A Better Way to Waterproof Fabric
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- čas přidán 2. 05. 2024
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In this video we explore a new fabric waterproofing method using wax, oil and several different application techniques for awesome results. This method is perfect for bedsheet or canvas tarps, jackets, gloves, backpacks, and any other fabric item. The earlier method using silicone can be found in this video: • Recycled Bedsheets Mak...
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Thanks for watching!
-Ben
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If you missed my earlier fabric waterproofing video you can see it here: czcams.com/video/z_R0gEDZhAI/video.htmlsi=cZlLdKpAv7i47zVf
It's been a strange few months for me figuring out how to keep making videos now having a kid to watch with my wife working part time. Meanwhile I've also assembled a new (and long overdue) editing computer thanks to your Patreon support, and learned new editing software starting with this video. I think I'm getting settled into my new routine and videos should keep coming this summer at my typical pace.
One update is that I'm trying to figure out a way to start livestreaming while I work on some of my projects. I've been hesitant to do that in the past because I don't want other channels to see what I'm working on and release their own version before I can. Now that I have some long term projects like my radiative cooling paint project I'm less concerned about copycats because everyone already knows what I'm up to. The trouble is that I don't have internet in my workshop. I could stream from my cellphone but the quality will be very poor. Let me know if you think livestreams would be something you would like to watch. Access might be a Patreon perk while I figure out the details.
See you on the next one, and thanks for watching!
-Ben
instead of flames I assume one could use a hairdryer? (in the ridding of the powdery residue)
Use leather for a more 'fireproof' version of the tarp.
Isn't Naphtha also a main ingredient in DIY DMT extraction? I swear I seen a video where the guy used it to crystalize the DMT in a pyrex tupper wear dish. That may also be a reason why the companies are pulling it from the shelves.
You still could do it with a bit more modern means, because like mineral oil, there there is silicon oil in varying degrees of Thickness. Then use the thinnest you can get.
What you basically have to do is replacing part or the whole of the Naphtha thinner with it
You only have to watch out for that pesky lubricant versions, those mostly aren't 100% pure silicon oil, but but mixtures with other chemicals that aren't… well lets just say they are good on you car, but not on your skin
That said, with more silicon and less silicon oil, or using a more viscous silicon oil, you can even make that a cheap DIY silicon for mold pouring
Waterproof your shoes
Plenty of hobbyist channels ask their audience to be renaissance men with thousands of dollars of niche equipment to follow along, and you stroll in and wow us with something you can teach in grade school. They say talent is hitting a target no one else can, but genius is hitting the target no one knew was there. You're up there as the Michael Faraday of DIYers in my book.
The brains trust of a world is nice and you have people with a bunch of different backgrounds.
Yeah, Ben is truly impressive.
The only hobbyist channels i can think of that uses expensive and rare equipment are Nile Red, where even then most of the work he does is through ol' reliable glassware, and Stuff Made Here, whose gear is, fair enough, overkill.
But i think it's misrepresenting the hobby by saying "plenty" when *actually* plenty make do with a 3D printer and a soldering iron, like James Burton.
@@b.j.880 Some others have trended more complicated, expensive, and involved over time, like Applied Science, Tech Ingredients, Cody's Lab, etc.
But that is fine, it takes different types. But I do like Ben's stuff for its continued and overall trend of simplicity and lower cost. I wish there were more channels that focused on interesting DIY for the average person.
A lot of us don't have a lot of extra spending money.
@@b.j.880I think that really depends on what hobbies you have. I consider things like a band saw, a wielder's kit, or an oscilloscope expensive. Heck, I would consider a 3d printer to be expensive too. In my opinion it's far from something most laymen can pick up and use with immediate functional authority. I'll admit your ease with soldering depends on how small and technical you're getting. And yes, you can learn these things fast, but I mentioned grade schooler being able to do this for a reason. That's the joy of it. There is Zero gatekeeping of any kind with most of his projects. For the most part, anyone can do them from a typical apartment setting with hand tools and no supplemental skills.
Not gonna lie, the water proofing is nice but the knot and button info is top notch
As soon as the knot lesson started I had to go get a piece of rope, such a useful one to know
Agreed, that part blew my mind with how simple it was. Definitely tested it out on a piece of rope too. Hopefully I'll remember it this time.
I learned this in the Boy Scouts back in the day. Also useful for tents, hammocks, or other fabric structures.
I see what you did there.
@@gatergates8813 Same! I really hope I remember it. I'm sure it'll come in handy some day
I don't really have anything to say, I'm just commenting because I think this video deserves the engagement.
I agree.
I secod that lmao. This is wonderful, and i thought the last recipe was exciting!!!!
Absolutely
Ditto.
Me, too, except that I have to say that I really liked the video.
Dude, the favorite part is the whole video. You are able to take anything from a simple idea to a complex one and make it easy enough to understand that a grade schooler can mostly follow along, and yet still make it entertaining enough to keep an educated adult hooked, and still teach said adult. Don’t change
What a happy little accident.
EXCELLENT - AMAZING presentation skills ! ( Are you a radio DJ or tv AD guy ? HA. ) Great job. I was USN 59-82 Para Rigger / SERE -POW Inst . / VN. Now 81 still learning , sharing , teaching . Be Safe. Mtn Mel in W. Colo tipi camp.
WHOA - Oops lots of wax / work to do a tipi. No way.
Its surprisingly hard to find basic techniques in modern media, so this is really refreshing to have such "simple" recipes being broadcasted to a wide audience, thx, very much
It's actually really easy to find, and there's a lot of it out there thanks to niche content that's catered to the off-grid/prepper/anachronism crowd. The hard part is that it's not being spoon fed to you on recommended channels, you won't know how to find it if you don't know what to look for. I mean, if you didn't know you could waterproof a bedsheet with gulf wax you certainly wouldn't go looking for it.
