[MR] Fwd: [HF] Canvas Tent Upkeep

[Stefan li Rous]

Siegfried said:
<<< One of the benefits of a good canvas tent in the first place, is  
that
canvas is naturally water-resistant.  No, it doesn't bead up and run
down.  But you don't want it to, if it does, that means it's not
breathing either.

Instead during the first part of a shower, a light 'mist' will happen
inside of the tent, and then it will swell up and not let any more water
in.

(This does assume that you have good quality tight-woven tent canvas,
and not something more like a painters tarp) >>>

I agree. But this also assumes that the person or tent company that  
made the tent originally used cotton thread when sewing it together.

The individual that sewed my tent apparently used a synthetic thread.  
Which doesn't swell when it gets wet. So consequently after the first  
storm the pavilion was in, I rubbed waterproofing in a lipstick-type  
applicator on all the tent seams. Much easier done on the ground with  
the pavilion spread out than when it is pitched in the rain. :-)  One  
of the advantages of a 17 ft x 17 ft pavilion is that there *is*  
enough space to move things around to avoid the drips coming from the  
(then) non-waterproof seams.

Unfortunately, I found out later (at Pennsic 27), that even brand-new  
nylon mundane tents also often need their seams treated as well. :-(

Stefan

--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas          StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****