View Full Version : Moment Questions
thelightinside
02-10-2011, 20:41
I just got my Tarptent Moment today and I've been drooling over it since I ripped open the box. I have a few questions though:
1) How much does the Tyvek groundsheet for it weigh? I can't find the info on the web site.
2) I know I need to seam seal it...(excuse my ignorance, but) what exactly do I need to do? I bought the silicone stuff from Tarptent...I don't want to ruin the thing before I even get to use it!
Thanks!
Red Beard
02-10-2011, 21:21
I just got my Tarptent Moment today and I've been drooling over it since I ripped open the box. I have a few questions though:
1) How much does the Tyvek groundsheet for it weigh? I can't find the info on the web site.
2) I know I need to seam seal it...(excuse my ignorance, but) what exactly do I need to do? I bought the silicone stuff from Tarptent...I don't want to ruin the thing before I even get to use it!
Thanks!
It's pretty easy to seam-seal. Just thin out the silicone that Henry sent you, with some paint thinner in a clean tuna can (or something similar), setup your tent outside, and then paint the seams to your heart's content. Here's a good example (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2doJ92EgTN4).
swamp dawg
02-10-2011, 21:25
I just seamed sealed my tent and its quite easy. Pitch your tent, outside on a warm day if possible because of the fumes, get a one to two inch paint brush. Mix some odorless mineral spirits and your silicone in a small can and paint the mixture on all the seams where the sewing machine has punched a hole. Mr. Shire has the ratio on his site which is 3 parts mineral spirits to 1 part silicone. Just take your time and be sure to cover all seams. I even did the seam on the inside the next day after the exterior was good and dry.
bigcranky
02-10-2011, 21:38
Make sure you take the tuna out of the can first....
In any case, seam sealing is pretty simple. Just make sure you mix the thinner and the silicone very well -- it'll take a while to get a smooth thin mixture (and when you start stirring you'll think it will never mix together.) Make sure the tent is taut, and even then I usually push down on the fabric with my free hand to make it even tighter as I seal each seam.
Make sure the sealant mixture doesn't spill out of the container onto your tent as you lean over to hit the top seam. (Ask me how I know this...:-? )
Henry's seam sealing instructions say use GE Silicone II caulk, thinned with mineral spirits in an empty mixing can, like a tuna can. You should be able to seal the Moment with about 2 tablespoons silicone caulk, mixed with approx 4 tablespoons mineral spirits. (2:1 ratio). Take your time mixing it, it will take a few minutes for the silicone to mix with the mineral spirits, it will finally look like a cloudy soupy mixture. Mix in more mineral spirits to thin, if it begins to get too thick while you are applying. You should also apply some strips of silicone mixture to the inside of the floor. I'ts easier to use one of those 1" wide foam brushes.
as far as the tyvek ground cloth, I have several tyvek ground cloths of different sizes. A Moment tyvek ground cloth probably weighs somewhere around 6 oz., I'm estimating.
Tyvek groundsheet...
I don't have one cut right now but I just weighed a piece of about that size (not shaped) and it is just under 4 oz.
BTW, seam sealing and temperature..
Silicone cures faster in high humiditynot higher temperature. That means you need to work with smaller blobs or do it faster (not reccomended...) .
On wet or high humidity days I tend to start with a higher dilution and add a few drops of mineral spirit and mix in as I go.
The idea is to penetrate the seams, not to coat them.
Franco
Consider painting big dots of seam sealer instead of stripes on
the floor; makes it easier to sweep out dirt later.
thelightinside
02-11-2011, 13:14
Thanks everyone. That video was helpful, Red Beard!
It is necessary to seal the inside of the seams as well as the outside? So I put some on the inside on the floor? There is the one seam running across the bottom but what are the dots (or stripes) for? And how will I know when it is dry enough to disassemble and store?
Sorry for all the questions; I just have no idea what I'm doing! :eek:
bigcranky
02-11-2011, 13:42
Seal the floor seam.
The dots or stripes are to keep your sleeping pad from sliding if you are on any sort of sloping ground (which is approximately 100% of the time unless you are on a platform.) I put perpendicular stripes on the bottom of my sleeping pad.
Red Beard
02-11-2011, 14:43
Thank Franco for the video, he's got all kinds of goodies like that on YouTube.
Thanks everyone. That video was helpful, Red Beard!
It is necessary to seal the inside of the seams as well as the outside? So I put some on the inside on the floor? There is the one seam running across the bottom but what are the dots (or stripes) for? And how will I know when it is dry enough to disassemble and store?
Sorry for all the questions; I just have no idea what I'm doing! :eek:
http://www.atsko.com/products/waterproofing/silicone-water-guard.html
After you seam seal your Moment you may want to mist proof it using the above aerosol spray. 2 light coats over the outside fabric 24 hours apart. Then leave it setup for 72 hours before using. Tarptent will answer any further questions on this.
I just got my Tarptent Moment today and I've been drooling over it since I ripped open the box. I have a few questions though:
1) How much does the Tyvek groundsheet for it weigh? I can't find the info on the web site.
2) I know I need to seam seal it...(excuse my ignorance, but) what exactly do I need to do? I bought the silicone stuff from Tarptent...I don't want to ruin the thing before I even get to use it!
Thanks!
"It is necessary to seal the inside of the seams as well as the outside? So I put some on the inside on the floor? There is the one seam running across the bottom but what are the dots (or stripes) for? And how will I know when it is dry enough to disassemble and store?"
Hi
No it isn't necessary to do the inside. I do it on mine but not for my Aussie customers..( I am with TT BTW...)
Yes do that seam on the floor. The dots are to give your mat a bit of a grip so that it does not slide all over the place. I stripe my mats too with the same silicone mix.
Most stripe the floor but to me the dots do the job and the floor is easier to clean that way.
It can take from about 8 hours to over 24 to be dry depending on the temp and humidity level. It will feel dry to touch.
Some sprinkle talcum powder over it but I never done that.
Franco
Odd Man Out
02-11-2011, 18:19
Make sure you take the tuna out of the can first....
But what if you want to attract bears?
thelightinside
02-13-2011, 23:03
Well, my weekend seam sealing project was a success! (Or at least an unapparent failure) No major incidents...plus I honed my painting skills. :)
Thanks for all of your help, everyone!
thelightinside
02-23-2011, 12:49
Okay another issue came up...I tested the Moment out last weekend and the condensation froze on the inside of the tent. When I went to pack it up in the morning, the ice of course clumped up into balls of "snow" inside. Is there anything I can do about this (besides turning the tent inside out and dumping it out)? I know Tarptent sells a liner for the condensation issue...is this worth the money and weight?