@@Skinflaps_Meatslapper I don't know. After his first silicon video, I searched for his method online and had to dig pretty far to find another source sharing the same information. If I didn't already have his exact phrasing to search for, I never would have found it. The same goes for his ambient cooling series and his Starlite recreation. Both of which I can barely find elsewhere without using his videos as a source for specific search terms. I would say that in all three of those cases, "surprisingly hard" is a perfect description for the difficulty of finding information on the topic. And this isn't even getting into false, misleading, or incomplete information, which I was only able to filter through because I had these videos as guides.
I would go as far as to say that "The hard part is that it's not being spoon fed to you on recommended channels" is not only an incredibly rude statement, but an outright lie. Even if I already know the general direction that I want to go, I need a lot of prerequisite information to find a lot of this stuff. Sure, I can find other articles and videos on wax based fabric waterproofing. Townsends has a decent one. But none of them will also cover four levels of mineral oil quantities relative to the wax and their effects, three application methods, a comparison between wax, silicon, and plastic tarps, and methods for troubleshooting issues as they arise. Pretending that this kind of information is anywhere close to this convenient to find in any other part of the internet is extremely dishonest and unhelpful.
@@Skinflaps_Meatslapper Well that's exactly the problem. when I look for stuff like this most of the time google just spits out a bunch of websites that try to sell you something over articles that are actually useful.
What I appreciate most is that you not only simplify your process (and explain why), but that you are always looking to improve upon what you already know, and do so in a playful way. Thank you.
He did four ratios of oil to wax and tested them. That was impressive. If you do experiments, share them like this.
This is the stuff that the internet was made for. Incredible information across the board and amazing video. 10/10
As a viewer that makes comments, thanks for giving metric measurements.
The cheap plastic tarps are also made of resins that are quickly and severely degraded by sunlight, breaking the chemical bonds that hold them together. Cotton doesn't decompose in sunlight if dry, so your waterproofing gives it long life.
wait cotton decomposes under sunlight if wet? does it just turn into cotton tar?
@@crackedemerald4930 It rots. What did you think an organic fabric does?
Yep, just commented this before I saw your comment. UV does a number on most plastics. They make them more brittle and in a tarp that translates to it being in taters after a year or two in sun
This is the major issue for me, down here on the Gulf coast. Plastic tarps last < 1 summer, down here.
@@crackedemerald4930 as in literally decompose. the organic fibers are eaten by microbes and they need moisture. also means zero waste if 100% cotton is compostable
Actually you can use your favorite iron with no difficulties. When I was treating my raw pine dining table with beeswax (a LOT of beeswax), we melted it in with our only clothes iron. When we were done, running the hot iron a few times over a couple of paper towels removed every trace of wax from the surface. Being nonabsorbent, it didn't retain any wax. Filling with water and running the steam setting blew any remaining wax out of the holes, and it was perfectly clean.
We still have the iron. We use it on clothes. Not a problem.
My mother took in ironing for a while. She always 'cleaned' her iron by running the hot iron over wax paper. She would then iron a cloth towel to finish the cleaning.
Honestly, I wondered if this would be useful for stiffening up small bits of fabric, but not the whole large body of fabric.
@@eugenetswongyes it would, same way starch works, just that it's water soluble so washes out while the wax would survive a few washes
@@eugenetswong You'll see a color change.
@@Jimwill01 My mom didn't take in ironing, she just ironed for a family of eight. But she kept a block of wax on the ironing board and occasionally would run her iron over it. She didn't say anything about it cleaning her iron, but said it made the iron glide smoothly over fabrics. It may be that at least some spots of our clothing were a bit waterproof! :)
The best day of the month is when NHIL uploads
Dude, using the bird in your ad is the perfect way to keep me from fast forwarding. Genius
one of my favorite things about your channel has been the fact that you consistently do fairly rigorous, and often long term, testing of the things you show/talk about. It really elevates you above the common stuff that is either untested or poorly explained because the presenter doesn't truly understand it themselves; the fact you're very open about the things you don't know is also super important to that.
Yep, saw this come up onto my feed and think 'hey that's the waterproof blanket guy! Thank you CZcams, excellent long form content. If I'm not mistaken he's also the Passive Air Conditioning paint guy.'
This is one of my favorite channels for that reason. Another is Project Farm for similar long-term projects and testing. Practical info ftw!
So true!
I can't believe this is the first time I've ever seen you. Out of all the time I've watched CZcams I really can't believe it. Sir you are brilliant. Please don't stop what you're doing this world dearly needs teachers just like you. And it's going to need people just like you even more as time goes on. There won't be enough like you to go around when shit hits the fan. You're not just doing a great service by showing us these things in teaching us these things.... Sir you are saving lives. Baby not yet and not today but you will. And the things we learn from you we will save lives. Thank you.
Linseed does have many qualities.
I understand your process and creating a valuable material.
I look forward to additional insights.
Your use of mineral oil to soften the wax reminds me of "plasticizers" in flexible PVC (vinyl) applications. The plasticizer is a compound, typically a petroleum-based liquid, that is added to raw PVC to impart softness and flexibility. It's how PVC can range from being as rigid as the PVC pipes in your plumbing to being as soft as the faux leather seats in your car!
I work for a company that produces flexible vinyl membrane for flat or low-slope roofing applications, and one of the biggest limiters of a membrane's lifetime is plasticizer migration. This is where, over long periods of time, the plasticizer leeches out from the polymer matrix. Consequently, the membrane is left brittle and is prone to cracking.
I would be very interested in seeing how the mineral oil plasticizer holds up against migration, and consequently how long these coated fabrics retain their flexibility under use.
Very cool video!
That's the nice thing about the silicone treatment as silicone is inherently flexible and rubbery (and is a rubber). A proper silicone treatment will last for a number of years. It is also quite stable in relation to UV exposure (considerably more than most plastics). This is partly because it is an inorganic polymer.
