Panel pulls on a Membrane SilPoly

[Mr. Jowee]

I’m making a tarp out of Membrane SilPoly from RSBTR. I’ve got the perimeter figured out, but I’m stumped on the best way to attach panels pulls. Is the fabric strong enough to use a simple strip of grosgrain as a pull with nothing reinforcing it? That seems easiest but the fabric is so thin I just don’t see it holding up. Should I reinforce them with an extra layer of silpoly, or something heavier like 1.6oz silpoly? Would sandwiching the side panel between two layers of grosgrain work? I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel here. What are most people doing?

[mattnin]

I am using the exact same silpoly from RSBTR for my tarp and it has one season of use. The fabric is definitely not strong enough to attach grosgrain to it without any additional reinforcement. I received the kit which had extra fabric for panel pulls and I used just one piece of fabric as a panel pull for each corner. If I could do it all over again, I would have used a stronger fabric for panel pulls and I would also sandwich them. I don't think that sandwiching the corners with grosgrain would work well. I think a large panel pull to spread the force across a larger area is a better idea and you'll be happier with your tarp during a storm. I noticed that I have pulled the tarp quite taut between trees during a windstorm and it seemed to pull the tarp with panel pulls quite too tight for my liking and it appeared to have stretched in that spot. I was quite upset about that because I love that tarp, however after putting it away, it seems to have relaxed and it doesn't look stretched at all now. That being said, it has been my plan ever since that storm to add additional reinforcement to the panel pulls with stronger fabric in that area.

[Cruiser51]

I believe RSBTR has a section/article about "gluing" reinforcements on instead of stitching, said to be better ... maybe look that up, pretty sure it is on their website.


Brian

Edit: Found it https://ripstopbytheroll.com/blogs/t...s-and-shelters

[cmc4free]

In the video here, you can see how Warbonnet has constructed their panel pulls (not the corner reinforcements where the guylines will be attached). The most fragile tarp material they use is 20D silpoly (I think yours is 15D), and they use this construction for it.

The video shows the inside (the 'V' of grosgrain). On the outside it's more like a tab of grosgrain folded over to make a loop that you can attach a line to. The silpoly/nylon is sandwiched between 2 pcs of grosgrain that are stitched to it, with seam sealing being necessary after, of course.


Most other tarps I've seen that have panel pulls also have reinforcement material on both sides, with the tarp material sandwiched between.

Here's a photo from UGQ showing reinforcement patches (I believe on both sides of the tarp) and grosgrain on the outside where they added a Beastee D.

[2tarps]

I have 2 DIY membrane tarps. An 11ft Minifly style and a 13ft.
Both have grosgrain tieout on the corners. A little 'L' or 'V' 3-4" piece of 1" grosgrain with another little folded piece on top for the tieout itself.
Both have panel pulls. Grosgrain sewn onto a disc of membrane and siliconed on with The gear aid sil one (the actual name is escaping me now). I use the Minifly style one a lot, countless nights over the past 3yrs and it's still going strong through all seasons and weathers.

All my tarps (silpoly/silnylon/membrane) have the same style tieout grosgrain and for the ridgeline I have a short stretch 8" or so of grosgrain binding each end, which I double back to form a loop. I never attach D-rings to any of these points but tieouts all have ⅛" shock cord loops.

For fitting the tieouts, I mark the spot, put a little silicone on the disc and spread out a bit. Then put in place and squeeze the rest of the silicone out so it's fully bonded.
Any excess silicone (the less the better obviously) I dust with chalk once it's dry. As I do when sealing the ridgeline. I apply it with a tiny paint brush.