MYO 1 Person Tent (ADVICE NEEDED)

[DanShell]

have you considered going to a midden design? will be better in the wind and have more room in it.

I have and I am going to do a mock up on the weekend of a mid but I am leaning towards the design in my drawings mainly because I like the feeling of space even though its going to a tight solo tent.
The weight of the two styles is very similar. I just think id be happier to give a little bit of wind resistance to gain the extra width. Im happy to widen the vestibules making it more stable if need be.

[simonm]

You shouldn't have any problems with the Xenon Sil, and if you do you know where to find me . I have yet to use it but I would have no hesitation is using it in lightweight tent or tarp application. Evan at Terra Rosa has started making some tarps out of a similar polyester sil, and he speaks highly of it. It should be slightly easier to sew, and have less stretch when wet.

[DanShell]

You shouldn't have any problems with the Xenon Sil, and if you do you know where to find me . I have yet to use it but I would have no hesitation is using it in lightweight tent or tarp application. Evan at Terra Rosa has started making some tarps out of a similar polyester sil, and he speaks highly of it. It should be slightly easier to sew, and have less stretch when wet.

Yeh I'm thinking the less stretch is going to be a benefit and easier to sew will help a newbie like me, although I have now sewn a bit of your silnylon Its just the stigma of using 'polyester' I guess is hard to get past but weight wise its really good and if the dutchware fans are anything to go by its going to be a good material.

[DanShell]

*&%$#! algebra and trigonometry AAAAAAARGH If all else fails, ask your kids......................

[GPSGuided]

Doesn't the CAD give you all the dimensions?

[DanShell]

Doesn't the CAD give you all the dimensions?

Well yes it does but thats cheating. Im one of these people that needs to know the maths behind the results. Odd I know but Im now content in life knowing that algebra and trigonometry has finally given me something back

[DanShell]

Just as a side note, if anyone wants plans for mids and or tents in general just give me a yell. I use 3D studio Max and Auto Cad for my 3d design (I used to do it semi professionally once upon a time) so anything from basic tent plans to complex race circuits for computer games can be made. Tent plans are free, fast and easy. Cars and racing circuits are several grand

But seriously if I can help out with your basic projects I am happy to do so. I can convert things to google sketch up if you want to use that as well, as its a free program. Heres some plans a gentleman gave me in sketchup format, theres something for everyone in there

Attachments

[north-north-west]

I only have one question. What id the significance of the 'Splutter Fish' comment on the bottom left?

[DanShell]

I only have one question. What id the significance of the 'Splutter Fish' comment on the bottom left?

Lol splutter fish is the software company of a third party rendering machine I use! It does great clay renders.

Splutter fish renders







Riveting I know but that's the splutter fish 'Brazil' renderer

[DanShell]

I had a few hours spare on the weekend so I managed to make a start to my tent

A couple of small changes in regards to dual entry and the floor. I decided to utilise the second vestibule by making the floor and inner run out into that shape. This will better serve me as a solo tent and gives a lot of extra internal room. But it does make the entry on one side only.

I started out by using string to imitate the basic shape and make sure I fit. I do. So then I drew up some working plans and made sure all the dimensions were correct. To double check everything I cut out some paper templates to scale and built the tent and its inner and bathtub floor out of paper first.

Everything appeared to fit and work well so I proceeded to cut everything out and started with the bathtub floor.

I added timeout points in the corners of the floor in preparation to clip it to the outer

I cut out and sewed the inner walls and mesh together but came to a stop before I could sew it to the floor because I didn't stick to the cut out plans and when I went to cut out the roof I fell short by around 30mm of material I also added a small zipper to the wider side of the inner so I can adjust my hiking pole from the inside if I need to.

So given that I came to halt on the inner I cut out all the material for the outer and this included the cat curves for the corners. I only cut shallow cat curves at this stage and Ill see how they go.

I sewed it all together (only single single seemed at this stage) and tried my best to pitch it inside using the family to hold out the tie outs points. It wasn't an ideal test but I felt confident that the cat curves were close and it should pitch reasonably tight. Because I only single seemed the corners I can deepen the cat curve later if need be.

