DIY Pack rain cover/tarp

[realunlucky]

Subscribed tell your wife thanks looking forward to this

 

[Manosteel]

Way cool man!

Any updates as far as maybe adding a square of fabric stitched on 3 sides to stuff it all into?

Not sure what you are asking. for the four sides she folded the edges over 1/4 inch to give her a nice edge and then she folded it over another 2.5 inches to give her the draw string flap. For the four conners she folded each conner toward the center about 2.5 inches and tached it down with glue and then she began sewing the sides.

Here are some pics of the conners and sides on tester material we tried first.

 

[Daniel_M]

Guess I was vague. What I meant was adding a piece of fabric to act as a stuff sack thats sewed onto the tarp/rain cover. Rather than balling it all up when not in use.

 

[Manosteel]

Guess I was vague. What I meant was adding a piece of fabric to act as a stuff sack thats sewed onto the tarp/rain cover. Rather than balling it all up when not in use.

lol, yeah that is a great idea and easy to do and I thought of it after we were all done and I was playing with it If I did another one, sewing a stuff sack on one side conner would be easy ( I could add one now) it would just need to be a piece of material about 5 inches wide and 9-1/4 inces long. sew one 5 inch side to the rain cover/tarp fold the long side up so it is just below the edge of the rain cover tarp and sew up each side.

 

[Manosteel]

If you have any questions about the process or what we used. please post them here or PM me, that way we can try and answer them on the video or make sure we go over them.

Here are a couple examples of some of the questions another member asked me;

are you cutting out patterns first then using those for your actual product?
This is a lot of material. How do you cut straight with this much material to make sure things are staying square?
Got a link to a decent but inexpensive sewing machine?
What thread is being used to sew with?

 

[todd kelly]

That is bad ass! When I read the title I have to admit I thought to myself why go through the hassle when you can just buy one for $25-$35 but now I see why! very cool.

 

[Hardstalk]

My question is. How much to make me one? kifaru Supertarp size?

 

[realunlucky]

How about little info on stitch used? Straight or zig zag how about length for best strength? What about the glue and just a few pointers on it? Thanks

 

[Hardstalk]

Could the stuff sack double as a hood and it would be an emergency poncho as well?

Making it a shelter/pack cover/tarp around 7-10oz max?

 

[Manosteel]

My question is. How much to make me one? kifaru Supertarp size?

Everything you see in the pictures, plus kifaru sized mega tarp 9x11 ft, 3 kifaru type meat baggies were all made using
(1) We went to Fabric Land (wife has a membership which gives her huge discounts) but you can get most of this stuff at Walmart.
(2) PU coated ripstop Silynylon material on sale = $3 a meter (1 yard) they come in 54" wide bolts. Bought 4 meters ($15)
(3) zipers, various lengths, about $2 to $3 each. got 2 x 16"; 2 x 14"; 2 x 8" ($10)
(4) multipurpose utility cord 4mm thick - had lots of extra laying around. (nothing)
(5) spring pull cord button? (don't know what its called) $2 for 6. ($2)
(6) strap webbing $3 for 6ft ($3)
(7) Fabric Glue (wife had lots)
(8) scrape cotten fabric to make a tester (wife had lots)

Total spent on materials $30.00

My wife sews something or other every year so we have lots of odds and ends lying around. extra zippers and bunger cord locks etc.. so maybe a little more but not much.

 

[Manosteel]

Could the stuff sack double as a hood and it would be an emergency poncho as well?

Making it a shelter/pack cover/tarp around 7-10oz max?

it could but Im not sure how good it would be since most poncho's I have seen have the hood & hood hole in the middle of the material. If a person did some thinking about it, it wouldn't be too hard. The simplest solution would be to make the stuff sack big enough for you head (sew a triangle type pattern) and use the draw string on the cover/tarp to compress it down for packing.

 

[Clarktar]

Anyway to get more detailed plans or instructions for the raincover/ tarp? I have a mother in law who is willing, but I have no idea what to tell her

 

[mireland62887]

Anyway to get more detailed plans or instructions for the raincover/ tarp? I have a mother in law who is willing, but I have no idea what to tell her

I made one a few days ago with some leftover ripstop nylon. I just winged it based on the photos, and it turned out perfect.

I cut each corner out a couple of inches, then just folded over each edge about an inch and went to work. Nothing super fancy...at all, and super easy. I laced 550 cord through the whole thing. Took, literally, about 10 minutes. If she knows how to sew (I certainly don't!!!), then I don't think she'll have any problem at all. Just show here the photos from this thread.

 

[colonel00]

Yep, this is on my list too. Just need to find a decent source for silnylon. I keep checking the Walmarts that carry fabric but I have only found the white plain ripstop that I am learning to make pullouts on.

 

[Clarktar]

Colonel, if you do make this, will you video tape what you do?

 

[colonel00]

I can try to do that but I think Manosteel lays it out pretty clear. Just figure out the dimensions you want and then add a good 2.75-3" to the dimensions for the cord flap. Cut off the corners a little on all 4 corners and then fold in the edges and sew a cord channel.

 

[Clarktar]

Yep, I now understand. Sorry, had to read it a few times...

 

[colonel00]

For what it's worth, do this with a piece of paper and it will make much more sense.

 

[Clarktar]

ok. thanks.

 

[bobhunts]

Now what sewing machine to get??Bob.