New tarptent!

Posted by: frenchie

New tarptent! - 05/11/08 02:35 PM

There it is, the Original Orangina tarptent!

I tried it this weekend, on two perfect, cool and dry nights.

Very Lunar solo type, but customized in size.







The apex part is mosquito net, with some kind of "hood" that can be open, or velcroed on.




It's tiny, but big enough to sleep, sit and stack gear inside, with a wide vestibule.
And very lightweight <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I'll post specs when I have them translated for non-metric people....
Posted by: Heber

Re: New tarptent! - 05/11/08 03:13 PM

Wow! Super impressive! What kind of material did you make the floor from?
Posted by: Trailrunner

Re: New tarptent! - 05/11/08 04:56 PM

Very nice. I wish my Lunar Solo had a top vent like that.
Posted by: bigfoot2

Re: New tarptent! - 05/11/08 05:52 PM

Very cool, Frenchie! That's one sweet tent you got there! When are you going to mass produce it? I love the color, too. Orange is my favorite for safety reasons. Keep up the good work!

BF <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />
Posted by: HIKNMIK

Re: New tarptent! - 05/11/08 07:26 PM

Man check out those stitchs!
Very clean and straight.
A-1 job, good looking tent.

Mike
Posted by: frenchie

Re: New tarptent! - 05/11/08 11:49 PM

2 oz PU nylon. No need for a foot print, but I often put a small piece of plastic sheet like garbage bag for more protection, under the sleeping area
Canopy is some kind of siliconised spinnaker, the kind used for traction kites or parachutes (a guess, I bought some out of stock fabric for next to nothing...) It's a slight bit stiff, with no elasticity (the reason for rubber loops before guylines), and very waterproof: when water is pressed on it, it doesn't come through, like on silnylon. I have no idea of the weight for this stuff, but it was a pleasure to work with, not slippery at all, with a good density.

For the enclosed "room":
Length : 77 in (195 cm)
Width : 36 in (93 cm) for the wider part, tappering to 24 in (60 cm) on both sides
The floor form "walls" that are 10 in (25 cm) high, with the last 2 in (5 cm) netting, on all 4 sides.
Total height is 47 in (120 cm)
Vestibule is 31 in (80 cm) wide, and can be left completely open (like in Lunar Solo), with the guyline fitted.
Needs 6 stakes.
The "trial" pole was a 10 mm aluminium tube, but far too flexible.
Total weight with this pole and stakes (TI, but many extras in the stake bag!) was 27,5 ounces.
When I fix a carbone pole (another project, since I do not always carry hiking poles), there will not be a vast difference in weight
Posted by: Franco

Re: New tarptent! - 05/12/08 04:45 PM

Very nice indeed. I didn't know that anyone was making light weight shelters in France...
Love those vents and that large vestibule.Possibly the best DIY tent project I have seen .
(the rear view, vent/shock cord hoops and colour is almost identical to the Luxe Mini Peak,a pyramid tent.
Do you have the Lunar Solo ?
.
Should work for a person up to around 175cm , correct ?
Franco

Posted by: TomD

Re: New tarptent! - 05/12/08 06:27 PM

Really nice Frenchie! How does the color work out for you? I would think it might be a bit much for some people. Not from the outside, but from the inside. The vent treatment is very interesting.
Posted by: frenchie

Re: New tarptent! - 05/13/08 01:43 AM

Lightweight gear is going in France, UK, Germany, Poland, Russia, Scandinavian countries, too. Not many commercial makers, yet, and they are more geared to raid/race than backpacking. Some people I know started a small business, but it starts slowly, as they have to import most of the material, and price of labour is high.
There is a community of DIY addicts like me <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />, "working" on the Web.

This tarptent was designed to be as simple as possible:
1- single pole,
2- canopy cut in one piece in the width of the fabric I had (less stiching),
3- only 6 stakes, no extra guylines.
It's the second tent I make like that, but the first one, still OK, I find too "big on the ground", for setting in small spots.
I have spent hours scanning the Net eagerly for pictures of tents, tarps and tarptents (but I actually started making tents and other stuff more than 20 years ago <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />), and I'm somehow the kind of person that only have to look at things to know how they are made, so I picked up a lot of ideas, and made models.