I proceeded to sew in corner reinforcements, put the tie points on, installed the zipper and put a basic single line hem around the bottom edge.

I was then able to take it outside and put it up properly. Well not properly because I couldn't pull it too tight given the single seem on the corners and I couldn't get the poles to sit in the top corners properly but it was put up well enough to tell me that yes I will deepen the cat curves just a little more, but it appears as though its going to pitch really nice once it is finished properly.

I pushed the tightness boundaries here and its going to work well.

So now I have to put some corner reinforcements into the top corners for the poles and make a grommet or pouch to hold them in the correct position. Ill flat fell all the seems, put the inner together and put all the final touches to it such as clips for the inner to clip to the outer, a little bit of velcro to hold the door open etc

Oh and the whole tent including all the inner, floor, outer, guy lines etc still weighs well under 600g

Last edited by DanShell on Mon 17 Aug, 2015 11:04 am, edited 2 times in total.

[DanShell]

Forgot to add I won't get to finish it for a few weeks now as Im off to the big city to watch some football games this weekend

[Moondog55]

Impressively quick work
Consider whether taped seams will be stronger and easier to sew

[DanShell]

Impressively quick work
Consider whether taped seams will be stronger and easier to sew

I didn't consider it no. Its all sewn up now so Ill just stick to using silicon sealer over the seams. This new Xenon Sil is far easier to sew than Sil Nylon I have sewn in the past.

[simonm]

Very impressive.

[DanShell]

Very impressive.

Thanks. Ill get you to put another couple of metres aside of the grey 1d nylon LOL Ill arrange it during the week sometime. Measure twice......cut once

[kitty]

Its looking awesome! Keep us posted on the progress.

[GPSGuided]

Amazing! You don't hang around.

[DanShell]

Thanks for the comments. I was just doing some calculations on cost now that I know what material I used.
It would be easy to say the material I bought is the actual cost, however I prefer to deduct the left overs because Ill use them for other small projects.

With a Cuben fibre floor in the expensive and tough cuben I used the total cost of the tent including the solid inner and all hardware is very close to $200. Probably more like $140 if I used sil nylon for the floor.
Keep in mind I would have spent around 10 hours so far to get to the point Im at and I estimate there will be close to another 10 hours by the time it is finished properly so I haven't calculated that into it So its fair to say it would be cheaper to buy one already made but theres no fun in that.

It makes me appreciate the value of the TT Stratospire tent I own. Yes I may have spent up around $400 on it but thats fantastic value considering what you get.

[GPSGuided]

... It makes me appreciate the value of the TT Stratospire tent I own. Yes I may have spent up around $400 on it but thats fantastic value considering what you get.

Ok I get it. This is all just a plug for your Tarptent Stratospire! It worked.

[DanShell]

... It makes me appreciate the value of the TT Stratospire tent I own. Yes I may have spent up around $400 on it but thats fantastic value considering what you get.

Ok I get it. This is all just a plug for your Tarptent Stratospire! It worked.

haha nah not meaning to plug the SS, just pointing out the value.

The SS is a great tent though, the design is brilliant and Im sure people underestimate its ability to handle the elements when pitched correctly.......thats a plug

[Travis22]

Wowzers Dan must have been raining a heap around your place then! lol. (Re: your earlier comments of this being a rainy day project).

Fantastic start, its looking great.

Off topic question, do you know the name Russell Murchie, your computer race track design comment made me think of him. (I practically lived inside Autocad for 10-11years. Dont miss it too much now tho every now and again ill reinstall it on our PC to draw up little projects then quickly remove it from the pc again!)

Travis.

[DanShell]

Wowzers Dan must have been raining a heap around your place then! lol. (Re: your earlier comments of this being a rainy day project).

Fantastic start, its looking great.

Off topic question, do you know the name Russell Murchie, your computer race track design comment made me think of him. (I practically lived inside Autocad for 10-11years. Dont miss it too much now tho every now and again ill reinstall it on our PC to draw up little projects then quickly remove it from the pc again!)

Travis.

