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DIY roof bag

Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2005 12:19 pm
by grazza
Thought I would let you know how I made a cheap roof bag.
I recently bought a double sized foam bed for camping which folds into 3 pieces, since I am fed up with blow up mattresses.
I need a waterproof bag for it and after getting quoted $150 to get one made up from vinyl I decided to make one on the cheap.
I bought a 3x3m plastic tarp from Big-W for $5 and cut it up to make the bag. The shape is very easy, just a rectangular box. I needed a way to glue it all together and after trying several types of glue, nothing would work.
After I spoke to a canvas maker he said they weld them with a radio-frequency air welder, which I dont have. :roll:

So I welded it up with an ordinary iron.

This took quite a bit of experimentation but after trying on lots of bits of tarp I got it to weld strong, waterproof joins.

Ingredients:
plastic tarp
plank of wood
aluminium foil
iron

The plank was covered in the foil, the tarp on top, then more foil. I found the right temp of the iron to be about 3/4 on the speed about ants pace.

Here's the pics:

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Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2005 4:00 pm
by GUJohnno
Nice work

Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2005 4:17 pm
by ozy1
excelent work, good idea with the Tarp and iron, congreats on the neat completion

Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2005 5:37 pm
by N*A*M
interesting... maybe i can make a buggy cover