Check out zippersource.com. They take their time getting orders out, but it
is a great resource and a really good way to specify and buy zippers.

Jim

On Mon, Apr 25, 2011 at 3:17 AM, mumbrue@comcast.net <mumbrue@comcast.net>wrote:

>
>
> Hey Bill, love your post! Can I order the Herculean 10 from you? I am not
> sure what zipper compositions I can get from The Rainshed, but if I have
> trouble there, maybe again you can help me find what I need. The plastic
> beading still seems ok to reuse. Should I buy new anyway? Thanks again for
> such an informitive post for some of us willing to sew our own!
>
> Any other tips? Thanks!
>
> Julianna
>
> Sent via DROID on Verizon Wireless
>
>
> -----Original message-----
> From: William or Rebecca Thompson <thecraftedcow@comcast.net>
> To: wetwesties@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: 2011 Apr, Mon, 25 07:04:03 GMT+00:00
> Subject: Re: [WetWesties] Poptop Tent Material; Breathability Means ....
>
> I was going to keep out of this, but here goes. Canvas shrinks. That's the
> nature of cotton duck. The zippers get stressed and they tear out because
> of
> the rotten cotton thread. It molds and mildews badly unless you live in
> Arizona or New Mexico. There it sun rots and deteriorates the window screen
>
> material, and the canvas. The acrylic becomes brittle. There are better
> boat top fabrics than Sunbrella.. Does anyone make a Herculite 10 or higher
>
> number top? That stuff lives up to its name. NEVER put Thompson's Waterseal
>
> on it. It turns to snot!
>
> Sunbrella has been in use for many years for boat tops, sail covers and
> bimini covers. It has ZERO resistance to chaffing. Any metal part it can
> rub
> against up or down develops a hole or a rip. One must be careful with it.
> We
> always backed up rub points with leather. In a westy, a towel or a wash
> cloth would suffice. Be very careful it is not pinched in the folded
> position. It is more weather resitant than canvas material. If you think
> about fabic, if it will allow in any air movement, it will also allow in
> moisture through those same porous openings. If you want air flow, open the
>
> glass windows a bit.
>
> Thread---the stuff that holds it all together---- cotton swells when wet
> which seals the seam. It also rots from being wet. Nylon is not UV
> resistant, becomes brittle and breaks Polyester is UV resistant and hold up
>
> the best.
>
> Zippers---made of cotton fabric with metal teeth are garbage! the metal
> will
> corrode. the fabric will shrink and it spits teeth . Once teeth are
> missing,
> the slider cannot keep it together. Coiled zippers lie nicely, but they
> tend to have a mind of their own about where to separate if the fabric
> shrinks. They should be nylon on nylon fabric with is about 3/4" wide on
> each side of the zipper teeth. #5 chain toothed zippers with 3/4" polyester
>
> tape on each side are the least trouble.
>
> In the course of 10 years on the Oregon coast and 24 here in Salem, there
> have been many westys at our shops with top challenges. I have an 80
> aircooled road van, and an 80 westy which has a complete roof assembly
> which
> would graft onto my bus. The hassle with tentage is what keeps the two
> pieces apart.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: neil n
> To: all listees ; vanagon
> Sent: Sunday, April 24, 2011 8:30 PM
> Subject: [WetWesties] Poptop Tent Material; Breathability Means ....
>
> Hi all.
>
> Trying to decide between a new Arylic "Sunbrella" type or OEM German
> canvas
> for my top.
>
> Though I'm still not sure which is more water resistant (acrylic or
> properly
> treated/maintained canvas) when we talk of "breathability", are we talking
> about how well a material helps keep the interior cooler in hot weather or
> which material dries out faster after getting really wet or both?
>
> Neil.
>
> --
> Neil Nicholson '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"
>
> http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
>
>
> http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
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