Anything at all!

[AmbassadorforChrist]

I figured I would start this thread because I find that one of my favorite threads to read is the "random comments" thread; but when something interesting is being discussed there is always someone bringing the discussion back around to random comments, and then the momentum on that subject is lost unless someone is persistent.

Let's just see where the thread goes; treat it like the random comments thread, but without feeling a need to keep it random.

 

[Asforme&myhouse]

Hmmm, dangerous freedom... I like it!

 

[AmbassadorforChrist]

@Asforme&myhouse you mentioned in another thread that you make some of your own camping gear. What kind of stuff do you make?
As of now most of the camping gear I have made consist of cowboy bedrolls, and range tents.

The bedroll was for a hunting guide friend of mine.

The tents are not ones that I made; a friend of mine made these, but these are a accurate example of what I make.

 

[Asforme&myhouse]

@AmbassadorforChrist The fit and finish on those are superb! Mine are a lot more, shall we say... rustic? Lol

I have a Whelen tent. I made it because the ones you can buy are like 15lbs and I wanted one that could be taken on hikes. Mine weighs about 8lbs, still about twice the weight of a backpacking tent, but I didn’t want to use nylon because, well the whole point of the tent is to have a fire in front of it.
I have made a lot of miscellaneous gear, but we recently moved and it’s all packed away.

I know who I’m going to contact the next time I need some gear that nobody makes.

 

[AmbassadorforChrist]

@AmbassadorforChrist The fit and finish on those are superb! Mine are a lot more, shall we say... rustic? Lol

I have a Whelen tent. I made it because the ones you can buy are like 15lbs and I wanted one that could be taken on hikes. Mine weighs about 8lbs, still about twice the weight of a backpacking tent, but I didn’t want to use nylon because, well the whole point of the tent is to have a fire in front of it.

Thank you! Well rustic is fine, as long as its rustic-ness doesn't get in the way of usability.

The whelen tents are cool, but yeah, 15 pounds is a bit much for backpacking. My tents are more for the "truck camper" or the cowboy crowd who live in them half the year. One would need a designated animal just to haul the darn thing around!

What kind of material did you use for your tent?

Eventually I would like to be able to do more of the backpacking tents, hammocks, etc. but right now I am just getting opened up for business, and will have to stick with what I know will sell, atleast until I have the money to splurge on expensive, lightweight fabrics.

I know who I’m going to contact the next time I need some gear that nobody makes

Well I guess if that's the case I will have to be a nobody!

 

[Asforme&myhouse]

Thank you! Well rustic is fine, as long as its rustic-ness doesn't get in the way of usability.

Yeah with my stuff form definitely follows function lol

What kind of material did you use for your tent?

Eventually I would like to be able to do more of the backpacking tents, hammocks, etc. but right now I am just getting opened up for business, and will have to stick with what I know will sell, atleast until I have the money to splurge on expensive, lightweight fabrics.

I like canvas tents and packs because they don’t melt near the fire and they are fairly fire resistant. In the north country it’s nice to have a heated tent and just generally be close to the fire. All the nylon stuff is either a fire hazard or ends up with holes in them from sparks. However, canvas is heavy, so like you said, one would need a pack animal to carry it. So, I use 1000 thread count or higher, 100% cotton bed sheets for my material and then treat it with a mixture of natural beeswax and paraffin. I use lamp wick material for the stake loops and tie-downs, which works really well. The high thread count material is really tough, especially once it’s treated with the wax and it’s surprisingly fire resistant.

Well I guess if that's the case I will have to be a nobody!

lol

Do you have a website for your business yet?

 

[AmbassadorforChrist]

I like canvas tents and packs because they don’t melt near the fire and they are fairly fire resistant. In the north country it’s nice to have a heated tent and just generally be close to the fire. All the nylon stuff is either a fire hazard or ends up with holes in them from sparks. However, canvas is heavy, so like you said, one would need a pack animal to carry it. So, I use 1000 thread count or higher, 100% cotton bed sheets for my material and then treat it with a mixture of natural beeswax and paraffin. I use lamp wick material for the stake loops and tie-downs, which works really well. The high thread count material is really tough, especially once it’s treated with the wax and it’s surprisingly fire resistant.

Yes, melting is a drawback to modern materials. Heck even canvas tents can get holes burned in them. A friend of mine said he woke up one time to a 10" hole, and a bunch of little holes burned in his tent from his fire!

