View Full Version : mason's string for a tent
is mason's string strong enough for guylines on a non-freestanding tent rainfly??? if the 170lb working strength isn't enough, how much should i get?
SGT Rock
03-15-2009, 19:08
I use it for my tarps. Worked for me through hundreds of miles. Get the braided though.
fiddlehead
03-15-2009, 19:51
Yep! I've had it on my sil shelter for years now.
Been set up in some big wind storms to. It has held up great.
mine says 'twisted nylon mason's string'... should i assume twisted and braided are synonymous? and should i plan to burn/melt the ends when i cut em to prevent fraying?
mine says 'twisted nylon mason's string'... should i assume twisted and braided are synonymous? and should i plan to burn/melt the ends when i cut em to prevent fraying?
Yes and no. I'm pretty sure twisted and braided are different, particularly since Sgt Rock specified braided. I have twisted, and though it's plenty strong, it tangles into a useless mass pdq. But then, I'm a clutz with ropes, strings, hoses, etc., so I like nice stiff orange line like Ed Speer gives you.
And yes, melt the ends.
twisted is twisted and braided is braided. braided is stronger than twisted and costs a little more.
Feral Bill
03-15-2009, 21:01
Cord made for window blinds would be similar. I haven't tried it, though, except on our blinds.
SGT Rock
03-15-2009, 21:02
I tried twisted, tended to get funky even after melting the ends a little. Braided doesn't have the problems. I don't know that it stronger, could be.
SGT Rock
03-15-2009, 21:03
The add quote:
Why braided?
Because the twine is braided, it doesn’t come apart even after multiple unwindings. It is perfect for large jobs and everyday use. 18-gauge line with an approximate tensile strength of 155 pounds.
CrumbSnatcher
03-15-2009, 21:07
i have been a bricklayer for 19 years. i have never heard of anyone using it as rope for thier food bags or thier shelter. if it works good then great! but at work we replace the lines often and always roll up the line at the end of the day, especially if theres a chance of rain. when the line(WE ONLY USE BRAIDED)gets wet it has a great chance of snapping. we put alot of tension on the line between speed leads and its very dangerous when the line does snap. we do pull it alot tighter than you ever would in the woods. but in my line of work using a wet line is a big no-no. be safe and like i said if its working for you then great.
SGT Rock
03-15-2009, 21:11
i have been a bricklayer for 19 years. i have never heard of anyone using it as rope for thier food bags or thier shelter. if it works good then great! but at work we replace the lines often and always roll up the line at the end of the day, especially if theres a chance of rain. when the line(WE ONLY USE BRAIDED)gets wet it has a great chance of snapping. we put alot of tension on the line between speed leads and its very dangerous when the line does snap. we do pull it alot tighter than you ever would in the woods. but in my line of work using a wet line is a big no-no. be safe and like i said if its working for you then great. Good to know. I think this is the truth on ANY line. I've not broken it yet, but I doubt I have come close to stressing it to 150 lbs on one line.
SGT Rock
03-15-2009, 21:25
I did a Google Search:
Myth # 15: Rope strength can be determined by looking at the manufacturer’s documents.
NO! Rope strength includes the calculation of 3 factors every time a rope is used.
Knots! A knot will reduce the strength of your rigging by approximately 1/3 of the rope‘s strength.http://www.onrope1.com/images/cleaningR1.jpg
Wet/Dry! Nylon rope will lose 15% of its strength when wet. Polyester loses no strength when wet.
Age! A rope loses about 2% of its strength per year even when it is kept in a like-new condition , even if it has never been used.
These three are allotted for when using the 10 to 1 safety margin. Unless any of the three are excessive, i.e. a 20 year old wet rope with an overhand knot (50-55% efficiency) can push a rope beyond its life support abilities.
( -40% age- 15% wet, -45% knot) = 0 strength.
http://www.onrope1.com/Myth15.htm
hmm. i would've guessed nylon would hold up better wet considering that's what most tent flies are made out of
Feral Bill
03-16-2009, 00:43
hmm. i would've guessed nylon would hold up better wet considering that's what most tent flies are made out of
I do not know why tent makers still use nylon for flies. Polyester is only slightly heavier, does not stretch wet or dry, and is vastly more UV resistant.
On boats, almost all lines are polyester, except for horribly expensive spectra stuff. Anchor lines and tow lines, which you want to stretch, are the main exceptions.
