W.I.P. milkweed ovum insulation, UQ,TQ,JACKET, MITTENS...

[XJ35S]

In theory. it's free. Sure it takes time to harvest and processing is a very horrible mess,

I have collected 5, 5 gallon buckets of the pods. I have a lot more to get and it is everywhere along the road sides.

I have it stored in nylon laundry bags from the dollar store near the wood stove. I know it's like gasoline, so not too close.

My plan is it to slowly remove a pod and pull the seeds off the ovum with a small shop vac running nearby. I hope any floaters will collect in the vac. Green pods will dry and crack releasing the fluffy ovum.

This is very insulating and waterproof. used in life jackets during WWII.

Here are some links to prove the feasibility of this use. I'm cheap and d.i.y. as much as I can.

http://www.survival-spot.com/surviva...rm-insulation/

http://gizmodo.com/could-humble-milk...ers-1698295598

https://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/...d-zmaz79sozraw

This is a commercial company with high $$ comforters made with a mix of down and ovum.

https://www.ogallalacomfort.com/


I'll post here all my progress to my finished under quilt. Comments and opinions welcome. I have 17 acres of wild scrub land and enjoy utilizing the things that grow on it. Lots of wild edibles.

[Eidson]

I belive this has come up on the forums here as well, but cannot recall the end result and effectiveness.
These alternative ideas areally always interesting. We've had reports of everything from kivot usage to cattails and down alternatives. Unfortunately I can't remember any being a true winner as a replacement for down in one way or another.
Interested in reading these links you posted and hope you keep us updated on your work. Sounds like you've got quite a bit of work still in front of you, so good luck.

[Otter1]

It's a lot of work, and isn't light as down for its insulating value (if I recall correctly), and like down requires some pre-treatment (don't remember what that entailed).

But if cheap and warm is the end goal, you should be good to go.

[OutandBack]

All plant material is designed to turn to dust rather quickly. I believe in no time you will endup with a bag of dust.
This might be a fun project for some backyard testing where bailing to the house is a few footsteps away. I would never trust my life to milkweed.

[Traillium]

My understanding is that the milkweed fluff wets really easily — and then disintegrates without being recoverable.


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[gmcttr]

It was discussed in this thread... https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...76842-Milkweed ...a few years ago, but I don't remember any reports of completed projects.

[SilvrSurfr]

I'm cheap and d.i.y. as much as I can.

Good luck with that. Beats the heck out of the ideas for a "dryer lint quilt."

https://hammockforums.net/forum/show...ght=insulation

Then there's the guy who wants to make an "air" underquilt.

https://hammockforums.net/forum/show...ght=insulation

[michigandave]

Nothing wrong with thinking outside the box. A little innovation goes a long way. Good luck on you project and report back on the results.

[SoaknWet]

I'm going to date myself here, I'm 68 years old and as a kid I remember my grandmother stuffing cattail puff in my boots and gloves for insulation and I remember us collecting milk weed buds, we called them fish cause of their shape, but I can't remember what we used them for.

[Mchaz]

All plant material is designed to turn to dust rather quickly. I believe in no time you will endup with a bag of dust.
This might be a fun project for some backyard testing where bailing to the house is a few footsteps away. I would never trust my life to milkweed.

My cotton clothes seem to be holding up pretty well, and my house is still supported by its wood timbers placed over 60 years ago. Plenty of durable rope and twine products are constructed of plant fibers. I wouldn't be so quick to write off plant material as being so short lived. I do agree that much testing close to home is in order before risking hypothermia deep in the woods.