(And it is more fire resistant).
Mineral spirits works quite well with silicone as a so called plastisizer! Ive found that if silicone thurally disolved in mineral spirits and mixed prior to misting application works perfectly if applied annually if not the end of about the second year wear points start to appear around corners of tents or packs from my experience!
Probaply at about the time the mineral spirits have seen to completely evaporate therefore no longer able to function as a plastisizer perhaps?
@@williambrodmanvi5944 All that these solvents are doing for silicone, is thinning it out. The silicone doesn't need a plasticizer because it is inherently soft, flexible, and rubbery.
But different solvents evaporate at different rates. Naphtha is faster than mineral spirits and paint thinner. But you can certainly use them or even other solvents, as long as they don't attack or dissolve the underlying fabric. For example, you wouldn't want to use acetone for nylon or polyester fabrics, because it could start dissolving them.
That's interesting info about the pvc in to vynal, i never knew that.
I worked as a plastuc welder in a drainage tile plant (sewer pipes) we extruded plastic pellets to forcen through the die
After cutting the product free from the machine we had tons of scrap waist, so instead of just tossing it , dropped it down a grinder shoot and blitzed it back into reusable pellets.
Also the plastic welding wìre used to go through a large size heat gun looked a lot like 3D printing filament today.
I wonder how mineral oil and hydrated lime would fare?
Maybe try some wax and elmer's glue.
If take a drop cloth and role the glue all over it,
then add another layer of drop cloth, then glue, et.
Doing this multiple times 3-5 at least yields a " poor mans fibre-glass."
Which turns ultra hard & water proof.
The cool thing is you can pre-shape it and it will dry that way, staying rigid & water proof ..
i obviously came to this video to find out about waterproofing fabric, which was really great! but you really went above and beyond wit the spark test, the button technique, and the knot tying method! such a complete video, plus interesting and useful bonus, without being too verbose/long. thank you so much for that.
This is 100% going to be turned into a shell for a bedroll. Waxed sheet, wool surplus blanket, polar fleece throw, simple button together design. Thank you for the magic.
Your work with oilskin (aka oilcloth) had me thinking about Superfest glass. Superfest glass came from post-WWII East Germany in 1977. They'd essentially used a potassium ion transfer process to make glass items 15 times stronger than regular glass. This stuff is so strong you could drop it on a tile floor and the tile would break before the glass. The problem is most people do not know about this glass and even less know how American, British, and other companies (like Coca-Cola) stopped this glass from becoming popular due to the industry's need for planned obsolescence. Were it not for Steve Jobs needing a strong glass, Superfest glass wouldn't have been reinvented into Gorilla Glass. In my own Native American community, we make arrowheads and knives with both volcanic glass (obsidian) and regular recycled glass...with the microwave kiln being very popular amongst knappers. If you could come up with a way to make a version of Superfest glass that's approachable, the possibilities are indeed endless. For hunting and other firearm applications, you could use glass projectiles (i.e., shot) that didn't pollute the environment like lead. For self defense, layers of thin glass could be used to deflect bullets. It could be used in fire protection and heat deflection. In construction, it'd have multiple applications. The same is true for medicsl and dental appliances. Imagine dentures stronger than teeth or bone replacement appliances cheaper and stronger than steel. Even in culinary applications you could have pots, pans, utensils, and razor sharp knives that were stronger, thinner, and lighter than steel. It's just something to think about.
Chemically hardened glass isn't actually that difficult to make, just really nasty (molten potassium nitrate isn't exactly safe to deal with!) - most glass manufacturers have known about the basic process since the '60s (yes, that includes Corning), though commercial use had been limited due to it being far more expensive than tempered glass, without any significant advantages. Superfest was just something of a neat idea to make a useful product of it, which turned out to work OK in a highly controlled economy starved of resources but largely failed when introduced to a less regulated market - it just didn't make commercial sense. Of course, nowadays there's a lot of demand for extremely thin or otherwise unusually shaped tempered glass, which is near impossible to make traditionally, so chemical hardening has found its niche - and virtually all major glass manufacturers have their version of it. Note that just like any tempered glass, chemically hardened glass is extremely hard to scratch but will essentially explode if you do manage to crack it.
I too just watched that video :p
Denture issue unfortunately, the issue is the health of the jaw bone. You actually compact faster using anything at that point due to diet in the modern world, so you would intensify the issue giving out "unbreakable" branding due to people being idiots and eating garbage.
Thats very close to how Gorilla Glass is made.
The other Ben, from Applied Science, has done a video on how to replace the sodium ions in glass with potassium ions.
Even when you do that, glass is still glass, and somewhat brittle and can still fracture somewhat easily. There are various different types of strength, and generally, as strength increases in one area, it tends to decrease in other areas. For example, tensile and compressive strengths tend to be opposites.
Also, rather than taking soda lime glass and replacing the sodium ions with potassium ions, I wonder if it might just be easier to make the raw glass with a potassium source instead, perhaps using something like potassium silicate with the silicon dioxide? But it might not flux the glass as well as sodium? (Flux means to lower the melting temps).
You could also experiment with putting soda glass in a bath of diluted solution of potassium hydroxide (be careful when mixing this with water) and running a DC current through it. You might have to line the glass on one side with a metal foil of some kind, to attract the ions through? But then, you might get some contamination from the metal ions? (Also, make sure you use carbon or graphite rods to conduct the electricity into the bath).
In any case, you'd might be surprised what you can make with a combo of S-glass fiberglass or Basalt cloth, with high strength, lamination epoxy, and/or bamboo.
This is basically the same way I'd make cutting board conditioner with bees wax.
Couple tips:
Do the double boiler with your wax oil mixture inside glass canning jars. Saves a ton of cleanup.
Buy the mineral oil from a farm supply store. Marketed as animal laxatives. 1/4 the cost.