I guess I should check West Marine for very light line suitable for guys on tents.
sounds like a tent or tarp company should patent making flies out of poly and make some dough! any tarps out there made of poly?
mister krabs
03-16-2009, 12:17
alps mountaineering uses poly for their tent flys.
sweet. wonder if i can order just a fly from them to use w/ a bugnet
is mason's string strong enough for guylines on a non-freestanding tent rainfly??? if the 170lb working strength isn't enough, how much should i get?
http://mysite.verizon.net/restoq6v/id4.html - this 250lb test is an alternative - might give you some ideas.
McKeever
03-19-2009, 22:00
Masons line is an interesting thought for tent/tarp lines, however, I dismissed using it a long time ago in favor of 2mm mountaineering cord because it is braided, does not have a core, does not stretch, and does not rot or break. I have recently replaced w/ultra light triptease.
Has anyone compared weight (not strength) of masons line to 2mm?
BTW- Triptease has a breaking strength of 188 lbs.
Cannibal
03-20-2009, 17:39
sounds like a tent or tarp company should patent making flies out of poly and make some dough! any tarps out there made of poly?
Spinntex is a poly fabric impregnated with silicone. Lighter than sil, no moisture pass thru, and it doesn't stretch. Thru-hiker sells it; ain't cheap. Brian at OES is making Spinn versions of the MacCats. I've got one I picked up half way thru my AT hike last year; fantastic tarp, can't say enough good about it!
I've used mason line on my tarps for two years now and zero problems.
boarstone
03-21-2009, 16:49
I use it hammock camping, fly tie down, bug net ridge line, general overall use for anything. Can't go wrong w/it. Get a bright color so you can see the lines. :D
sheepdog
03-21-2009, 22:42
If you use it for bear bagging you just about have to have gloves or wrap it around a stick. That stuff cuts into your hands if you are pulling any kind of resistance.
I do not know why tent makers still use nylon for flies. Polyester is only slightly heavier, does not stretch wet or dry, and is vastly more UV resistant.
On boats, almost all lines are polyester, except for horribly expensive spectra stuff. Anchor lines and tow lines, which you want to stretch, are the main exceptions.
I guess I should check West Marine for very light line suitable for guys on tents.
A good quality nylon product is stronger, pound for pound, than polyester (when new) and so can be made lighter without as much of a loss of durability. Ship lines spend a lot of time in the sunlight, so it's more important to have them made of a more uv resistant material. Backpacking tents aren't designed for being set up days on end, so most manufacturers (selling to the U.S. market) use nylon - again, because it's lighter. Some four season tents have the coating (with a uv inhibitor added) on the outside of the nylon fly for the best of both worlds - lighter and uv resistant. Polyester's claim to fame otherwise is that it doesn't absorb as much water as nylon per weight and doesn't stretch when wet.
Spinntex is a poly fabric impregnated with silicone. Lighter than sil, no moisture pass thru, and it doesn't stretch. Thru-hiker sells it; ain't cheap. Brian at OES is making Spinn versions of the MacCats. I've got one I picked up half way thru my AT hike last year; fantastic tarp, can't say enough good about it!
I've used mason line on my tarps for two years now and zero problems.
I recently bought one of Brian's Spinnaker MacCat tarps but haven't had a chance to use it. I set it up and tied on some spectra lines, which don't stretch, don't absorb much water, and have much more abrasion resistance than nylon lines (I guess that would include mason's line). Mason's line is, however, MUCH less expensive and probably holds more different kinds of knots better. I've only used the twisted version, and only for laying brick patios and can say that it doesn't hold up well to brick edges (not that you'll find many bricks in the backcountry :D).
If you use it for bear bagging you just about have to have gloves or wrap it around a stick. That stuff cuts into your hands if you are pulling any kind of resistance.
Worse yet, it cuts into tree bark, leaving the branches susceptible to disease (as well as cutting off water supply to the limb from the cut to the tip, causing it to die).
A lot of folks are opting to use the flat braided Spectra lines available for that purpose. Next time you throw a line over a branch, notice how many trees have damaged limbs around a campsite vs. those farther away.
brooklynkayak
03-23-2009, 18:41
is mason's string strong enough for guylines on a non-freestanding tent rainfly??? if the 170lb working strength isn't enough, how much should i get?
If you ever notice what it goes through on construction sites?
it will definitely hold up.