Hi all

Having made a "microtent" fairly successfully last year, I'd like to make something bigger that I/ BF can shelter in!

I would also like to make my own stove for it.

Any advice on tent fabrics and a good first stove / chimney / flue project?

Thanks in advance!

http://www.titaniumgoat.com/products.html has some products like that that might give you some ideas

there have been threads about making a pyramid tent, I think out of silnylon like from owfinc.com or wherever. And my article but you have to be a member to see that. I think maybe places like http://chrisroane.blogspot.com/2011/03/pyramid-version-20.html

Thanks Jerry,

I have your article and have already made a pyramid tent so I have the basics on the assembly. I'll take a look at the stove designs.

This thread has tons of DIY wood stoves as well as tent interface examples. http://zombiehunters.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=26369&start=384

Hi

It depends on what your objective is. If minimal weight is the goal Silnylon or Cuben is the way to go. If you want durability or less condensation 70D fabrics with a urethane coating are a good choice.

For stoves, the lightest option and best performing is titanium. Cylinder is probably an easier MYOG project. Once again it depends on what you want as for burn time / packability etc. Stainless Steel is less expensive.

One thing to think about when putting a stove in the tent, is livability and how to enter and exit and use space most efficiently. Some designs the stove is difficult to move around, while others it is easier.

Really a lot depends on what you are after. Do you want a small tent for two, or a stand up tent. Do you want a stove to burn larger wood and burn longer , or something to provide a fast warm up that lasts 10 minutes.

We have titanium available on our accessories page.

Kevin

Might sew a Nomex panel into the canopy around where the flue pipe will pass through.

Thanks Kevin

I think a two-person tent but relatively spacious. I think the stove just adequate to take the chill off when we get into bed. I'm based in the UK so not sure it would be viable to order from you.

Thanks Samuel

I can't find Nomex on any UK sites. Any idea what it might be called over here?

Tristana, there are a lot of Nomex fabrics for sale right now on Ebay.co.uk.

You could also consider these alternatives:

1. Kevlar fabric - tolerates higher temperatures than Nomex and is much stronger. You can coat it yourself with high-temperature silicone to make it waterproof, if you want.

2. Fiberglass fabrics - tolerate higher temperatures than Nomex or Kevlar, but can fray and tear if it is abraded or flexed against a hard edge. E-glass is the common kind, but S-glass is occasionally available and it is significantly stronger and withstands even higher temperatures. These can also be coated with high-temperature silicone.

3. Basalt fabric - Very similar properties to S-glass, but brown in color and somewhat more difficult to find. I have used this to make parts for backpacking wood stoves. Also can be sealed with silicone.

4. Kapton (polyimide) film - tolerates temperatures above the limit for aramids (Nomex and Kevlar), but not as high as fiberglass. Inherently waterproof (it is a film), but not as strong as the others. I'd recommend Kapton film that is fairly thick (ie, 0.005") or laminated to a fiberglass fabric or scrim.

5. Pre-oxidized PAN fabrics - CarbonX is the most prominent brand right now. I have used this for backpacking stoves. It is 7.0 oz/yard and has properties very similar to acrylic fabrics, but withstands high temperatures. The only drawback is that long-term exposure to the temperature of a red-hot stovepipe will cause it to gradually degrade. You'll probably have to replace it every season or two. Here is a video demonstration:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-t2g_qL7MM

6. PBI fabrics - PBI has the highest temperature stability of any plastic, and PBI fibers are often combined with Kevlar to make protective gear for firefighting. PBI/Kevlar firefighting hoods (made with "PBI Gold" brand fabric) are available on Ebay.co.uk, and I have purchased these for the fabric for stove projects.

All of the above can usually be found on Ebay. If you buy a Kevlar, fiberglass, or basalt fabric, be sure to get one that is pretty tightly woven. Most of these fabrics are meant for composite layups, and the weave is very loose with large openings between the yarns and poor dimensional stability. A heavy coating of silicone will stabilize a loosely woven fabric, though.

If you want to try S-glass or CarbonX PAN fabric, and you have trouble finding it in the UK, let me know. I can send you a bit (enough for your purpose, I think) of either of these for the cost of postage.

Edited by ckrusor on 02/25/2013 17:05:58 MST.

Thanks Kevin that's great!

I've spotted it now- not sure where I must have been looking before!