Tipi Build

[Jonathan_S]

What stitches did you use?  Why would you do silnylon versus silpoly?  I'm very close to selecting silpoly for my build.  What do you think would've happened if you'd used say... 6 panels instead of 8?  Would that help with weight and eliminate as much seam sealing?  Have you considered making a bathtub floor with noseeum mesh to hang on the inside?  Did you consider a vent at the peak?  How did you determine your pole diameter and who did you buy that from?

Thanks in advance...

I'm thinking of starting with a bigger one (like 6 person and stove jack) and then seeing how I can do on a small 3 man equivalent and keep weight down...

Stitches... Flat felled or a "faux flat felled" seam. That is when I just join them with a 3/8" allowance, flip and stitch through three layers. Silnylon is slightly more puncture resistant, but it does stretch when wet. Goes back when dry but for wet weather stuff, silpoly is probably overall better. Silpoly is also not quite as tear resistant. However, nothing I do is going to come anywhere near redlining the fabrics capability. As for puncture resistance, just keep it away from sharp sticks haha. I am about to make a tarp and new tipi from silpoly so pm me if you want feedback in like a week or two. 6 panels at this width of fabric would be tiny. Might sleep one with gear and would be cramped.  The one pictured is 7. Each panel adds quite a bit of functional size without adding more than a couple ounces of weight. I am building a bug nest next week but I don't think they are necessary. Just spray the bottom edge with permethrin and pitch close to the ground. I don't get bugs at all doing that. Pole diameter, I just guessed. I got mine from tentpoletechnologies.com and I got ".625 in the 18" sections. Super lightweight and strong 7075 aluminum.

[mburrows]

That looks awesome, well done

[Jonathan_S]

I have been looking at building a 6-8 man, mostly for car and base camping.  I like the ideas of sodcloth and peak vents, but I think I will go with an open floor, and maybe some zip-in noseeum door panels.   But I won't be packing that on my back.

I'd figure for lightweight, less panels means less seams, which means less pack weight. 

Seek Outside and Kifaru sites are remarkably helpful in listing their specs and flooplans.

Rockywoodz fabrics sells the perfect 70D fabric for that big of a tent! The whole thing would probably weigh 13-15# but you would have a great big tent with a lot of features. Yes an eyebrow vent is definitely going into my next tipi build. Not because of condensation but so when I crank the stove up to max capacity, I can hang clothes to dry and let it vent too so I don't burn the biotch down

[Karl Blanchard]

I swear I will take pics of the badger hole on my next outing.     It's pretty gangster!

[Jonathan_S]

the badger hole is only as gangster as its owner... Which means it is pretty dang gangster 

[luvmystang67]

The badger hole looks like it might get fairly toasty....

One last question... did you have anything special to cut the fabric?  Any advice for cutting straight lines... sewing straight lines... and keeping two pieces of fabric together when sewing?

[Karl Blanchard]

Home made stove to boot!  Get some coals going and she will simmer for hours.  You can roast yourself out pretty fast though.  Got it as hot as I think you could get it and we didn't melt anything   screwed up cutting the hole for the pipe, so really thought we were gonna torch it

[Jonathan_S]

The badger hole looks like it might get fairly toasty....

One last question... did you have anything special to cut the fabric?  Any advice for cutting straight lines... sewing straight lines... and keeping two pieces of fabric together when sewing?

Just take your time marking straight lines with chalk line or whatever straightedge you use. Sharp scissors are more than enough and just take your time. Seeing straight just takes a little time and practice. Since this material stretches a bit then don't fret too much over straight seams. As far as holding it together. Pins, binder clips or just good old fingertips work well. I just pinch them together myself

[Boss .300 winmag]

Here is the new one that I built and like Coop said, they are apparently bear proof

I really like this one, how much?

[jasnt]

I didn't even get the pole. I just cut a pole when I get to camp. Less to pack. I like it bottom less cause of I can control ventilation with my stakes and ties

[Jonathan_S]

I didn't even get the pole. I just cut a pole when I get to camp. Less to pack. I like it bottom less cause of I can control ventilation with my stakes and ties

Nice, yeah that Cordura top cone can really take a beating. Like I said before, if you want to add another zipper, let me know 

[bulldogs40]

Those things are pretty sweet. I need a sewing machine.

[jasnt]

I didn't even get the pole. I just cut a pole when I get to camp. Less to pack. I like it bottom less cause of I can control ventilation with my stakes and ties

Nice, yeah that Cordura top cone can really take a beating. Like I said before, if you want to add another zipper, let me know 

ya a taller zipper would help me out a bit. I'm 6'1" so any time I don't need to crawl in is great. But it's not that bad now. 12 more inches would be awesome though

[Jonathan_S]

I didn't even get the pole. I just cut a pole when I get to camp. Less to pack. I like it bottom less cause of I can control ventilation with my stakes and ties

Nice, yeah that Cordura top cone can really take a beating. Like I said before, if you want to add another zipper, let me know 

ya a taller zipper would help me out a bit. I'm 6'1" so any time I don't need to crawl in is great. But it's not that bad now. 12 more inches would be awesome though

PM me when you want it replaced 

[luvmystang67]

I got out my financee's sewing machine last night and got acquainted.  First step is to make a couple of small zippered gear pouches out of silnylon.  I sewed some socks shut last night.  Looking for things in order of complexity to build up to making my Tipi.  Also, I think I want to make a small backpacking Tipi and a larger more base-campy stype Tipi.  It seems like I should start with a small one, but any advice here?

Any advice on stitch selection on the machine?

Here's what I'm rockin...

https://www.amazon.com/Singer-CG590-Commercial-Sewing-Machine/dp/B002NR6SXQ