Unfortunatly, this tarptent is probably too short for a larger person: the walls are not high enough, risk of contact at the foot end of sleeping bag, limited headroom...
As I said, it was custom made (but the dimensions can be adapted...)
Posted by: frenchie

Re: New tarptent! - 05/13/08 01:47 AM

I spent too little time inside to be bothered by the color! it was lovely at sunrise.
I guess it will be nice if I'm stuck indoors for long hours of bad weather.
If I don't stand it, all I have to do is to hide my face into the bandanna or the balaclava <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />!
Posted by: Franco

Re: New tarptent! - 05/13/08 05:27 PM

Thanks Frenchie.
I would be interested to find out how that fabric performs in the medium/long term ,as an alternative to silnylon would be welcomed. If you have experienced single wall silnylon tents, also your opinion about how your material handles condensation will be appreciated.
(I also think that yellow or orange are nice colours on a rainy day.)
Franco
Posted by: Erik

Re: New tarptent! - 05/16/08 11:20 AM

Very nice job on that tent!! Would you be posting instructions for this project by any chance?
Posted by: movingmountain

Re: New tarptent! - 05/16/08 09:13 PM

That is a really nice looking shelter. Good job!
Posted by: drow42

Re: New tarptent! - 05/17/08 03:23 PM

Count me impressed. NIce work.
Posted by: Johnny_Swank

Excellent Work - 05/19/08 10:50 AM

No way am I showing my tarptent after seeing yours! Fantastic work!
Posted by: captn

Re: Excellent Work - 05/21/08 06:35 AM

You don't happen to have a pattern, do you?
Posted by: phat

Re: New tarptent! - 05/21/08 09:34 AM


Sweet looking DIY lunar solo type! I second or third or nth the call for pattern <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Posted by: Franco

Re: New tarptent! - 05/21/08 07:43 PM

Better still for people like me, make a 1:1 model.
Franco
Posted by: frenchie

Re: Excellent Work - 05/22/08 11:01 AM

Pattern (with adaptive measurement for the tall ones, possibly ) will certainly come, and construction tips, when :
1- I'm done with an overload of work (worst part of schoolyear at the moment)...
2- I have done the necessary translation job!

What kind of software can be used for patterns?
Easy one, as I'm not an expert, working with a pencil is more "natural" to me, lots easier and faster.. .
Posted by: captn

Re: Excellent Work - 05/22/08 01:35 PM

Google Sketch is easy to use and it's FREE!
Posted by: phat

Re: Excellent Work - 05/22/08 05:59 PM

Quote:

2- I have done the necessary translation job!


Postez les instructions en francais! Dommage pour les Americains <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Posted by: leadfoot

Re: Excellent Work - 05/23/08 04:11 AM

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
Posted by: jonnycat

Re: Excellent Work - 05/30/08 06:33 PM

Quote:

Easy one, as I'm not an expert, working with a pencil is more "natural" to me, lots easier and faster.. .


I'm the same way; my TT was made on my desk with a pencil, paper, ruler, and a calculator (well, the design, anyway).

If you have a scanner, that is all most of us would really need....
Posted by: Earthling

Re: Excellent Work - 05/30/08 08:41 PM

Looks like you have added some nice features from all of the examples you found online <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> I'd be interested to see some photos with you laying inside, standing next to it, and inside a sleeping bag in it for reference of size if you can take more photos.

Maybe someone here can help you with a computer program to give the pattern 'life'. If you want to contribute this to the front page DIY column of projects I'm sure Packlite/Charles would be glad to have it there too <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

You did a great job for not being a professional tent maker Frenchie! Maybe you should consider a change of profession? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />
Posted by: frenchie

Re: Excellent Work - 06/08/08 12:23 PM

Easy (and fun) to use, yes, but how can I send files?
I'm still looking for a way ..
Posted by: DTape

Re: Excellent Work - 06/08/08 03:22 PM

you could use a free file sharing site maybe? Like http://www.4shared.com/

note: I have never used the aforementioned site, it is just an example.
Posted by: frenchie

Re: New tarptent! - 06/10/08 08:10 AM

Here is my first delivery:

interieurenglish.skp (upload by Uplofile)

Measurements and some patterns and tips will follow.
Posted by: Niles

Re: New tarptent! - 09/14/08 04:40 PM

Hey, I just stumbled on to this thread. Way to go Frenchie, that is one spectacular tent!

I downloaded the sketchup model...thanks for that. Do you have any more info to share? Specifically I've got two questions: did you say that you made the walls from one continuous panel of fabric, or is it a few triangles sewn together? and how did you secure the door closed?

Really excellent job! Sorry to resurrect an old thread.
Posted by: frenchie

Re: New tarptent! - 09/15/08 11:06 AM

Yes, sides and back panels in one piece. Fabric was 62 in. wide, the right mesurement for my plans. But separate panels structure is no problem.
The inner mesh door has a L-shaped 2 ways zip, and is secured by 2 short pieces of soft webbing (knot),for the vestibule doors a one way zip that stops about half way down, several strips of velcro for the bottom part, and a velcro loop to keep it rolled open. The vestibule can be completely opened.