If possible I would prefer the stronger CT2K.08 also.
Mike

OK, didn't mean to stir things up, simply got the impression from Ron's post that the lightweight Cuben wouldn't suit my needs.

In case you're going to order the Cuben which Ron refers to as CN2K.08, I might be back on board (I still first know on Friday for sure), though only if we find someone in the USA who would act as a distributor as it makes it easier to everyone else involved.

Ok, looks like some quick decisions have been made here. I just want to make a couple of points regarding material weight and shipping.

1) 1.1oz silnylon ripstop tears pretty easy too if you nick an edge and pull it. This weight has been the cottage industry standard for light tarps for years. I haven't heard any reports of catastrophic failures. This is because tent makers put seams on the edge of the cloth. It doubles the strength and prevents fraying.

2) If Ron managed to rip the cloth pulling it over the corner of his cutting table, then the corner of his cutting table is too sharp.

3) I take care of my gear, and travel very light. I still favour the 0.51oz material, but will go with the majority. Bear in mind that we are still waiting for another tentmakers opinion which is important with regards to the present order: David Olsen's.

4) If someone in the states really wants some of this, they may offer to help with forwarding material to overseas members. All for one and one for all, right?

I still want the stronger stuff as I am using it for a bivy base.

I want the heavier stuff too.

Rog,

I must disagree that silnylon tears easily. I am a big man (extensively documented)and i can't tear it at all, i can deform it but without a significant starter cut i can't do much to it. (i have had silnylon from Quest that was easy to tear, but the stuff from Noah Lamport and OWFINC seems to be much stronger)

I have been using the .33 for quilts and if the .51(Ron's .45) is anything like it i can easily see it getting damaged during the construction process. I think this can be controlled by treating it like tissue paper and lifting it to move it instead of pulling it (across a table's corner)

The .51 isn't much different than the .48 that is available from quest. I think that if you are going to put the energy toward getting this specially made I would want to get something that i couldn't easily get elsewhere. I think the durability of the .75(Ron's .6) is what is needed for shelters (maybe extreme light shelters of the other stuff are exciting, but who knows how long they will last)

I too would like David Olsen's opinion on this matter. He has been making cuben gear too and it would be interesting to compare what he uses vs. MLD. (Dave posted as i was writing)

-Tim

Edited by MarshLaw303 on 09/22/2009 09:57:57 MDT.

The 0.51oz/yd was a nogo for me, the prospect of it being 0.6oz/yd moves me into the strong maybe category. But being one of those "tell me precisely what we're talking about" kind of folks I called Cuben Tech:

1) They are quite tuned into this discussion and are thinking that it is heading towards CT2K08. The rest of my notes here is about that product in the green color.
2) The product is sold in 9 meter increments only. So folks wanting quantity not in 9 meter increments will need a middle man to receive, cut and forward it to you.
3) CT2K08 weighs 0.6oz per sailmaker's yard which he said is 0.74oz per 36"by36" yard
4) I asked about McNett AquaSeal adhesive. With the caveat that they do not endorse any other product used with theirs he said that it works well but all adhesives will fail sooner with peel forces than with shear forces and they like a combo of adhesive and stitching.
5) I asked about suggested stitch length and he said 6-8 per inch, definitely be longer than 10 per inch. 6 per inch is about as long as most home machines will do.
6) He confirmed that the product will be 54 inches wide.
7) Price would be $23.46 per running meter, $211.14 per 9 meter panel

Like a couple others I need to sleep on this but IF I'm in it'd probably be for a 9 meter panel.

Also IF I'm in I'd be willing to be a middleman, cut panels into partial lengths and forward to others including overseas. Cost would be my actual cost delivered to me plus actual shipping fees to forward it plus 10% to cover PayPal fees, packaging and a tiny bit for my time

Well done Jim.
What a team effort, this is great.
I am still in for 9 meters, and willing to share the load of distribution under the same conditions.
Mike

Ok, I've pulled a long shift, and will keep this brief because I have another to do tomorrow.

Jim, thanks for the solid info and the offer to help distribute. Michael, thanks to you too for backing up the distribution.

