Quality silnylon is $11.50 per yard from Seattle Fabric. You'll need about nine yards for your project. That alone is about $100; add any reasonable labor charge for sewing and you are well over $80. As in anything else, you get what you pay for; cheap crap comes cheap and good stuff generally costs. This sounds like a "bite the bullet" situation.
The lightest, cheapest tarp you can get is plastic, 6mm - 10mm, using pebble wrap tie off points. Won't last long but you can get a trip or two out of it if you're careful, and it's waterproof.
You can do it cheaper... by getting factory seconds of silnylon from OWFINC or Seattle Fabrics, $6-7/yard if they have any, and sewing it yourself. Silnylon isn't just nylon. It's treated with silicon. It's about the cheapest option you can get without going heavier. You can go lighter but it will cost you more, unless you're ready to settle for the cheap flimsy plastic approach.
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"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few." Shunryu Suzuki
Frankly I am amazed that some of the cottage gear makers sell their tarps at so low a price. Someone selling a silnylon tarp for less than $60 is probably losing money on it. As others have shown, silnylon is not cheap. I have found it at walmart for $1.50 a yard, but that is very, very rare. I should probably add another "very" to that. And, I had to sew it myself. On a few occasions, I had to siliconize it myself as well.
You can also tape together a tyvek tarp with homewrap and tyvek tape. You can get the homewrap from building scraps for free, and buy the tape for $10. No sewing required.
Edited by finallyME (02/16/1102:07 PM)
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Silnylon at NoahLamport.com I beleive is still under 4.00 a yard 10 yrd min. order 5.00 cut fee. Cheapest found anywhere. But figure your time for something and it is a no brainer! I am going to make a sil tarp as I am off in the winter and have the time and material. I want to use the fabric up! Chepest tarp would be a blue 10x 12 at fleeter for about 6 bucks. Weighs in at about 4 pounds though. If ya have a huskie dog going along to carry it hey why not! Just kidding! You pay for light weight if you make it yourself or buy it outright. Kelty , has a decent tarp for around 70.00 I doubt you could do better for the coin? Bye the way folks, Noah Lamport doesnt have online sales, you must phone order. However, they ship promptly, and product is excellent quality!
Registered: 01/04/02
Posts: 1228
Loc: Eastern MA, USA
If I had time, I'd consider helping you out. Life and the job gets in the way of what I WANT to do. May I suggest that you NOT look for grommets for your silnylon tarp, but other forms of tie-out points such as sewn-on gros-grain ribbon or even self-fabric loops? Grommets add more weight and have a tendendy to rip or pop out. Most of the professional stuff I see appear to go this route.
You could see if Dave at owareusa.com has any blems or slightly used/demo tarps for sale.
I'd go with OES if you have the time. Brian does an excellent job. My 3 season tarp is his MacCat Deluxe. If you want extra tie outs, he'll charge a few bucks for it, but you can get the configuration you want, including side panel tie outs if you want them. I suggest it because you wanted grommets, which he doesn't do - he sews on grosgrain/ribbon and adds D rings.
JRB does excellent work too. So do any of the hammock guys - Warbonnet sells tarps.
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"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few." Shunryu Suzuki
Yes Grossgrain Ribbon makes excellent tie outs/ I made a ripstop tarp for my mini popup camper. I used grommits andthey have given me trouble. Sil tarp shall Have grosgrain tieouts.
Registered: 05/06/03
Posts: 126
Loc: Lynchburg, VA
I surfed across this tarp on ebay just after I read your post. Not sure it is what you want but I am passing it along just in case - note that it is 10x10 and free shipping.
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