Good tips! Thanks.
Wow 🤯 I love it when gems like these are shared ❤❤❤❤❤
Okay so no joke , I watched this video last week and got all my stuff to make it . I got some stuff from goodwill and Amazon and was vary confident that this method would work . I will tell everyone this is a VARY GOOD METHOD , I'm super impressed and can't wait to make more. It took me about 45 minutes and was easy. Super water proof and light . Thanks for the info this kicks butt 👍
How much heavier are the sheets compared to untreated?
@runamucker I was wondering the same thing.
Anybody else just hear Cody from cody's lab every time he laughs. 😅 Love this guy's channel
0:36 - I would like to thank you for the clearly effective dead cat or other wind noise canceling tech you are using to keep your exterior audio so clean and audible. Your content is great, but the hidden production values are what make it so accessible.
In a world of clickbait this is a very welcome respite. I personally really appreciate your easy going light hearted delivery. You speak and instruct at a pace that is easy and enjoyable to follow. I’ve been waiting years for this video to find me.
The world needs more channels like this one.
Ben, you are an unusual and accomplished communicator, being sure to enunciate every word correctly and at a steady volume. It's a relief to learn from you. TANKS!
I was coating a surplus field jacket with this method and came up with an easy way to melt the wax into the fabric. I put it on a clothes hanger and hung it in my truck on a sunny day and let the greenhouse effect do the work. It did a great job, just took two hours of waiting.
The recipe provided worked perfectly, thank you!
I was thinking you could also grate the wax onto whatever and pop it into the oven on low for a few hours, even preheat the fabric so the flakes stick. Then a quick pass with an iron for final touches without all the tedium
Sounds like you got wax all over your car seats.
@@starrychloe Not a bit, I had a pretty light coat on it. I did put a plastic shopping bag under it, but it was clean at the end.
@@jamesyoungquist6923I was thinking that grating the wax would be much easier and faster than trying to melt it as cubes too. Even just using the same technique used here. Reminds me of grating old crayons to make crayon art.
@@jamesyoungquist6923@emilala9049 He talks about the wax grating method in the video, and he found it to not work that well here. He found it doesn't make for a very consistent application; that's why he did the other method with the paste-like application. Also, he mentioned that ironing isn't a good method for convoluted shapes like garments.
As a hot tub tech, I’m constantly on my knees in wet places. I hate having wet knees, especially in winter. Since your first video, every new pair of work pants I get goes to my shop first and the fronts get siliconed. Not only do my knees stay dry, but my pants don’t wear out as quickly. As an added bonus, whenever I’m using silicone at work, I don’t need to use paper towels or rags to clean up the excess. I just wipe it off with my finger and smear it on my pants, which just further reinforces the waterproofing.
you're gonna end up with only waterproof thighs at that rate!
Back in the early 90s while working as a maintenance welder at a coal company, I noticed that the seam threads on my gloves did not burn out where smeared silicone was rubbed on after rubbing excess off on my gloves. I guickly adapted this technique to the seams of my boots and key clothing areas. I'd also rub coal powder in on my boot toes, providing some abrasion resistance and reaplly it as it wore off.
What a great tip! Thank you for mentioning it.
@@B30pt87I smear fings all ober my pants to! What your phone nubber I’ll set u a picture
@@marcariotto1709 yeah bro that’s what I about to say
Watched your waterproofing experiment two years ago and was very impressed but now you have batted the ball out of the park. Brilliant and all without expensive, carcinogenic naptha. And I really liked your favourite knot.
3,500 plus positive comments - what more can be said.
I came across this by mistake and it was the best mistake I have ever made in a LONG time. You asked what wasn't liked..... I can't think of a thing! The knot was simply explained. I appreciate that. I am now a subscriber. Thank you for a great video!
This is very close to the formula I use for sealing cloth hats. I add a bit of ash (about 1oz rice ash per lb is ideal) to the mix to balance the ph, then it lasts damn near forever with daily wear.
If using natural wax (bee wax) the ph should be fine and the wax won't break down from it. Paraffin interacts with human oils and breaks down from it, and the ash slows that process to essentially nil. Your hat or jacket will need replacing before the water proofing gives out, unless you work near heat sources a lot, perhaps.
"unless you work with heat sources a lot" maybe not a dark hat then lol. the sun here us intense
It is very interesting! Does it get stiffer at temperatures as low as 0°F/-18°C ?
Interesting tip. I wonder if an oil soluble, pure, singular alkaline substance might work even better, since it should disperse better in the oil-wax blend? For example, things like calcium are added to motor oils to increase pH to increase wear resistance over time (since the oil gradually and steadily acidifies with heating-cooling, oxidation, etc). Well, whatever one does and uses, don't add too much of the alkali because alkali plus oil is essentially what soap is made out of.
Are you able to wash it in a machine?
@@eugenetswong I highly doubt it.
But with the silicone treatment, you can.
Bravo Ben, for finding the perfect mix of wax and oil, so we don't have to!
Been done for ages. My grandfather use to do it with his big 8 person canvas tent and it is commonly used even to this day on logger pants to keep them dry. Only downside is the wax and oil mix requires reapplying it every year-ish.
@@SilvaDreams Yup, the silicone treatment on the other hand is extremely durable and near permanent (will retain water resistance for a handful of years at least, and potentially many more depending on how thick the layer, how ideal the treatment and conditions, etc).
@@justinw1765 It's also very flame resistant.
@@onestoptechnologies7305 Yep. Wool with a silicone coating is particularly fire resistant. And fiberglass cloth with a silicone coating is even more so.
@@justinw1765 Curious... Why fiberglass? (like welding blankets?)
I most enjoyed the clips where you were trying out the waterproofness of the cloths and having a blast doing it. Such authentic joy.
I was about to say “I can’t wait to see this guy skyrocket. This is awesome content” but he’s already at 2.2M subs. Way to go, man!