It's clear that the general consensus is to go for the 0.748oz weight. I have no problem with that, as I said earlier, I go with the majority decision, and I thank Tim and Ron for their expert input.

Jon has emailed me to say that Cubic Tech are happy to produce whatever we settle on.

So this just leaves us with about 20 yards to fulfill the order now Matheus has dropped out. I don't think we'll have any problem finding more buyers, especially now that we have kind offers to forward the material in small cut quantities from like minded MYOGers.

Thanks to everyone, this is heading for a good result.

I am no "expert" when it comes to cuben shelters. I work with the .33 a lot right now, but i look forward to working with the heavier stuff that i don't have to be afraid to breathe on. If we're getting the .75 i think i will get some too. I know i have at least 9m to get right now, maybe another 9 in a few days, we'll see.

-Tim

I can bump my order to 18 meters if that will help. With Roger Caffin's help I may be attempting to create a double wall tunnel tent.
Mike

Great, sounds like we are back up to quantity, I'll update the list on the original post so Jon can get a handle on the order quantity without having to wade through the thread.

Tim, your knowledge about the .33 weight material has helped inform this decision. That said, I have a small piece of the .48 from Quest I got a while back and it seems pretty strong to me. Anyhow, I'm not grumbling, because the .74 will be going on a round the world trip with me and Kath in a year or so, and it's still half the weight of the nylon we would have had to take otherwise.

Thanks for your help on this Jim, would it be better for you if we make payments to you through PayPal as a gift which would save you any PayPal fees? I guess it's all much of a muchness.
Also, if the panels are in meter lengths should we all order in meters? I'd prefer 4 meters rather than 4 yards to be honest and it would avoid any Space Shuttle type metric/imperial confusion. Does seem strange that they confirmed it's 54 inches wide and yet sold in 9 meter lengths.
I'm feeling pretty unwell right now so hopefully I'm making sense and I've not just confused the issue, if so just ignore me : O )

Responses to Matt's questions are below. But one of them triggered awareness of a factor I failed to consider. We have 16 yards (maybe meters) of "short orders" (not a length in 9m increments). I'd have to order 18 meters to cover that. For lower priced material I'd just buy the two extra meters myself ... I'd use it sooner or later ... but not at this price!

My first idea for a solution is to round every "short order" up to what would make the total a 9 meter increment (your costs increase). Are folks OK with that idea? Other ideas?

Hendrick's possible 5 and/or Jared's possible 6-9 would shift the details of this issue. We can get more specific when decisions are made.

Thanks for your help on this Jim, would it be better for you if we make payments to you through PayPal as a gift which would save you any PayPal fees?

I wasn't aware of that option. That'd be fine with me.

Also, if the panels are in meter lengths should we all order in meters?

Well, since I don't think I own a "meter stick" but do own a "yard stick" I'll be doing conversion if folks order meters. But I can do either way. And yes, unlike NASA's contractors, I DO know how to do the conversion (that SNAFU happened on a Mars mission, not shuttle, IIRC).

BTW, I won't be on the net Friday thru Monday (gotta get out and hike once in a while) and am pretty much fully booked between now and Friday.

So don't get too nervous if I'm less responsive than normal for the next 6 days;-)

Rog,

Looks like i'm at 18m (for the .75) I will order with CUBIC TECH once you have the full 100m covered.

-Tim

OK, count me in for either 6 or 9 meters depending on what the other short orders add up to.

I'll need 6 for the main project I have in mind for the winter. The other 3 is for a later project and if 6 fits the 9 meter increment constraint better than 9 then I can buy 3 more by the yard from zpacks when the time comes.

I'll look for everyone's final answers when I return next week.

I'm from Aus also, and would love to take part in this. I think I only need 2 yards, but would go in for 3 if this is more convenient, as that would bump the total to Aus to 9.

Someone let me know :-) and what I need to do to lock this in.

Edited by MichaelST on 09/24/2009 06:53:10 MDT.

Michael, you're not too late. I suggest you drop a PM to the other Aussies to work out a deal. A nine meter panel (min order direct from Cubic Tech) is about 9.8 yards.

Tim, great! we are back over target again. Suggest you go ahead and order, and let us know. The rest of us can agree our shipping strategies and get onto Cubic Tech too.