I wonder how a light weight canvas, like a 8 oz would work; it's not going to be anywhere near 1000 thread count, but it is lighter weight.
Since most all the tents I make are for truck campers, or people who more or less living in them, I have only ever used heavy duty materials. I use #10 canvas duck which is 14.75 oz per square yard, and I think 18 oz, vinyl coated polyester for my floor material, so a 12x12 tent probably weighs about 35-40 pounds without poles.

Do you have a website for your business yet?

Not yet, we still need to get someone to build one. It will be Azcanvasandoutfitterssupply.com when we do get it up and rolling though.

 

[FollowingHim]

It will be Azcanvasandoutfitterssupply.com when we do get it up and rolling though.

Since it's not up and rolling yet, any chance you could find a shorter URL than that one? It's going to be impossible to tell people verbally. If it was "azoutfitters.com", for instance, you could tell someone that, they can remember it and look it up later. But the one you've got is simply too many words to be practical for anyone to remember other than you, and looks like alphabet soup. Just my 2c, feel free to ignore, it's your business!

 

[Asforme&myhouse]

Yes, melting is a drawback to modern materials. Heck even canvas tents can get holes burned in them. A friend of mine said he woke up one time to a 10" hole, and a bunch of little holes burned in his tent from his fire!

I wonder how a light weight canvas, like a 8 oz would work; it's not going to be anywhere near 1000 thread count, but it is lighter weight.
Since most all the tents I make are for truck campers, or people who more or less living in them, I have only ever used heavy duty materials. I use #10 canvas duck which is 14.75 oz per square yard, and I think 18 oz, vinyl coated polyester for my floor material, so a 12x12 tent probably weighs about 35-40 pounds without poles.

Not yet, we still need to get someone to build one. It will be Azcanvasandoutfitterssupply.com when we do get it up and rolling though.

I wonder if the light canvas would be watertight. The heavy canvas swells when wet until it basically seals itself. Not sure if the light canvas would do that.

 

[AmbassadorforChrist]

Since it's not up and rolling yet, any chance you could find a shorter URL than that one? It's going to be impossible to tell people verbally. If it was "azoutfitters.com", for instance, you could tell someone that, they can remember it and look it up later. But the one you've got is simply too many words to be practical for anyone to remember other than you, and looks like alphabet soup. Just my 2c, feel free to ignore, it's your business!

That is something I would consider, if I didn't already have my leather stamp made with the website on it.
They aren't cheap, and I don't really want to have another one custom made just because of a domain name.
Thanks for the thought though!

 

[steve]

I registered that name earlier today.
I can let you have it for slightly less than the cost of a new stamp.....

 

[AmbassadorforChrist]

I registered that name earlier today.
I can let you have it for slightly less than the cost of a new stamp.....

Gee thanks! That's a great deal at twice the price!

 

[Joleneakamama]

Ummm. I doubt @steve was thinking postage stamp cost there. The leather stamp @AmbassadorforChrist is referring to is quite the precision metal tool.
Kinda neat....but don't drop it on yer toes!

 

[AmbassadorforChrist]

I wonder if the light canvas would be watertight. The heavy canvas swells when wet until it basically seals itself. Not sure if the light canvas would do that.

I think it would depend on the type of canvas. In my experience, (which granted is limited) canvas when it first gets wet shrinks, and becomes an even tighter weave, after that it sheds water quite well.
There is a difference though between Single Fill Duck, Number Duck, and Army Duck. This link does a better job of explaining the differences then I would.
I am using number duck, but some of the army ducks are a tighter weave; they are probably closer to your bedsheets, and would probably shed water.

 

[FollowingHim]

That is something I would consider, if I didn't already have my leather stamp made with the website on it.
They aren't cheap, and I don't really want to have another one custom made just because of a domain name.
Thanks for the thought though!

No problem. I'd just register both names (current and a short version), and have both pointing to the same site. Then you can keep the stamp, and also have something you can quote to people that's short and sweet, for only the cost of one more domain name. Domain names are relatively cheap, have as many as you like. This is very common by the way, many businesses do this for all sorts of reasons.

 

[AmbassadorforChrist]

No problem. I'd just register both names (current and a short version), and have both pointing to the same site. Then you can keep the stamp, and also have something you can quote to people that's short and sweet, for only the cost of one more domain name. Domain names are relatively cheap, have as many as you like. This is very common by the way, many businesses do this for all sorts of reasons.

That is what I was figuring on doing anyway.