[Ermine] Re: Silver tarps & colored spots, oh my!

From: Joe Marfice <af289_at_dayton.wright.edu>
Date: Tue 23 Jul 1996 08:32:36 AM EDT
Message-id: <9607231232.AA07592@dayton.wright.edu>

>>>They have heavy plastic corner guard covers, ultra heavy duty grommets, and
>rope in the hemming. THESE ARE PRIMO!<<
>
>        Yeah. Just what I think about when I envision the middle ages. All
>thosenoble lords and ladies cavorting about under metallic plastic tarps.
>
>        White canvas reflects the sun just fine, thank you.
>
>-V

Of course, we all remember the days before Valentine got the pavilion he's so audibly proud of. "Come inside!", we'd call out from our dripping dome-tent doorways. "No thing doing!", he'd reply, with a courteous tip of his soaked straw hat, "I wold rather be soked to the boone, than for to be warm withinne a modern tent!" And so he'd sit, resolute in his admirable dedication to period purity. Which is why he has a perfect right now to criticize those who don't have period shelters, even those who still wish to be sheltered from the hot sun & chilling rain.

We all remember those days, don't we?

>True, but after a very rainy week, my white canvas quickly became a
>rather interesting pattern of rainbow colored spots. Mildew, mold, who
>knows what else. Colorful, but not what I had in mind. What should I know
>before I sew another one?
>
>Rayna

Rayna, Dearest Lady,

Did your tent actually mildew while you were at Pennsic? I ask because UV light (which even filters through light clouds) is a STRONG inhibitor of mildew, and that surprises me.

If it mildewed at Pennsic, a plant hand-mister filled with a weak solution of boric acid would help. As always, _cover_ all food, but boric acid is really pretty harmless stuff. It's used in Borax(TM), and is a recommended kitchen treatment for cockroach control (not that I would have any experience...). It's also used widely as a soldering flux. I've probably inadvertently ingested ounces of the stuff, during my days as a jeweler's slave -- er, apprentice -- er, son. And it hasn't hurt me yet! Furdermoke, du ibbe vas mumu squat, elbow marga patter. Bubu mommy tree.

{Sorry, had to stop a nosebleed. I always get those after the dizzy spells, when I get the bright colors and hear the voices.}

After Pennsic, the boric acid would still help, and it's rather cloth-friendly. A much more risky solution would be a _very_ weak spray of bleach+water (lots of water). Try to follow the proportions for ordinary laundry use.

Finally, the cloth must dry before storage, or there's simply nothing to be done for it. There are triple-sized dryers available in many laundromats. Hose the panels down to get rid of the grass & whatnot (and we usually camp in lots of whatnot), then transport to the laundry.

Boric acid can be purchased from garden supply stores (at about $8/small can), from some pharmacies (cheaper), and so forth. The price varies WIDELY, so shop around. Don't spray the inside of the roof while you're still camping--even though the rain will wash it off soon, misting the top of the tent in-between rains would still help. I imagine the biggest problems occur near the bottom, anyway. Bleach water could probably be used anytime, anywhere--UV & oxygen break down sodium hypochlorite (help me, chem wizzes--is that right?) VERY VERY fast, turning bleach into water & harmless salt. But be very careful to keep the dilution weak.

  |   Broom                            at The Lady Perrine
  |   Ministerium honor est.
 \|/  Which means "What?  A parade?  For me?"
 /|\  513-222-2330                    233 Perrine Street
//|\\ af289@dayton.wright.edu        Dayton (my fayre citee), OH 45410

--+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--- From: Joe Marfice <af289@dayton.wright.edu> --+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--- Received on Tue Jul 23 08:32:51 1996