Cutting a strip from one of those would give you stiffer material.

    For really thick, but cheap HDPE sheet, I always keep a few of these around:

    http://www.amazon.com/Pelican-Snow-Flite-Roll-Plastic/dp/B002QZ2Q86/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1381425848&sr=8-9&keywords=snow+sled

    They retail for $6-10 but are half off come Spring. Or $1 at a thrift store. For a quick, long strip; roll it tightly, tape the roll securely and use a chop saw to cut off a section of roll. It could 2", 1" or 1/2" thick. The cut edge will be rough, but can be smoothed easily with sand paper or those Stanley Surform rasp-like tools you pull towards you:

    http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-21-115-4-Inch-Surform-Shaver/dp/B00002X1ZH/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1381426246&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=surform

    Or mark along a straight edge with a sharpie and then cut your strip off with shop shears, or some heavy-duty scissors.

    #2033017
    alex hansen
    Member

    @holden425

    i met a gentleman at work who offered to make me a cuben dry sack to be used with the flash 45 i am modifying, i think i will cut up the next milk jug that empties and see how that goes

    #3623338
    California Packrafting
    BPL Member

    @unnamedpeaks

    tap plastics will cut a 1/2″ strip of polycarbonate plastic sheet in 8′ length for like $2.75 cents. https://www.tapplastics.com/

    #3630022
    Andrew Stevens
    BPL Member

    @nuttool

    You can buy three or four packs of plastic cutting boards that are really inexpensive and would do the trick.  I’v just been using 3/4 nylon webbing on both sides and it seems stiff enough for a roll top.

    #3630087
    Matt
    BPL Member

    @mhr

    Locale: San Juan Mtns.

    How about this idea to save materials – no stiffener at all!  On my bags, once I fold the top of the raw bag down two times to hide raw edges before sewing, it’s plenty stiff enough.  I then add snaps on the top and linelocs on the sides to hold the top closed and securely down.  Water doesn’t stand a chance of getting in.

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