Tarp Tent, how would you have it?

[Bearbonesnorm]

Looks good Ray ... is that level an ultralite one and does it fold up for packing ?

[Ray Young]

When I was out at work tonight I realized that I can't do just vent covers as I want the wheels outside of the tarp. Reading what 99% say's about not needing large covers and having more internal space than i thought i'd have means I can still reduce the size of the overhangs though. It is built around 29er wheels and is cut to my length with some added on for a pillow and footroom. Indeed, so spacious are the internals that I have decided not to call it a tarptent, tis a "Tarptardis" or "Tarpdis" for short. Which brings me on to Stu's question. No, it is full size spirit level that does not fold and will be utilised in the attainment of the perfect pitch, however, due to the very nature of tarpdis's (tarpdie?) any item placed within them does not in fact, actually travel along with us in our dimension. In effect, it will have no measurable weight, length, width, height etc etc .

[Cheeky Monkey]

I thought you were sewing it, not using glue

[Ray Young]

This thing is now doing my head in, curves are a real pain to work with. I may take a break tomorrow and do what i'm supposed to be doing, decorating the bedroom. Then again, I might not, still got at least 3 days I can do that in!
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doingmyheadin_0012

[pushbikemike]

This thing is now doing my head in, curves are a real pain to work with. I may take a break tomorrow and do what i'm supposed to be doing, decorating the bedroom. Then again, I might not, still got at least 3 days I can do that in!
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doingmyheadin_0012

Any updates Ray? I've been following this with interest. And did you get the bathroom done yet?

[Ray Young]

Painting half finished. Took a break from the tarpdis. Need to get it outside and pegged out properly so I can mark some lines that need sewing, maybe do that tomorrow.

[Ray Young]

Today I managed to get it outside and pegged it out so I could mark a few points on it for further sewing and I must say that I am now much happier than I was as it looks far better than it had done indoors. This spurred me on to finish the sewing today, so apart from adding the guylines, sealing the seams and putting the bugnet in the door it is finished. You will have to wait until thursday to see it in all it's glory as I am taking it out to the Pentland Hills tomorrow night to christen it.
11 x 3 1/2"

750gm inc. pegs, pole and guylines.

[Davesmate]

That looks brilliant. Is this just going to be a one off for yourself or are you thinking of going into production? I'd buy one!

[Ray Young]

One off at the moment. I thought this was a pretty simple design but having had very little experience of using a sewing machine I found it quite difficult and at times very frustrating :? . If i'd known I would have done a few more basic projects first and built up to this. My machining is functional but I must say that some of it is far from pretty . Full story on thursday.

[pushbikemike]

You will have to wait until thursday to see it in all it's glory as I am taking it out to the Pentland Hills tomorrow night to christen it

Tonight is the night Ray. :) It's been a cracking day weather wise today. Hopefully you'll get good weather overnight. Looking for ward to the write up.
mike

[pushbikemike]

One off at the moment. I thought this was a pretty simple design but having had very little experience of using a sewing machine I found it quite difficult and at times very frustrating :? . If i'd known I would have done a few more basic projects first and built up to this. My machining is functional but I must say that some of it is far from pretty .

I made a a bivi bag out of pertex. That was hard enough for me. Found the curves pretty tricky. And my machining is very functional. Felt chuffed when i finished it and slept out in it last week. :D

[MM-on-POINT]

Show us your bivi bag pushbikemike please, i have a bivi bag ideal in mind and would love to see some myog ones.
Well done ray i am glad to see you have finished it, i have been watching your thread closely and cant wait to see it in use.
Good luck tomo night

[pushbikemike]

Show us your bivi bag pushbikemike please, i have a bivi bag ideal in mind and would love to see some myog ones.

MYOG Bivi bag by pushbikemike, on Flickr

Not the best photo. I have plans to add bug mesh at the opening. All pertex so not waterproof. More of a sleeping bag cover. Very breathable. Cost me £10 in material. Weighs in at 200g. 240cm long and 90cm wide. My winter sleeping bag fits in easy.

If i was doing it again i would make a bathtub base with other material that is more waterproof.

[MM-on-POINT]

Thanks pushbikemike.

[Ray Young]

Well I got out into The Pentland Hills last night to christen "The Tarpdis" but didn't ride too far as I only had a couple of hours daylight and I wanted a full hour of light to set it up as I needed to add guylines, adjust their length and find the best angle to place them. I decided on Clubbiedean reservoir which is a nice spot with a bit of offroading to get there and an easy journey back home if it all went wrong. The guylines pictured are not the ones that I will be using as I changed them all in the morning for lightweight stuff cut to the right lengths. I used 4 alloy v pegs for the main tensioning guys, 4 alpkit ti pins to peg out the corners, 1 ti pin for the rear guy and 3 ti pins for the porch bit. Sounds like a lot but you could get away without the rear guy unless it's blowing a gale and you only need the porch ones if you intend using the porch which I want to so i can sit up and cook under it if it's raining. I have since realized that you could use the bike frame to tie out at least one if not two porch guys.The pole pictured is about 90cm long and is too short as my head touches the porch when I sit under it, one about 110-120cm should do the trick.
Once it was all set up and tensioned the best I could get it I realized that the door inserts were a little slack so I will re-sew these so they are tight. A couple of the corners were also a little slack but there's not much I can do about these without drastic surgery, but they're not so slack as to be a concern. I think that with practice I will get it up with less slack in the future.
When it was up I realized that the bits that come over the wheels should have extended further around the wheels as this would help a lot with getting the tension right.
It was stable and remained taught all night but the conditions were hardly taxing, no wind and no rain.
Closed up.

Open Porch.

Rear View.


Someone asked me for measurements, it is 210cm long, my height plus some for headroom, footroom. The base is 1m wide and then 2m over the wheel plus some for overlap. I bought 10m of 1.5m wide 2oz waterproof nylon which cost £30 plus £10 delivery, I still have 2m left. The width supplied is actualy more than 1.5m so when i sewed two bits together it game me the 3m i needed plus some for sewing seams and still enough for the overlap along the bottom of the door.


The flare gives loads of room inside, i think you could bring the sides straight down and still have room to sleep but maybe not storage.
If I was to do this again I think I would have gone for something without curves (a pentagon would work with guylines running over the wheels instead of fabric but would give less internal space) and smaller, differently placed vents.

So, am I happy with my Tarpdis, yes. Was it as easy to make as i imagined, most definatly not. Will I make another, in time, yes.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Superb job Ray ... well done :D

The ideas are so much easier than the execution aren't they

[Ray Young]

Cheers Stu and yes they are .

[gairym]

Brilliant fella - well done on getting the thing finished.

I'll bet it made the nights sleep all the more enjoyable!

[pushbikemike]

Looks great Ray. I have thoroughly enjoyed following this project from start to finish. Great write up. Hope to see it in the flesh so to speak.

[restlessshawn]

Looks good Ray, you have more patience than me. Wednesday night was a lovely night to be out.