"Penguin Mode" is the greatest thing I've seen on the internet in a long time.
I'm 57 years old, and when I grow up, I want to be just like Ben.
Thank you for yet another fantastic piece of entertainment/education.
Sir, I've been interested in and researched "tinned cloth" for years. Of course, as you said there are many recipes and methods. I cut up some 10oz canvas and did a handful of tests. Most worked fine, however, the process was "expensive", stunk forever, and took almost as long to cure. Your method is amazingly cost-effective, fast, and effective. Your presentation was honest, and thorough while addressing all my concerns. It would be shameful of me not to mention your generosity in sharing this. Thank you!!
Yes, same here. DC
I appreciate the fact that youre constantly coming up with ways to improve the lives of anyone willing to do a little bit of work with the methods you've provided. This is the kind of content that should be driving educational curriculum as the accessibility is perfect, even for those piving outside the US.
Thank you for everything you do!
I have to say, I love the joy you exhibit throughout the video. You can see how much fun you are having playing with this stuff, and experimenting with it. As a new creator myself, I find it very inspiring! You've definitely earned a sub from me!
Thank you, and keep up the great work!
As a scientist, I always love all of your videos. The taut-line hitch knot was a nice surprise :) I always mean to learn knots, but find videos/books overwhelming and they don't stay in my brain. Having the knot provided in context of its application and just one knot at a time helped me actually learn the knot instead of just doing it once and forgetting it!
A taught line hitch is a great knot to learn. I used it to adjust the length of my safety line while doing tree work. Adjusting the length of, or tensioning a rope can easily solve many problems. One thing to keep in mind is a taught line can slowly untie with repeated tensioning and loosening. If this could be a problem just put a stopper knot in the tail of the knot.
I've been watching a lot of Knot Master on here. The music can be a bit much at times, but the content is easy to follow. So just turn your volume down and enjoy your new CZcams rabbit hole LOL
Learning stuff isn't a one-shot deal. Things have to be repeated over and over to be really learned.
So much to like: followup on the silicone tarp after two years, diy cloak, a taut line refresher, disclaimers about limits and pitfalls and obviously the new recipe with safe ingredients and techniques. Thank you for sharing!
The favourite part of your videos for me is that if I wanted to, I could do this at home
Your enthusiasm is infectious. And your approach of trying to find a genuinely practical, economically viable application for techniques is something I really adore.
Thank you for sharing your ideas and I hope there are many more to come.
I love how you don't just quit at one good idea, you try to improve it. Thanks Ben for your never-ending pursuit of excellence!
You are one of, if not the ultimate, most important youtube channels of this decade. Your experiments are not only essential, and extremely useful. They are free, open and so beautifully shot and explained that even i can understand them.
You are a boon to free and open knowledge. Thank you.
this is OG youtube format. give this 1billion views!
Ben plays with fire quite regularly and he's beginning to be more than an average type of guy also with the prevention
for fire and improvements of heat retention, improvements to thermal dynamics and demonstrating of thermal reflect-
ivity by trying his very best to come up with thermal resistant paint! With this updated waterproofing methods at the
lower costs, I'd dare say that Ben will be a more than successful at most of what he does no matter what! Good job
there Ben!!
You have got to be the most wholesome science sciencetuber on the platform.
Thank you for all the years of interesting content, and here's to many more!
He does have some stuff competition from Anton Petrov and Cody's Lab. 🍀✌️😎
I have also had good luck brushing the molten wax on with a cheap paintbrush, and melting it into the fabric with a hair dryer
The part I like most is the presentation! I love the fascinating exuberance!!
You are brilliant!!
Thank you !
Thank you for sharing and having such a good time doing it. Love the laughter ❤️
This made me think of "oilskins" . I grew up near the ocean in Maine, worked as lobsterman and dive tender. Doing some research, the first fabric treatment that used a similar method to yours was invented by a New Zealander, Edward Le Roy. He used wax and linseed oil. His gear became so popular he started a company making waterproof garments for fishermen and sailors. The method he used was "boiling" the fabric for 3 days in a mixture of wax and linseed oil. A relevant aside, My first pair of L.L. Bean wool lined hunting shoes, from the'70s, came with a tin of a mixture of bees wax and mink oil to upkeep them. I still have those shoes, but the soles have worn out,. Some day want to bring them to back to Bean's to be reconditioned. I am not going to accept a 'trade in'.
Yes oilskins have been around since Jesus learnt to fish and would have been light leather or hemp fibre which is vastly superior in toughness and wear to cotton. Edward did take out a patent for his specific method as did 'Drizabone' later on, an australian company in Brisbane that calls it a 'secret recipe' but everyone knows it's just a slight variation of linseed oil and wax on cotton in both cases. Definitely not new, tiny amounts of emulsifiers, solvents and even fire retardants are added and paraffin in place of beeswax are the only real differences in modern times.
As someone who encountered a naptha ban (which was really rough for my circuit board manufacturing side gig) thank you for continuing to experiment and iterate. I'll try the wax process on a gazebo that's been just a frame on my property since I've moved in.
Government bans: why we can't have nice things.
@@geckoman1011
I neither want to live in a world where leaded gasoline is still standard, nor one where everything is banned by overzealous, malinformed governments.
Guess i'll have to find an uninhabited place...
@@geckoman1011nice things = carcinogens confirmed
@@keppycs FDA approved things = carcinogens confirmed
@@keppycsAccording to California, everything causes cancer.
i just want to say that i appreciate all of your videos. You do an amazing job not just with your projects and explanations but with your videos as well. very professional. On top of that you are one of my most favorite people not just you tubers. Sincerly thank you for what you do.
Man I love seeing you smile and chuckle with delight. Amazing work, and I'm glad you find joy in your passion!
As soon as I started to think about how flammable it might be you started showing it.
You're the best dude. You rock.
