old ripped bedsheets as shadecloth

[guerrillayogi]

Our camp is way over budget! And although we have a dome, carport kitchen, and hexacastle (probably the most expensive item), our last budget meeting showed there's no money left.

Now is the time to repurpose existing crap to use on playa. (before was the time, but now is also the time)

In that vein, would be be idiotic to get a bunch of old bedsheets, tie them together, and rip several cuts in the material to prevent parachuting? The idea is to secure these to properly-staked EMT and existing structures to get a 10x12 (or larger) shaded area.

bring on the snark (with at least some useful tidbits of information)

[BoyScoutGirl]

If you decide to go that route, you'll probably want to "seal" the edges with extra-wide duct tape to prevent fraying and little strips of fabric MOOP.

[FIGJAM]

A 10x12 silver tarp at harbor freight should be under $10.

[Lonesomebri]

If you want the sheet hobo effect, tie the corners together of several sheets and allow wind flow between sheets. The wind is gonna tear threw those ripped holes in cotton fabric, and run with it.

[MrBeardy]

There is a camp out there somewhere every year I pass and they built an entire shade structure out of old shirts sewn together. It seems like a great easy and cheap idea and the neck holes act as a way for wind to pass. Much admiration to them!

[bluemiragemi]

I thought about doing this, and then though, I would rather splurge on my shade and cut corners monetarily, elsewhere. So I'm bringing less food, cheaper food staples, and my own stuff I already have in the house. And, I bought a $80 EZ-UP tent to put over top of my 2 person Coleman tent.

Is there somewhere else to cut corners and spend less?

[theCryptofishist]

The EZ up may prove that.

[guerrillayogi]

If you want the sheet hobo effect, tie the corners together of several sheets and allow wind flow between sheets. The wind is gonna tear threw those ripped holes in cotton fabric, and run with it.

this is exactly what I was thinking. With each queen sheet being 7.5x8.5 and the 6 inches being used to tie corners together, 9 sheets can be used to make a 21x24 shade in a single plane, or smaller if the sheets are stretched down past the EMT poles towards the ground. And the best part is that I can probably source the sheets for free!

[Jovankat]

If you want the sheet hobo effect, tie the corners together of several sheets and allow wind flow between sheets. The wind is gonna tear threw those ripped holes in cotton fabric, and run with it.

this is exactly what I was thinking. With each queen sheet being 7.5x8.5 and the 6 inches being used to tie corners together, 9 sheets can be used to make a 21x24 shade in a single plane, or smaller if the sheets are stretched down past the EMT poles towards the ground. And the best part is that I can probably source the sheets for free!

Or you could buy new ones with a decent thread count which won't be worn in any colour you want!

[bluemiragemi]

Prove what? EZUP will be at half-up and secured down with rebar and ratchets <3 YMMV

I'd like to see the sheets tied together, I think that could work.

[pink]

EZ ups are not sturdy enough if it gets really windy. Rebar & ratchets as guy wires will help. That said, I've seen plenty of them survive up there in nicer weather. I also just watched 3 fail miserably up at the High Sierra Music fest in conditions that are just a normal day on the playa. And one was part of a vendor's set-up; vendors usually buy the better made ones, which cost a hell of a lot more than $80.

[BBadger]

I always think of EZ-UPs as kites. I suppose if they're guylined down in every direction they're probably okay though. I'd put some ratchets across the top-center though.

[Jovankat]

Is this sheet idea crazy? It seems so easy and cheap and fun and no one has seriously poopooed it yet...

[Eric]

Prove what? EZUP will be at half-up and secured down with rebar and ratchets <3 YMMV

Just remember that the people giving you suggestions have already earned their "mileage" on the playa, which is why it may vary from yours. This is a very different beast than the camping the vast majority of people are used to, and the weather out there can destroy a camp (see this current thread: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=69616&p=1022609#p1022609)

I did a couple things wrong my first year, even though the long-timers I went with suggested otherwise, because I'm a smart boy & figured they were being over cautious. I was wrong (mistake #1 - only bringing one pair of shoes). Personally I'd be rather worried if anyone camped near me had an ez up - it might survive a mild year, but there is no way to know if a year will be mild.

[bluemiragemi]

Oh, please don't get me wrong, I'm here to LEARN and I haven't been to BRC yet. But, my campmates who have been have used EZ-UPs for awhile and this plan seemed to work so far, for them.

I am going in planning the best I can with my resources and I fully expect things to fail. That being said, better ideas are ALWAYS welcome! Sorry if I came off as not accepting advice - I do want it, Eric Good advice among the snark, absolutely exists on here.

