Your tap looks great! Something you might want to experiment with is buying a tube of 100% silicone. mix it with mineral spirits and apply with a brush. I have used this and it worked very well. The brushes I use are acid brushes I pickup in the plumbing department of one of the big box or hardware store. Joe Brewer has a good video on this. I am looking forward to your next project! Enjoy your hang!
I use one part clear 100% Silicone caulk and 3 parts of Odorless Mineral Spirits. Mix them up thoroughly in an old cat or dog food can and apply the mix with a soldering flux brush.
Awesome video!!! Love it, I am getting inspired and confident to replace my tent fly now. The pros use painters tape on the side of the stitches prior to applying the seam sealer and then remove it; you end up with a clean strip of seam sealer. Thanks for sharing!!!
Great video series. Thanks so much for sharing your expertise. I just made a silpoly hex tarp and wondered how the corn starch worked out for relieving the seamsealer stickiness for you.
I'm sealing the tarp I just got from RSTBR and think I'm gonna use your syringe idea. I did some last night but I didn't get it deep enough into the threads I think bc after it was dry I pulled the sides apart and the sealer just spit so I could see the threads.I'll go back in with this method on the ½ I already did then finish it this way as well. Great Idea Jelly! I'll post pics on the HF thread I started .
I've seam-sealed a number of tarps and began by using the supplied brush, but soon discovered that a finger (suitably attired in a thin nitrile glove) makes a much better applicator than the brush. It's easier to massage the sealant into the necessary spots, but perhaps just as important, the amount of sealant used is far less; this is not a question of being frugal or saving weight, a thinner layer is more supple and less prone to blistering and peeling. This approach does mean that the tarp must be held against a firm surface (and preferably with the seam under a load), but it's now my preferred method. I think I use 60-70% of the sealant that you used. I also apply dabs of the sealant to my finger tip rather than directly to the tarp.
Great 6-part video! I look forward to checking out your future diy projects. :) In the future (since I presume that you are a bit OCD ;), you could perhaps use some "clean room" vinyl- or PTFE-backed tape, applied on both sides of the seams, in order to have a crisp, straight line of sealer. Some painter's tapes could also work. You could do a trial run on spare material to figure out when to remove the tape.
Is this the right tape? Total Source Manufacturing CRP0790-1/2_Blue Polyethylene Cleanroom Tape, 1/2", 36 yd/Roll www.amazon.com/dp/B00LO4V1SQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ohD5ybV23PCZ6
It certainly looks similar to what I've used in the past. I currently use a PTFE-backed tape ($50/roll!) that I get through my work with composite materials. I would give it a shot with the one that you've selected. If it doesn't quite work, this type of tape is very useful for other applications.
It would be best to just seal the underside of the tarp. It looks better, and it still keeps it waterproof. Also.....maybe just a weeeeee bit less silicone. With practice, you'll understand. Thanks for the tarp video! You are a great seamstress!!
Your tap looks great! Something you might want to experiment with is buying a tube of 100% silicone. mix it with mineral spirits and apply with a brush. I have used this and it worked very well. The brushes I use are acid brushes I pickup in the plumbing department of one of the big box or hardware store. Joe Brewer has a good video on this.
I am looking forward to your next project! Enjoy your hang!
This is good timing, Ron, as I'm just about done with another tarp. I'll check it out.
I use one part clear 100% Silicone caulk and 3 parts of Odorless Mineral Spirits. Mix them up thoroughly in an old cat or dog food can and apply the mix with a soldering flux brush.
I recently saw his video. That looks like a good plan. Thanks!
Awesome video!!! Love it, I am getting inspired and confident to replace my tent fly now. The pros use painters tape on the side of the stitches prior to applying the seam sealer and then remove it; you end up with a clean strip of seam sealer. Thanks for sharing!!!
Happy Trails i couldn't get painter's tape to stick. Next time I'm trying polyethylene tape.
Great video series. Thanks so much for sharing your expertise. I just made a silpoly hex tarp and wondered how the corn starch worked out for relieving the seamsealer stickiness for you.
Coughing Owl Outdoors I don't think it is necessary and I didn't bother to do it on subsequent tarps.
I'm sealing the tarp I just got from RSTBR and think I'm gonna use your syringe idea. I did some last night but I didn't get it deep enough into the threads I think bc after it was dry I pulled the sides apart and the sealer just spit so I could see the threads.I'll go back in with this method on the ½ I already did then finish it this way as well. Great Idea Jelly! I'll post pics on the HF thread I started .
I've seam-sealed a number of tarps and began by using the supplied brush, but soon discovered that a finger (suitably attired in a thin nitrile glove) makes a much better applicator than the brush. It's easier to massage the sealant into the necessary spots, but perhaps just as important, the amount of sealant used is far less; this is not a question of being frugal or saving weight, a thinner layer is more supple and less prone to blistering and peeling.
This approach does mean that the tarp must be held against a firm surface (and preferably with the seam under a load), but it's now my preferred method. I think I use 60-70% of the sealant that you used. I also apply dabs of the sealant to my finger tip rather than directly to the tarp.
Very cool. Thanks for the tip. I'm tempted to try the standing ridgeline with grosgrain next.
Great 6-part video! I look forward to checking out your future diy projects. :)
In the future (since I presume that you are a bit OCD ;), you could perhaps use some "clean room" vinyl- or PTFE-backed tape, applied on both sides of the seams, in order to have a crisp, straight line of sealer. Some painter's tapes could also work. You could do a trial run on spare material to figure out when to remove the tape.
I couldn't get painters tape or masking tape to actually stick to the Silpoly fabric. Where would I get these other tapes?
I got mine from McMaster-Carr, not sure if they sell to residential addresses though.
Is this the right tape? Total Source Manufacturing CRP0790-1/2_Blue Polyethylene Cleanroom Tape, 1/2", 36 yd/Roll www.amazon.com/dp/B00LO4V1SQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ohD5ybV23PCZ6
It certainly looks similar to what I've used in the past. I currently use a PTFE-backed tape ($50/roll!) that I get through my work with composite materials. I would give it a shot with the one that you've selected. If it doesn't quite work, this type of tape is very useful for other applications.
Sweet. I'm planning to sew a hex tarp later this month. I will try to get this figured out.
Thanks!
Very Nice Job!
It would be best to just seal the underside of the tarp. It looks better, and it still keeps it waterproof. Also.....maybe just a weeeeee bit less silicone. With practice, you'll understand. Thanks for the tarp video! You are a great seamstress!!
Keith on the GAP thanks for the advice!
Brush your silicone brush with kitty cat slicker brush.