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GoWesty Cotton Tent - fitment issue?
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dlb154
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 10:23 am    Post subject: Re: Go Westy Tent - fitment issue? Reply with quote

Bead folded back on itself; now on the outside of the metal rail:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


You NEED that bead on the inside to keep canvas from pulling away from the aluminum tracks. Doubling it back like you did may work but only if the material doesn't shrink over time... which it does.

Your original posted pictures look only slightly loose. On a hot day, mist the fabric with water and let it dry. It will shrink. I've installed several tents and have always used this shrink method to tighten up the canvas.
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Vanuber
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 10:35 am    Post subject: Re: Go Westy Tent - fitment issue? Reply with quote

dlb154 wrote:

You NEED that bead on the inside to keep canvas from pulling away from the aluminum tracks. Doubling it back like you did may work but only if the material doesn't shrink over time... which it does.

Your original posted pictures look only slightly loose. On a hot day, mist the fabric with water and let it dry. It will shrink. I've installed several tents and have always used this shrink method to tighten up the canvas.


Where were you a week ago? Very Happy You don't think the rails will hold the canvas without the bead? Unfortunately, I will have a number of screw holes in the canvas if I reverse the process.
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dlb154
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 10:39 am    Post subject: Re: GoWesty Cotton Tent - fitment issue? Reply with quote

Sorry I missed your post... Sad

I know how challenging installing these tents can be. I've done 4 of them.

If your screws are penetrating the vinyl portion of the tent, you might be good. Keep an eye out for any signs of it loosening. If you notice that, then you'll probably want to redo with the bead back on the inside before it tears away and spoils all you hard work.
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Vanuber
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 10:45 am    Post subject: Re: GoWesty Cotton Tent - fitment issue? Reply with quote

dlb154 wrote:
Sorry I missed your post... Sad

I know how challenging installing these tents can be. I've done 4 of them.

If your screws are penetrating the vinyl portion of the tent, you might be good. Keep an eye out for any signs of it loosening. If you notice that, then you'll probably want to redo with the bead back on the inside before it tears away and spoils all you hard work.


Yes, all screws are penetrating the vinyl strip. I will let it ride and see how it goes. Thanks for the input.
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Team WorldTour
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 4:24 am    Post subject: Re: Go Westy Tent - fitment issue? Reply with quote

Howesight wrote:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Um.....

About your tent......

I think it might be, um, upside down. Shocked
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Howesight
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 8:33 pm    Post subject: Re: GoWesty Cotton Tent - fitment issue? Reply with quote

That upside-down tent is not mine. The pic is from a years-old Craigslist ad. I was trying to be a little too coy in my remarks above in this thread.

My tent, shown in the pic below, is custom-made:


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.



The pic of the upside-down tent just makes me smile at how badly things can sometimes go for the well-meaning but uninformed DIY Westy repair guy.

VanUber: Great work on that tent install. Having used the Sunbrella on my custom tent first without the vinyl piping, I can say that the screws will tear the screw holes in the fabric eventually if the vinyl piping is not placed on the inside of the aluminum strips. For me, this required marking the tent and vinyl with tailor's chalk or a pencil and having the vinyl strip sewn into the proper location.
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Vanuber
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 28, 2021 5:29 am    Post subject: Re: GoWesty Cotton Tent - fitment issue? Reply with quote

Howesight wrote:

VanUber: Great work on that tent install. Having used the Sunbrella on my custom tent first without the vinyl piping, I can say that the screws will tear the screw holes in the fabric eventually if the vinyl piping is not placed on the inside of the aluminum strips. For me, this required marking the tent and vinyl with tailor's chalk or a pencil and having the vinyl strip sewn into the proper location.


Yikes. Good to hear from experience. At this point, I am just going to let it go as there will be exposed screw holes in the tent if I move the piping back to the inside. Once it starts pulling out, I will look into moving the vinyl strip or replacement. Thanks for the input.

PS - nice tent!
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