Are there other low budget ideas for a small tent? Most pictures I see have EZ-UPs or go all the way with a hexayurt or other structure that I can't build/bring/afford this year.

[bluemiragemi]

Also, do people bring back-up shade structures, in case something like an EZ-Up fails? And thank you for the strap across the middle idea.

[remi]

If you want the sheet hobo effect, tie the corners together of several sheets and allow wind flow between sheets. The wind is gonna tear threw those ripped holes in cotton fabric, and run with it.

this is exactly what I was thinking. With each queen sheet being 7.5x8.5 and the 6 inches being used to tie corners together, 9 sheets can be used to make a 21x24 shade in a single plane, or smaller if the sheets are stretched down past the EMT poles towards the ground. And the best part is that I can probably source the sheets for free!

Or you could buy new ones with a decent thread count which won't be worn in any colour you want!

The point is they're broke (have no camp budget left,) so I doubt they can afford a bunch of new colourful sheets. Instead of buying new decent thread count sheets, just get you old ones, and maybe look at a thrift store for cool kids ones with cartoons and stuff. Avoid pee stained sheets and you should be ok. As long as you don't use the sheets as a coffee filter, go for cheap.

[C187]

I have an ez-up (off-brand) that has won the playa during high wind years, and calm years. It can be done. You need to guywire both the frame and the cover at each corner. On the legs you need to drive rebar down next to each leg then attach the legs to the rebar. (I used multiple hose clamps, and rope wrap over that. Oh and the rebar is stupid long.) Then run a line (tow strap in my case) around the lactate, and anchor it down (I used my car) in case everything else fails, and the top snapped off the legs. Plus have a secondary connection for the cover to the frame. Do all of those things and you can hang tarps off it connected or loose to the ground. Plus (to get back on topic) bed sheets to fill the gaps. Sure it'll move, and shake a bit. But it'll stay up.

Personally never did the strap across the middle; that's a good idea.

[The Rod]

One year we used an old Costco carport frame, didn't have the cover so we made one out of old sheets from the thrift store. Sheets are very thin and tear much easier than tarps and shade cloth... Ours ended in tatters by the end of the week. Was 2011, don't remember any insane winds either. That year in camp we also had an ez-up frame with the top made out of India cloth tapestrys sewn together with gaps in the stitching to allow wind through. The India cloth thing held up much better...

Ymmv.

[AfricanFire]

Easy shelter for a small tent? http://www.softcom.net/users/rocksci/bm ... rp_designs

Use your car as a windbreak. Set up tent next to car. Make a lean-to with a tarp. Secure very well.

[pink]

Small monkey hut. Cheaper than an EZ Up too.

[bluemiragemi]

I have an ez-up (off-brand) that has won the playa during high wind years, and calm years. It can be done. You need to guywire both the frame and the cover at each corner. On the legs you need to drive rebar down next to each leg then attach the legs to the rebar. (I used multiple hose clamps, and rope wrap over that. Oh and the rebar is stupid long.) Then run a line (tow strap in my case) around the lactate, and anchor it down (I used my car) in case everything else fails, and the top snapped off the legs. Plus have a secondary connection for the cover to the frame. Do all of those things and you can hang tarps off it connected or loose to the ground. Plus (to get back on topic) bed sheets to fill the gaps. Sure it'll move, and shake a bit. But it'll stay up.

Personally never did the strap across the middle; that's a good idea.

Thanks for the ideas on how to strap it down! It sounds like that is KEY with something like an EZ-UP.

If I had a car there, I think the tarp to tent idea would be fantastic.

[Riv]

My one thought on the bedsheets idea is that I think (from what I remember of blanket fort construction) tying knots in the corners generally leaves more slack in the center, turning them into scoops/sails. You may want to investigate a workaround to get them flat--either a way to take the slack out of the middle by gathering it up somehow, or maybe sewing some kind of strap to each corner?

[Jovankat]

(from what I remember of blanket fort construction)

This is the best thing ever, and yeah, now that you mention it, I can see that happening.

[Metorks]

My one thought on the bedsheets idea is that I think (from what I remember of blanket fort construction) tying knots in the corners generally leaves more slack in the center, turning them into scoops/sails. You may want to investigate a workaround to get them flat--either a way to take the slack out of the middle by gathering it up somehow, or maybe sewing some kind of strap to each corner?

Pull the corners through a hose clamp and crank down tight. The knots will be eliminated and the centers of the sheets should be taut, leaving some slack around the edges.

[AntiM]

You can also use tarp clips and bungee cords, give it a little flex.

[Anarquistador]

Curious if you tried this in the end, as I was thinking of trying a similar thing at a regional burn with less windy weather.