Getting dormobile canvas to stretch.

Workshop and Technical tips & tricks.
Ian
Posts: 147
Joined: Wed May 23, 2012 10:15 pm
Info: 1962 Dormobile "Zuma"
Location: Malibu, USA

Re: Getting dormobile canvas to stretch.

Post by Ian » Wed Jun 07, 2017 1:38 am

Warming the canvass will make it stretch. The only trouble is that it will shrink as it cools and if you still have the original material, it tends to crack and split as it cools and tightens. I would drill extra holes in the stays so that the material doesn't get tight. Cold weather camping will do that too.

Ian
woollen797
Posts: 238
Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2014 1:21 pm
Contact:

Re: Getting dormobile canvas to stretch.

Post by woollen797 » Wed Jun 07, 2017 5:38 am

Cheers for that Ian, so drilling the extra holes on mine isn't a problem but more of a solution.
moogling
Posts: 41
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2014 8:16 am

Re: Getting dormobile canvas to stretch.

Post by moogling » Sat Jun 10, 2017 11:55 am

Thanks all.
I have just started drilling extra holes in the stands.
moogling
Posts: 41
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2014 8:16 am

Re: Getting dormobile canvas to stretch.

Post by moogling » Mon Jun 12, 2017 4:25 pm

Ian wrote:Warming the canvass will make it stretch. The only trouble is that it will shrink as it cools and if you still have the original material, it tends to crack and split as it cools and tightens. I would drill extra holes in the stays so that the material doesn't get tight. Cold weather camping will do that too.

Ian
Ian, do you mean ANY cold weather camping will cause it to become brittle? May need to change it earlier than I had hoped if that's the case as we're primarily cold campers!
Ian
Posts: 147
Joined: Wed May 23, 2012 10:15 pm
Info: 1962 Dormobile "Zuma"
Location: Malibu, USA

Re: Getting dormobile canvas to stretch.

Post by Ian » Thu Jun 15, 2017 8:25 pm

Its not really the cold that makes the canvass brittle, just age. Cold temperatures will cause the canvass to shrink and brittle canvass will certainly crack. At some point, I'll have to replace the canvass on my Dormie - it is an absolute pain to do which I found out whilst helping TeriAnn Wakeman replace the canvass on her Dormie a year or so ago.
Jabbawocky
Posts: 431
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2012 10:11 pm
Info: Barney the Dormobile
Location: Yorkshire Dales

Re: Getting dormobile canvas to stretch.

Post by Jabbawocky » Mon Jun 19, 2017 1:50 pm

Hope you have that roof up today? Should be hot enough today. My later roof has three positions to allow for winter and summer use.
woollen797
Posts: 238
Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2014 1:21 pm
Contact:

Re: Getting dormobile canvas to stretch.

Post by woollen797 » Mon Jun 19, 2017 5:36 pm

Had mine up yesterday and even got it on the original holes
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