Waterproofing tents?
Richard Hancock
We've got several Blacks Stormhavens which are starting to drip a
little, so we want to spray them with something.
Any ideas?
--
Richard Hancock
John Robertson
painting onto canvas tents. I think its available from Scout Shops but most
good outdoor shops should stock it. I use it and it works
John Robertson
GSL - 44th Fife Scout Group
Richard Hancock wrote in message ...
Steve Morton
Richard Hancock wrote in message ...
>Can someone advise me on the best way to water proof canvas?
>
>We've got several Blacks Stormhavens which are starting to drip a
>little, so we want to spray them with something.
>
>Any ideas?
>--
Try Fabsil, available from all good camp shops. You can paint it on to the
canvas tents or put it in a garden sprayer and spray onto the tent for an
even coating. Paint the seams however.
Steve
Grant Mitchell
Adrian Randall wrote in message ...
>Incidently you can still get flysheets from scoutshops for the stormhaven
>which will extend the life of a tent in good nick indefinately, about Ł250
I
>think.
We found that the extension bits applied to the top of the pole to separate
the flysheet from the main tent caused the spike in the main pole to bend or
even pull out when any tension was put on the guylines. We therefore very
rarely use the flysheet as a flysheet, although it sometimes gets an outing
as a makeshift dining shelter.
It should have been a fairly easy fault to rectify - a stronger spike
inserted further into the pole would do it - so the design may have been
improved by now.
Grant
SL, 1st Disley
David Stokes
.freeserve.co.uk> writes
>He advises washing the tents with a non-detergent soapy solution, then
>thoroughly rinsing them and when thoroughly dry waterproofing them
>with Grangers or Fabsil.
For Grangers read Techwax (I think that's the name, but my minds gone
blank)
.
Grangers is a company and (I believe) make both Fabsil and Techwax.
Fabsil is a silicon based treatment and Techwax a wax based treatment.
Fabsil is comparitively expensive, although appears to be more widely
available these days.
Fabsil is also lighter in weight when applied and so doesn't increase
the weight of the tent so much
Grangers still supply Techwax in five gallon drums which is much more
cost effective, and is available in both green and clear. The drawback
is that it needs to be painted on and leaves a waxy residue unless wiped
with a cloth when still damp.
Fabsil can be sprayed but I'd also recommend painting the seams
The instructions with Techwax and Fabsil clearly recommend cleaning with
a non-detergent soapy solution first and also advise you not to
waterproof the tent if there's any chance of it getting wet or damp
until it dries.
Chemical compatability is an issue and it's most likely that most patrol
tents will have been treated with a wax based waterproofer when new.
Therefore Techwax is a better bet for the stormhavens in terms of
compatibility and cost.
In my opinion Fabsil is best for lighter weight canvas and nylon (such
as hike tents), but Techwax is the best option of heavier canvas such as
patrol tents and dining shelters
--
David Stokes
da...@stokes-family.demon.co.uk
Venture Scout Leader
1st Whickham (St Marys), 32nd Gateshead, Durham Scout County
http://www.1stwhickham.freeserve.co.uk
John Robertson
>We found that the extension bits applied to the top of the pole to separate
>the flysheet from the main tent caused the spike in the main pole to bend
or
>even pull out when any tension was put on the guylines. We therefore very
>rarely use the flysheet as a flysheet, although it sometimes gets an outing
>as a makeshift dining shelter.
>
>>
>
icelandic for several years. The problem we did have was the metal extenders
tended to split through time, so we now use wooden extenders which match the
poles of the tent. We always use the flysheets as that
John Robertson GSL
44th Fife Scouts
stephen rainsbury
Adrian Randall <akra...@cwcom.net> wrote in message
news:Jfmx3.8620$Yu4.3...@news2-hme0.mcmail.com...
> I would also suggest fabsil but it is expensive @ around £22 per gallon.
You
> will most of that to proof a stormhaven(I did one earlier this year)
I have got a feeling that Blacks will do it for you for about £40, but I
could have dreamt that while I was on mars earlier on.
I seem to recall they did one for my old group and it came back almost as
good as new, with repaired tapes and new guys for that price, but again I
could be dreaming the price, but remembered that we were very impressed.
