Trad Camping

[V I Archer]

Very, Very impressive!

[RGK]

Originally posted by Tom Anderson:
Where's the air conditioner?   :D  

Actually, with the outside being white and the abilty to lift the inner liner for a breeze, The Tipi is normally pretty cool.

[Chris Surtees]

Very nice!!!      

[RC]

That is very cool.RC

[Can Hahaka]

Ron,

Awesome job. Envy...envy...

[recurvericky]

What did it cost you to build the tipi?

[Mike Orton]

I'm Jealous!  

[CheapShot]

Outstanding how-to. Thanks for taking the time to show us. I'm sure that's pretty much how the Native Americans did it, with a few different materials of course.

[pine nut]

Way cool!  Great job and thanks for the build along.

[Problem Child]

You the man      

[Greg Szalewski]

Wow, another great thread Ron. My nephew was just commenting last night on your outstanding skills.
FYI for anyone using a c-pap machine, you don't have to leave it home when camping or worse yet go to a hotel instead. You can run it off a car battery and power inverter just fine. I saw a guy at Bowjam do that this year. He was using a 250 watt inverter. So I tried a 70 watt(no fan, longer battery life) and it worked fine. He was getting 2 nights power without any trouble so the 70 watt may do 3 or more. Word of caution: do not hook up the inverter backwards, it will blow it out(don't ask me how I know that). This has worked great as my wife now is more willing to go with me.

[RGK]

Thanks, I never thought of that.

[RGK]

Originally posted by recurvericky:
What did it cost you to build the tipi?

Lots and lots of time. I made the ropes myself (I should do a post on my rope making machine) and the poles didn't cost anything. I think I used 4 painters drop cloths for the liner but can't remember what they cost. I got a good deal on the 33 yards of white canvas from a friend. I'm just guessing but I don't think I have $100 in the whole thing.

[Onehair]

Just curious, what kind of poles are you using. I have tried pine that only last a short time and tried some bamboo that lookied great but split from end to end while drying. Thanks

[RGK]

These white pine poles are now 5 years old and look like they did the day I cut them. I sealed the bottom ends (about a foot high) of the poles with Tung oil. I store the pole outside but have them standing upright leaning against a tree in my yard. Lodge pole pine is the normal material for poles

[Firstarrow]

RGK

WOW!

Inspirational. Thanks for showing us one of your obvious talents.

I just have to ask...

Do you have the ability to scan the prints you used to make the Tipi or is it a copy write deal?
OR can you direct us where to find the plans?
I would like to try it out!!!

Thanks for your fine contribution to Tradgang!!!

[Teacher_of_the_Arcane]

Ron,

Great build-a-long!!  You have a great value in your tepee....a quick Internet check shows a 14 footer at about $900....poles another $225...and shipping, which could be another $200 on the poles alone!

There's a gent who comes to our Boy Scout Circuit Rider Camporee each September (open statewide to West Virginia Scouts) who brings his tepee each year.  He's been camping in his for 20+ years.  The canvas has taken on a nice rich brown color from years of small fires built inside the tepee.  I always look forward to seeing him there....he's a wealth of information on North American Indians.

[RGK]

To all those asking for the Tipi plan that appears in one of the pictures in my build along.

That plan came from a book I had borrowed called " The Indian Tipi" by Reginald Laubin. You can still find it online.

http://www.alibris.com/search/books/qwork/3197133/

Even if you never build a Tipi, this book is a great read as it covers all asspects of Native living.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Very Nice! Good Job!

[LEOPARD]

Very cool build along! Thanks for sharing!  :D