On a different video, someone mentioned that the piece would likely function like a candle. Any fire would slowly vaporize and burn the wax, instead of consuming the fabric and spreading. So it might actually be safer than the fabric on its own.
I'm currently experimenting myself with linseed oil and I can definitely say that it's not useless or expensive. You can make waterproof fabric by soaking it into linseed oil and letting it settle in sunlight in a well aerated location. Linseed oil will slowly polymerize by reacting with oxygen and form a soft, waterproof fabric. HOWEVER BE CAREFUL, if you use boiled linseed oil the polymerization will be rather fast and as it's an exothermic reaction YOUR FABRIC MAY SELF IGNITE.
There are many fires starting spontaneously in workshops every year where people whipe boiled linseed oil with fabric and throw it in a bin.
The resulting fabric will be kind of shiny and oily in aspect (not to the touch) and it will become yellow/brown with time but it's not visible on dark fabric.
I'm currently working on a linseed oil/wax mix so your video is (again) spot on.
Will the fabric not self ignite if cold pressed/raw linseed oil is used? And will it still polymerize? Thanks (:
@@lupakajsalisa3652 there's no risks of self ignition with raw linseed oil but the process is waaaaaaay longer, it takes days if not weeks. You can even find videos on CZcams on people making decade old linseed oil varnishes.
But you expose your cloth flat/vertical in a well aerated zone I think you can use boiled linseed oil. It's when the fabric is full of boiled oil AND in a closed environment - like a bin - that the heat cannot escape properly and the thermal runaway can occur.
Also if you put your cloth outside, the oily surface can catch dust and insects in the beginning of the process. I have to admit that the aspect of my experiments is not nice, kind of yellow/brown oily shiny surface with some insects, but it is flexible and waterproof.
My next step was to try to add some wax and dye in order to obtain a more matte and pleasing finish but I'm already working on so many projects that I don't have enough time to work on this one currently.
@@76Eliam I live somewhere with rainy summers so it does sound cumbersome, but have you tried adding a few drops of an essential oil to the linseed oil to repel bugs? You could google bug repelling essential oils if interested.
I'd like to try your process if I did have a well ventilated inside area that wasn't the kitchen or living room, but alas.
How long exactly does the process with boiled linseed oil take? A week?
Important info for anyone considering boiled linseed oil: the additives used to speed up the drying of linseed oil are not good for use on clothing. Probably fine for a tarp, but I wouldn't use it on a jacket.
Double boiled linseed oil contains none of these additives, and is even safe on food preparation surfaces. The downside is a much darker color.
Always love watching your videos! Very informative and easy to follow along! Thanks for all the time you’ve spent researching and sharing!
Awesome and fun presentation of an amazingly simple, yet wonderful process/result! Thank you for all your efforts researching and testing on all your videos.
The thing I like most about your videos is your upbeat tone the entire time you're teaching us cool things about materials science and other topics.
My favorite part of this video is your enthusiasm! I get the feeling you'd do these kinds of things even without the need for content and it makes the videos so much more enjoyable.
Thank you so much from across the pond, I have tried all sorts of commercial waterproofing solutions in my time in the british army and as a hill walker, but I have never gone old school. You have given me the knowledge and confidence to try this out! Superb video, keep doing what you're doing!!
Thank you SO much for sharing!! DEFINITELY going to try this method!!plus thanks for the knot Tip!!
I saw your video a couple years ago, and when I saw you put the cloak over your head all I could think was 'please say it..' "Penguin mode" 😂 You seem like a pretty genuine dude, and you're never redundant. Pro CZcamsr!
Seriously, my favourite channel. Also, Bonus Lesson on knots?! You, sir, have my admiration.
Love the knots tutorial at the end. I always use stuff like running-hitch and bowline and this slipknot. All knots are extremely effective and everyone should learn them ! 😀
Do note that he is demonstrating the inferior magnus hitch rather than a true taut line.
This was time well spent. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Excellent! Well worth the time to watch! Thanks for the bonus knot.
Thanks for putting in the effort and making this available for the public to see.
I live in a house that was built back in the 1800s by a simple farmer and whenever I do projects in the yard that require digging, I end up finding marbles. I always thought it was from kids playing in the field. This video makes me think it may have been wagon tarp tie-downs.
Just want to say that I really appreciate you giving us the Metric measurements as well, it's really helpful for us non-americans. This was a great video 😊
This is one of the best videos I've ever seen that teaches everyone a skill that everyone who owns a home, an old sheet or a jacket that is no longer waterproof needs to know. You did the research for us and i am very thankful! I just ordered my wax and mineral oil on ebay to make a tarp and re wax my filson anorak jacket.
This is so cool thank you for figuring this out! I wrote down the other recipe but never did it. This is so much easier!!!
Thank you for the waterproofing video, I made a 14 foot yurt with my wife using that tutorial! It was extremely expensive to waterproof the fabric, but I really wanted this camping yurt to be fire retardant instead of extremely flammable, like wax or oil cloth. We’ve used it many times, and it came out amazing. The only issue is that we used painters drop cloths for the fabric and in extremely heavy rain the force of water hitting the roof is able to push through a thin mist it’s only a problem and extremely heavy downpours though light rain to moderate rain is fine
The most high-tech and expensive lightweight tests have this problem as well
@@stevexracer4309 true, that’s exactly what was happening. we live in Texas, it hardly rains here and when does it’s not often driving hard rain. We have since gotten a plastic sheet to go in between that tarp and wooden frame when we decide to go camping during a forecasted thunderstorm.
Yeah, while this has advantages over the previous recipe, it's way more flammable.
@@thundersheild926 exactly, especially since we plan on putting a woodburning stove in our winter hunts and camping trips
@@ramdynebix (Talking about expensive, high tech, waterproof designed fabrics, and not painters cloth treated with silicone or wax.) Sometimes it is misting through, but quite often it is more so condensation droplets getting knocked off, and this will happen even with the most waterproof of fabrics under the right weather conditions.
