View Full Version : Seam sealing Cuben Fiber Tarp
Country Roads
07-10-2011, 20:21
Should be getting my Cuben Hammock tarp from Z-packs on Monday. I always use Silnet or the GE II silicone sealant thinned down with mineral spirits to seal my silnylon and spinnaker tarps. Question: Can I use the same procedure for Cuben? Does the mineral spirits harm the cuben fiber? I can't think of any reason it should, but the most dumb question is the one you didn't ask.
That's what I did and everything turned out ok. No problems.
joe will send you a tube of seam sealer to use with your tarp.
Country Roads
07-12-2011, 19:34
Thanks much for the reassurance. Despite delay by the USPS, I got my tarp Monday. I just dug out my mineral spirits and sponge paint brush. That Joe is an awesome dude! I did have a bit of silicone sealant, but the new tube he sent is all good.
Tonight is seam seal night! I will have time this weekend to rig it up the way I want it. I have a fishing trip planned with my Dad this coming weekend, but the next weekend will be the first trip using my new cuben tarp.
Huge coverage for so little weight.
EastCoastFeastCoast
07-12-2011, 21:05
Did you get the one with doors or the small one? I've been drooling over his 3 season tarp for quite a while now.
Happy Hangin'
Ben
Country Roads
07-16-2011, 21:37
I got the one with doors, which is basically the 11 x 8 1/2 rectangular tarp but with a clip on the ridge line to clip the doors up to and 2 pull outs on each side. I just finished rigging it up today. Seam Sealed, fully rigged, using shock cord on the side pull outs and some shock cord pieces on the door sections and in the stuff sack, it weighs 10 1/2 ounces. That saves me 1/2 pound over my 8 x 10 sil tarp and I have way more cover.
I am using a full length ridge line with a Dutch hook on one end and a Tarp Flyz on the other and prussics on each side to clip a Nitize beaner to. The line is the 1.4 (?) mm Z-line slick. The side guys are the 1.25 mm Z-line. I used short pieces of shock cord on the pull outs and doors (on the doors so that I can step through them easier when I need to exit). I looks pretty nice! It is weird to clip the doors up, but having them sure helps to cover all the bad weather a person can get in the mountains. I expect I will have the doors clipped up about 70% of the time, I will use it is a rectangular tarp in straight rain and use the doors in the wind-driven stuff and for when the fog rolls in or when it is colder.
I hope to slide out for a hang next weekend and I will post some pics and hopefully a video review on Youtube
I had the same easy experiance with my four-season hammock tarp by Zpacks.
Preview video here:
Vimeo.com/25465704
Country Roads
07-17-2011, 20:21
Yeah buddy! Nice video. So far, I am pleased with this tarp. The construction is top notch and I expect it to perform nicely. I like your set up, It is pretty much what I went with, but I did use several pieces of shock cord, which did add to the weight, but that should provide some give in the wind (which we can get a lot of at Dolly Sods Wilderness).