It wasn't exactly raining but it wasn't a very pleasant weekend to be outdoors

That name rings a bell but I was into that type of thing about 15 or so years ago now so the memory is a bit sketchy! I used to do a bit of freelance stuff for Image Space Studios who worked under EA Sports. Some of my cars and the Bathurst Race circuit I guess was my main 'claim to fame' at the time lol
Im not big on using 3d studio or auto cad now either really, especially not for complexed lofting projects but I don't mind using them to design simple stuff...like this tent for instance.

I designed and built a camper trailer a few years ago to using 3d studio, as you may know its easy to make mistakes in the virtual world first

[Travis22]

Fantastic job on the camper trailer! Did you fabricate it yourself or have a engineering shop work off your designs? Metal work is a huge hobby of mine but i have no formal training etc, and its the only reason i still go anywhere near CAD lol but ive never done anything as impressive as your camper trailer.

I dont really recall what Russell did, other then he used to travel all around the world to all the International racing tracks and created them for some sort of computer games, EA Sports rings a bell but again its going back a while.

Travis.

[simonm]

Geez Dan - just knocked that camper trailer up on a rainy day I guess.

[andrewa]

I reckon definitely cut catenarIes into seams, particularly as you're using silinylon which stretches a bit, and a catenary will keep it "toighter".

Consider a bigger groundsheet footprint. It's noice to have some gear inside the dry it of the tent with you.

The BPL tent looks to have pretty tiny vestibules, which almost verge on useless IMO, and catenary cut on the vestibules looks way too deep.

I use a Zpacks hexamid twin outside of snow. The floor is prob about 30cm too wide for one person with some gear inside, but I do find I be ed the length to allow for the lost space at the ends...which would be absolved by your corner poles.

Have fun. Good project.

A

[DanShell]

Geez Dan - just knocked that camper trailer up on a rainy day I guess.

Just knocked it up one friday after work

Travis I built it myself. Metal work is more my thing as well. My trade is in the automotive industry although I no longer use my trade to make a living. Im always fabricating things, usually only for family though, although some friends get a run. Last weekend I fabricated a fold up roof system for a 1916 T model Ford of my fathers for instance!

Andrew thanks for the tips, Ill keep them in mind when I build my next one

[Nuts]

I seem to recall you said you weren't smart? Ha, there you go then.. Nice design, appears tight enough without the ground seem 'cat-cut' (looseness which leaves a half-moon slack line between pegs). Designed a bit steep for my liking, a lot of BPL myog also seem unnecessarily snow-steep rather than wind-shedding we need in tas (99% of the time).

[DanShell]

I seem to recall you said you weren't smart? Ha, there you go then.. Nice design, appears tight enough without the ground seem 'cat-cut' (looseness which leaves a half-moon slack line between pegs). Designed a bit steep for my liking, a lot of BPL myog also seem unnecessarily snow-steep rather than wind-shedding we need in tas (99% of the time).

Thanks, No I don't think Ill cat cut the bottom as it shouldn't need it. I tend to agree in regards to height but for some reason I thought I needed to sit up in it. Which, when I really think about it, I didn't even really do in my Stratospire. But not to worry, its all a learning curve.
Ive got a mate who thinks this is the best thing he has ever seen and just happens to want a light weight hiking tent for one so I know where to unload the 'practice' tent if I want to build another

And for the record, I can lift heavy things, being smart is not something I associate myself with

[Nuts]

You can lift heavy things? Ha, interesting. Are you gainfully employed?
Even the bivy tents (eg gogo) suffered by having the sides bellow in too far but without the advantage of space (so long panels V high ones seem only degrees better). All an interesting compromise.

[north-north-west]

Travis I built it myself. Metal work is more my thing as well. My trade is in the automotive industry although I no longer use my trade to make a living. I'm always fabricating things, usually only for family though, although some friends get a run. Last weekend I fabricated a fold up roof system for a 1916 T model Ford of my fathers for instance!

Where were you when I wanted a canopy for the Hilux's tray? Oh well, it would have been a wasted effort anyway. But now I think about it, wonder if your skills would reach to making a roof rack and pod for the CR-V . . .