My father Arthur passed in January of this year. He was in early childhood education, and was an incredibly kind and forgiving man who made MANY people’s lives better through both his ability to share and impart knowledge, and his personal generosity with his time and resources. You look amazingly much like he did, 40-60 years ago.
I love your open source sharing of ideas and information, both ancient and new, and the broad range of topics you cover.
Thank you for your kind and most professionally produced efforts in education and sharing of knowledge.
It honors his spirit, and everyone you grace with new knowledge that improves our lives, and the hub of discussion it creates for further knowledge sharing in the comments section.
Salute!
No.
@@spankyjeffro5320 - no need to focus on what the ladies say when you come on to them.
Yaayyy! The other video on this was my first video of yours and I really like to rewatch them, especially the ones for making a water distilling bottle, a portable camp stove, and the tarp one - they make me feel like a little scout again. Thank you Nighthawk!
I appreciate the time already invested in research that your videos represent. You are like a guide who has already found the trail, showing us how to get there along a [near] optimal route.
The most enjoyable part of your videos, apart from the knowledge you impart, is your enthusiasm and positivity for sharing that knowledge, and your passion for making your techniques accessible and understandable. Sharing the process and the mistakes you made is also invaluable. I've enjoyed your content for years and I hope you continue to go from strength to strength.
I have been waiting two years to try out your waterproofing method.
Thanks!
The whole time I was worried about flammability but you disproved my concerns so well! Awesome video
Saved this video into my off grid video list. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge!!
So, in response to your closing call to action, my favorite part of this was not only did you compare this method with the old one, but explained different ways you'd apply it and why it matters. Also really enjoyed the "bonus" lessons at the end, even though it was stuff I learned in BSA over 20 years ago. Got an interesting hit of nostalgia.
As for me least favorite or things to improve? Sadly i didn't really have anything for you. Best i could think of is add your "recipes" on screen.
Personally I'd like to use this to give a second life to some of the orphan bed sheets i have, just gotta find the time
This has to be the BEST prepper oriented channel, without focus on the end of the world 🥰
- SO many useful projects and DIY stuff... AWESOME
That's very funny you would say that:-) because at the end of my comment I said Jesus is coming soon don't be left behind to go into the tribulation under the rule of antichrist in other words believe in Jesus and get saved by grace through faith in the death burial and Resurrection sin washed away under the blood of the Lord otherwise you go to hell forever personal choice
I don't think that's really relevant
@@markeverson5849 off to hell I go then🥳
@@markeverson5849 I believe hell is cast into the lake of fire, along with death, their usefulness being at an end. Outer darkness is the final destination of Satan and his followers, never to see the light of God's radiance, for all eternity. Imagine how far away that must be, for all eternity.
@@markeverson5849 I've found from "talking" with Yeshua (he never had the name "Jesus" in his life), that he doesn't really care too much what you specifically believe or don't believe, but rather, how you interact with and treat others. In other words, he considers anyone who treats others with kindness, respect, sincere honesty, empathy, compassion, etc, a true Christian. The more that they do this in a universal manner, and more consistently, the more he considers that person a true Christian.
And believe it or not, he doesn't even really care if they "believe in him" specifically or not, as long as they live in the above manner.
Btw, there is a collapse of this current civilization coming, but it is not the "end of the world", though many people will die because so many are so far removed from knowing how and being able to survive without electricity and modern conveniences. (If this happened a couple hundred years ago, we'd be mostly fine, except for increased UV exposure due to decreased ozone layer).
This is coming through a combo of the Earth's magnetic field strength rapidly and ever more quickly weakening, in combo with either this Solar max (over the next couple years) or the next (in roughly 10-13 years from now). Not supernatural in the least bit, but clear cause and effect oriented. NASA and various government agencies have been talking about for awhile, how vulnerable our electrical grid systems are in relation to strong Solar events. But they haven't been factoring in the weakening of the Earth's magnetic field. That is a huge factor and means that we won't need a Carrington level Solar storm to take all of this out anymore. Each year that goes by, the probability increases for a moderately strong to strong Solar storm to have the probable potential to take out the grid system. At this point, an X20 CME could probably do it. And a couple of combo, successive shots of X10 or so CME could.
In 10 years, it probably wouldn't even take a single X10 to do it. It is a question of "when", not "if", until the grid systems are significantly updated and hardened against these inevitabilities.
Btw, this current weakening of the magnetic field is why we are seeing ever more auroras farther away from the equator, and a definite increase in previously super rare red auroras.
Thank you for the update of this topic. I was discouraged because of the previous tutorial since naphthalene isn't readily available in my country but now I'm able to redo the waterproofing of my bag with this new recipe. Also the slipknot, I use it with my gym shorts and pants where there are ropes for further tightening the fit. Truly tons of value from this video. Thanks.
Wow, this was so cool! I've subscribed because of this video alone, now I can't wait to see what else you have. I would never have thought of any of this, but the stone and slipknot button is particularly brilliant. We've been trying to go as low tech as possible with all of our projects these days to make it easier to replace whatever breaks down over time, and these ideas fit the bill beautifully. Thanks!
It's amazing to see how far your channel has come. I remember your oooold videos of you in the woods showing how to make traps with rocks and rope over tree branches to drag a catch up into the air lol.
Thank you! I must say after watching this video I still prefer your previous method with silicon and "naphta". This is because of excellent quality, less sensibility to temperatures and easier ways to apply. I use brush, dip and especially spray. Spraying works really well for clothes: you just treat evenly from outside and it soaks into the outer layer. You can do it on a hangers or right on a person! With the wax method the mixture ratio remains in the product. Whereas for "silicon-gas" you make the mixture by application; the solvent goes away and the silicone remains. No residuals or white lines.
Thank you very much your videos are most useful!
