Wall Tents Tips and Tricks

[ghosthunter]

Well I ha e been waiting for a stretch of this nice cooler weather to do my annual tent maintenance.

So first up is tent #3. Which I bought from a member here. It came with a cylinder stove which I have not used yet or even set up. We took all three tents turkey hunting but did not need the stove.

So out it came tonight set up and do some gentle cleaning on a couple spots. Got the poles all color taped and going to make custom rain fly this weekend.

I got this tent for a killer good price and really like it.

[Alchase]

Very nice!

[ghosthunter]

Finished cleaning tent tonight so while it drys I got out the cylinder stove and revisited why I have never liked them. Pulled out stove pipe almost new but seems like cylinder stoves always have inverted  stove pipes compared to my dog stoves.

5 1/4 going in the stove 6 inch on the top. Won’t go through the stove jack assembled. Have to poke it through third section up and add the other two sections. So taking it out you have a better than 50% chance of dropping creasolte on the tent.

I could cut the stove jack bigger but I just don’t like the pipe bigger at top smaller at bottom.
Think I will order a new pipe set so all the stoves are the same.

[ghosthunter]

Finished cleaning tent tonight so while it drys I got out the cylinder stove and revisited why I have never liked them. Pulled out stove pipe almost new but seems like cylinder stoves always have inverted  stove pipes compared to my dog stoves.

5 1/4 going in the stove 6 inch on the top. Won’t go through the stove jack assembled. Have to poke it through third section up and add the other two sections. So taking it out you have a better than 50% chance of dropping creasolte on the tent.

I could cut the stove jack bigger but I just don’t like the pipe bigger at top smaller at bottom.
Think I will order a new pipe set so all the stoves are the same.

Well got ahold of Don at Four Dog Stove Company, had him send me two new sets of nesting pipe.

Also got out the #2 tent today for some maintenance . Scrub it down letting dry in the good weather.

[ghosthunter]

Well been a few weeks and now the weather is heating up. So I got out Tent # 1 for cleaning and maintenance.

Hosed it down , scrub it  tomorrow and dry it till weekend. Will be all ready. Just need a season with access.

[pawpaw1934]

What kind of soap are you using when cleaning?

[Jason]

Seems weird that you guys clean your tents before season and not after the seasonal use and before storage.

[birddogdad]

If you need repairs to your tent, there is a great place to work with in Poulsbo WA.. Tarp Innovators... Can manage any size and issues...

[ghosthunter]

Seems weird that you guys clean your tents before season and not after the seasonal use and before storage.

Well depends on weather. All my tents were turkey hunting in April. Nothing but rain when we got back. When we took them down they were dry because it was 7o plus during the hunt every day. So all that was on them was a little dust and such. So stored till weather turned nice. Get them out during the heat and clean as best ya can. Take care of loose treads or whatever and back in bag for hunt. After fall hunt bad weather again so dry in arctic than store in barrel till good weather or next hunt.

Depends on what you have to work with. If ya got a big shop you can clean them and dry them. That's not me. Some guys dry them in their living room.

[ghosthunter]

What kind of soap are you using when cleaning?

Depends

Nothing harsh for sure. ISSO works ok. I have used dawn dish soap in cold water . No matter what you use sooner or later they start to show their age.
Around doors and stove jacks. I go out of my way to try to keep them clean at camp. But stuff happens. The worst is if you have helpers who want to walk on the canvas with buddy boots. Boots prints are super tough for some reason.
None of my tens touch the ground except a bottom of frame when set up. I have a ground cloth for each i lay out next to the frame. All the folding and unfolding happens on the tarp. I also have a fly over them in camp.

[Rainier10]

The outside of mine is still bright, the inside has a tan tone to if from the smoke.  Does the washing get that off?

[ghosthunter]

The outside of mine is still bright, the inside has a tan tone to if from the smoke.  Does the washing get that off?

Maybe ,maybe not.
Look for a marine canvas cleaner. Like they use on sails.

[ghosthunter]

I never wash the inside, because it stays clean. When I fold them I keep all the sod covers together. Inside to inside, out to out.

I pull it off the left side on to a tarp ,ridge to left, Even The sod covers, than bring the ridge back to right. Now it’s 1/4 size , roll back to door.

I do it the same way every time. So next time I roll it down the left side and it’s ready to go over frame.

Keeps inside clean.

[jrebel]

Seems weird that you guys clean your tents before season and not after the seasonal use and before storage.

I think the only reason to clean before would be to shrink the canvas.  I wash mine after and then hang it in the shop to dry…..then it goes on the shelf till the following season.   Never used detergent on my canvas tents either.   Broom off the dried debris, hose off the rest and then let dry.   Easy as that. 

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Looking good Ghost!!!!