What\'s With Those Brown Tents! More new pics...

[gaiusseptimiuslucianus]

Hibernicus,

Excellent job! Those tents look great!

I can't begin to tell you how helpful this information is for me. Just this weekend, while out in my rather old, rather mildew stained (it'll teach me to lend it out again) wall tent I was contemplating getting a new one and repurposing the old one as a Roman "leather" tent by painting. Your method seems like it would be easier and still allow the fabric to breathe.

Laudes to you!

Lucianus

[P. Clodius Secundus]

Nice work! I bet they smell better and are lighter than leather. Lee Holeva of Legio XXX brought a tent to Roman Days Maryland last year that was made of canvas panels panited to look like hides. I haven't heard how that worked out for him but it certainly looked the part. Have you thought of adding in darker lines to give the impression of seams for the individual hides?

[Magnus]

Hib, Magnus, which type did you get from Panther Primitives?
Is it one of the scouting tents, as I can't seem to find one like you are showing...

Thanks

Yeah, it's in Panther's new catalogue (well, 2007 anyway). 9 X 9 roman tent...there's a picture of the beige canvass version.

If you're interested in buying, I have a supplier here in Hamilton where I got mine (I'm picking it up this week), or you can try someone in the US...Hibernicus and Rusty both sell from Panther.

[Hibernicus]

Randi: Thanks. But my intention is not to make them look like leather. It was to give an overall impression of what a camp may have looked like.... brown, not white.

A few years ago I asked Panther for a quote on adding seams to give the impression of panels.. they can do it but it added another $100+ dollars to the cost of the tent.

If anyone wants a Roman Papilio from Panther Primitives I get a 20% discount and am willing to pass that along. The more tents the merrier!

Cost: about $275, plus S&H

[john m roberts]

And they're pitched under authentic Mediterranean eucalyptus, too!

[Neuraleanus]

Lee Holeva of Legio XXX brought a tent to Roman Days Maryland last year that was made of canvas panels panited to look like hides. I haven't heard how that worked out for him but it certainly looked the part. Have you thought of adding in darker lines to give the impression of seams for the individual hides?

Here are pictures of my tent:
[url:9n0ilge7]http://www.geocities.com/legio_tricesima_cohors_tres/campusMartis/conturbernium/ContuberniumTent.html[/url]

This is quite a bit more work than simply painting the canvas. I cut the panels out following the dimensions of those found at Vindolanda and stitched them all together. I have since had this tent to several events and it has worked out quite well. The only change would be to have both ends open for greater ventilation.

[Magnus]

Lee's tent looks fantastic, I can vouch for that! Even up close it looks like leather.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I almost asked how much the leather tent weighs.... :roll: :oops:
It certainly looks the part!

[Neuraleanus]

I almost asked how much the leather tent weighs....

It's heavy, the pyrotone is about 13oz, but then, so are the real goat skin tents.

[Hibernicus]

Three new pictures:




A view across the tribuli. Once again space to haul gear was restricted so we left some at home.

http://rlqm.com/ftmac2008/ftmac2008.07. ... ribuli.jpg


A terribel stack of pila.. had to mov eour neatly arrayed stacks to the rear of the camp. RSO (raneg safety officer) wanted them out of easy reach.. BUT, notice the tight stake line! The guys did a good job. We use hand made rope, some with spaced knots to layout the papilios. I hope another batch of pics shows the ridges of the papilios lined up

http://rlqm.com/ftmac2008/ftmac2008.06.papilio.jpg

Ti Nemonicus Agricola's hand made fishing net.. "artfully arrayed?". Another photo set will show detials, also his hooks and fishing pole

http://rlqm.com/ftmac2008/ftmac2008.05.papilio.net.jpg

[Lugorix]

Resurrecting this old thread, if you don't mind.
 
I recently got the nerve to paint our shade fly based on the various threads about staining tents to something brown.
 
 
Here's how ours differed:
 
1) Shade fly. This meant that both sides needed colorant.
 
2) The specific stain that others had used on Roman tents is no longer available in my area.
 
3) Decision made to use opaque stain, as in "deck stain" or "fence stain".
 
 
The stain I used is BEHR Solid Color Waterproofing Wood Stain, color: Russet. It's water-based.
 

 
I used a power sprayer and diluted the stain to 3 part water to 1 part stain. The canvas was laid flat across the yard and expected to walk on it to reach all areas for full coverage.
 
 
Once the stain is on, it pools a little but never soaks through. This allowed me to use a push broom as a giant paint brush to even it out.
 

Next day: repeat the process on the other side with a lighter color. Touch ups on the edges was the only place it needed it, and I used a small disposable foam brush. Since it's opaque it covered any spots where needed like paint.
The result is a shade fly that lets NO light through and does not seem heavier than before it was stained.
 


 
Now I kinda want more canvas for our areas since this turned out so good.