While it's true the mixture ratio determines durability, flexibility, and use (temps), the naphta/silicone method, while more predictable and of blanket use, is a bit scarier to use because of the toxic solvent involved for more timid DIYers. It's nice to have options.
@@pistachoo. You are right: outdoors only!
Awesome upgrade! Thanks for the knot too. Slip knots r my fav. Thanks for teaching a new one.
extremely high quality video and info, thank you so much. sharing with some camping buddies. the fire testing, the long-term testing of the sheet on the wood pile, the bonus knot/grommet info... 100% good stuff.
Bro, you are a hero of the people! Why are you not making money off of patents instead of sharing with the world? What a gift. I hope history remembers you.
This has been sold commercially for some time as “Tin Cloth”, which is poorly named, but uses a combination of cotton fabric - heat treated with wax mixed with various oils.
There is also a product called Otter Wax that is bar for applying over a smaller area. (Smells very fragrant like the outdoors.)
Subscribed! Loved every bit of content + your delivery.
Greetings from Italy
I've watched various videos of yours for quite a while and have always enjoyed the content. I think it's always awesome when you come up with a less toxic way and I liked all of it including the knot. You're awesome!
The button trick and the knot demo really made this whole video epic
Be careful reheating a pot of wax. The underside melts first, building up pressure. If you then poke the surface a stream of wax can shoot out and scald you badly. (I know more than a few artists this has happened to.)
& Yes Buttons or nubbins are better than grommets. Grommets are weak. (So are D -rings) For my DIY backpacking tarps, almost always Silnylon, I like grosgrain loops. (Grosgrain is basically ribbon, for tarps and gear, nylon.) Along the bottom I can stick a stake into a loop, twist it around a couple times stick it in the ground. Done. I leave my lines attached to the corners and key points. I'll often do a complete set up without tying a single knot or adjusting a line. (It's easier to just move the stake.)
I use 100% silicone caulking (the smaller 'toothpaste' tube) to seal the seams on my tents and silnylon tarps. (These aren't left outside for months.) The little kits sold at REI are expensive and you end up needing two of them for a typical back packer tent. Instead I line a cup with aluminum foil squirt some caulk in, then dilute it with paint thinner. I stir it, but not completely, The liquid seals but doesn't fill gaps, the thicker stuff is great for gaps. For a brush I use plumbing soldering flux brushes (same as in the REI kits) these are 4 - 6 for $2. I don't seal the perimeter seam, or the gusseted loops along the bottom, these are near the ground, doesn't matter if water leaks, it's never going to drip on my head. And for grosgrain pull outs in the middle of the panels, I'll seal from the inside where the stitching comes through. I'll use the liquid sealant to start so it soaks into the threads, then I might put a bit of thicker stuff over it. '
I wonder if the naphtha would be a better thinner for the caulk. (I do know my sealant smells differently from the REI kits.) There may be a better method, mine has worked really well.
Yes, naphtha is a better thinner for silicone caulk as it evaporates more quickly and fully than both paint thinner and mineral spirits.
If you filter out the small amount of oil in it, white gas/camp fuel will also work great. It is naphtha with a small amount of oil added to help with lubricating camp stove parts.
A good filtering media for the oil is the soft, breathable, non woven polypropylene fabric that cheap grocery bags/totes are sometimes made of. Stuff that in a toilet paper cardboard roll, and pour the white/camp gas through to remove the oil. (The P.P. material readily absorbs the oil).
What kind of paint thinner?
I was captivated from beginning to end!! Just like your other videos on naphtha & silicone used in making waterproofing bed sheets.. AMAZING!! JUST SIMPLY AMAZING!!!! I love watching your videos!!
I just viewed your videos and I am very excited & intrigued!!! WOW!!!
Top notch content, period. Always a joy to watch you and listening to your narration.
Videos aside, you seem like such a good and nice guy. Any neighbor or friend would be so fortunate to know you. I wish everyone was as nice as you. Great smile and good attitude. ❤ God bless you.
And you make awesome videos! I'm a science guy. 😊
My wife and i built a 36" yurt. To wax the roof, made of heavy canvas, i went on craigslist and got a free natural gas dryer, hooked it up to propane, got it hot, FIRST, and then on the low setting, tossed the panels in with the softened wax and there ya go. Ez pz.
If anyone decides to go my route;
1. The dryer isnt really usable for anything else afterwards, and
2. Make sure the flame cant come into direct contact with the drum. Add sheet metal if necessary, you arent trying to signal for aid from Gondor. Use less wax than you think you'd need, inch up to the line, etc. youre an adult. Think like one.
Waterproofing at scale now
" or ' ?
@@jimburton5592 basically he's telling people use their own brain instead of just shutting off their own and believing everything from somebody else
@@3CODKing Ok, I'm realizing now that my comment isn't very clear. That's on me. He said the yurt was 36 inches (36"). I was asking if he meant 36 feet (36').
Because either thats a comically small yurt, or I don't understand how yurts are measured.
@@jimburton5592it's either because he's in a miniaturized alternate universe or it's your thinking that's small.
I remember the naphta/silicone video and wanted to try it, but the toxic solvent aspect seemed a bit scary to me. This update is bang on, and so very cool! I especially enjoyed the bonus lesson at the end about button technology and clear instruction on how to do the taught line hitch knot. Excellent video!
I'm very grateful for the flammability test and I was impressed with the button technology. Fantastic thank you.
Already did the previous water-proofing, looking forward to trying this method too. The bonus knot tutorial was well timed, giving my kiddo lessons in the importance of knowing how to tie knots in the modern world of duct-tape and Velcro.
Ahhh but the benefits of velcro ! I use them strategically for curtain ties! And for dashcams allround 😀
The best part is how excited he gets about what he's doing.
Just found you channel and I love it. Your presentation, explination and personality are the perfect combination. Time to binge your videos!