--
--
Stephen Rainsbury
ASL 8th Gillingham Scout Group, Kent
http://www.8thgillinghamscouts.freeserve.co.uk/index.html
The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of my scout
group.
stephen rainsbury
John Robertson <jrth...@44thscouts.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:7q6mni$g68$1...@news7.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> >We found that the extension bits applied to the top of the pole to
separate
> >the flysheet from the main tent caused the spike in the main pole to bend
> or
> >even pull out when any tension was put on the guylines. We therefore
very
> >rarely use the flysheet as a flysheet, although it sometimes gets an
outing
> >as a makeshift dining shelter.
We had that, and replaced the spikes with cut down 6" nails, but that wasn't
exactly the same tent.
Chas && Sam Woodhams
Richard Hancock wrote
> Can someone advise me on the best way to water proof canvas?
> snip <
Note, I have NOT tried this one on a tent myself but .....
my bro-in-law recommends Thompson's Waterseal (yes, the well advertised
brickwork stuff!) as a less-than-half-price alternative to Fabsil (chemical
contents are identical).
He has used it on his family frame tent for the last three years and not
found it wanting.
I tested an old canvas hat which had been leaking after painting with
Fabsil. Sprayed from about 6in. it took about 10 ml of fluid to thoroughly
coat and despite the rain last week (not too heavy) no leaks, rot or any
other noticible problems.
Since B&Q sell 5l (gallon-ish) cans of Thompson's for £5 and change, it
does seem a bargain - especially if it is chemically the same stuff!
Chas Woodhams
Treasurer (hence concern with saving!) 2nd Urmston
PS:
Last year, we bought a mess tent from SSL .... unfortunately, it had not
been proofed during manufacture .... we complained !!!! SSL asked to
examine it, so we returned it ... they agreed to have it proofed at their
expense .... sadly, they did not clean it first .... we hope that when we
come to re-proof, the dirt will not resist soap and water but Murphy's Law
will probably dictate the exact opposite (it was pristine white,
originally). Ho, hum.
David Stokes
<da...@stokes-family.demon.co.uk> writes
>In article <37c63a4c...@news.mcmail.com>, Ewan Scott <ewan@scotia57
>.freeserve.co.uk> writes
>>He advises washing the tents with a non-detergent soapy solution, then
>>thoroughly rinsing them and when thoroughly dry waterproofing them
>>with Grangers or Fabsil.
>
>For Grangers read Techwax (I think that's the name, but my minds gone
>blank)
>.
Sorry - it all became clearish to me at 6.00am this morning.
The company is Graingers (if anyone wants their number/address drop me
an e-mail) and I now seem to recall the product is called Mesawax - I
think.
Perhaps I should go down the Scout HQ and check the 5 gallon drum?
Richard Hancock
recommending Mesowax for old, medium and heavy weight canvas. I've also
sent an email to Black's to see what they come up with since they made
the tents in the first place. I'll post when I get an answer.
Thanks for all the info so far!
In article <X92Q8AAq...@stokes-family.demon.co.uk>, David Stokes
<da...@stokes-family.demon.co.uk> writes
>In article <6YrLlDAS...@stokes-family.demon.co.uk>, David Stokes
><da...@stokes-family.demon.co.uk> writes
>>In article <37c63a4c...@news.mcmail.com>, Ewan Scott <ewan@scotia57
>>.freeserve.co.uk> writes
>>>He advises washing the tents with a non-detergent soapy solution, then
>>>thoroughly rinsing them and when thoroughly dry waterproofing them
>>>with Grangers or Fabsil.
>>
>>For Grangers read Techwax (I think that's the name, but my minds gone
>>blank)
>>.
>
>
>Sorry - it all became clearish to me at 6.00am this morning.
>The company is Graingers (if anyone wants their number/address drop me
>an e-mail) and I now seem to recall the product is called Mesawax - I
>think.
>
>Perhaps I should go down the Scout HQ and check the 5 gallon drum?
>
>
--
Richard Hancock
PS having sorted out our canvas yesterday, we've discovered we have 13
stormhavens or similar which need reproofing! Could be quite a job!
John Kennaugh
>my bro-in-law recommends Thompson's Waterseal (yes, the well advertised
>brickwork stuff!) as a less-than-half-price alternative to Fabsil (chemical
>contents are identical).
OK.
--
John Kennaugh